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| Clark with his notebook and appetite |
San Sebastian, home to not only some of the finest food in Spain, but all of the culinary world. Pintxos are small brilliant bites that range from traditional tortilla, vermouth gelee stuffed olives, to morcilla filled cannelloni. Although a very similar concept to the tapas of the Southern Andalusia region, the name is never used in the North. As you can probably imagine, arriving to San Sebastian from Ribadesella via six hours of train and bus Clark and I were salivating. Dropping our bags at the hostel we took to the old town with a list of places to taste the very best pintxos the Basque Country had to offer.
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| Gin and tonic, beef cheeks, and foie plancha |
Our first stop, Atari Gastroteka, quickly became one of our favorites. Before we even got to the bar overflowing with pintxos we put in our request for one of the best gin and tonics to pass these lips, complete with juniper berry and lemon rind garnish. The bartenders take true pride in their work, crafting the perfectly balanced drink, not too astringent or bitter and large enough for Clark and I to share. The same balance was reflected in the pintxos. Foie a la plancha, foie on toast, beef cheeks with mashed potatoes and boniato (tropical sweet potato) fries, pumpkin risotto with goat cheese were all prepared a la minute. Each dish setting us back just a few euros. Aside from the underwhelming risotto, which was cooked with orzo, the dishes were great. The beef cheeks were warm meaty goodness, easily cut with a fork. Foie, a melt in your mouth creaminess with just a touch of large flaked sea salt on top, heaven!
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| Tosta de Foie Micuit, partially cooked |
Right around the corner we found another gem, A Fuego Negro. a bit less traditional, this place was dimly lit with red accents and the black walls were etched with a chalkboard menu. Pintxos did not fill up the entire bar here. The dishes here were varied with many ceviches, fish tempuras, even a Kobe slider; showing a fusion of various cuisines and techniques. Most dishes were ordered from the menu and presented in a more contemporary style. Our favorite savory dish was pickled pigs ear with a mole ice cream. The pigs ear was a tender terrine, and the mole ice cream was a bit on the sweet side.
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| pickled pig's ear with mole ice cream |
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| Regalize It |
The dessert menu showcased an eye catching dish called Regalize It. Licorice ice cream covered by chocolate soil and roots garnished with a pot leaf tuile. The soil wasn't dry and provided a nice textured topping to the ice cream. And for the curious folks, the cookie didn't seem to actually have any of the green herb.
Alas, we found our best dish of the trip in an unassuming bar, with one tiny kitchen. La Cuchara de San Telmo has a cubicle kitchen that fits three cooks and the chef each in their assigned corners. The system works great and shows how much space is under-utilize in some kitchens. Our dishes, seared rock octopus with cabbage leaves; iberico pig's ear a la plancha with apricot puree, jus, and parsley oil; and crispy salt cod confit with tzatziki were all on point. The rock octopus had a meaty taste from the seasoned grill, but not chewy. The pig's ear was hands down our favorite dish. Hot off the flat top, a brittle porky crunch contrasted the gelatinous braised ear perfectly. The salt cod was another stellar creation. Not too salty and very tender thanks to the confit. The crispy skin took it to the next level... I think I need to invest in a plancha flat top ASAP! All this richness balanced with the freshness of the dill in the tzatziki. Unfortunately the food was so good I did not take any pictures here, but we'll be sure to stop here again!
Our food affair with San Sebastian was way too short. Not nearly enough food was consumed, and our minds need a bit more pintxo expansion. Despite our plans for leaving Spain to spend our last three weeks in France, we've managed to convince ourselves that a trip back to San Sebastian is needed for a strictly educational eating purpose. This place really knows how to put out quality DELICIOUS food and has been doing it for centuries. If only we could bring this food culture home with us, there would be many more happy satiated people. One of Clark's favorites is MAS in Charlottesville, VA. Amada is a Jose Garces Restaurant is Philly that really stands out for me. Has anyone come across any other good pintxos or tapas bars in the US? What were some of your favorite dishes?
