At this writing the Euro is worth 1.11 USD, and of course it always costs to exchange, but this is a fairly good deal based on the historical relationship between these currencies. Traveling outside of peak summertime yields some reasonable airfares, and eating out in Spain can be inexpensive when based on tapas and small plates called pinxtos in Basque towns like San Sebastian.
Bilbao is the largest municipality of the Basque region and has a population of about 1 million people. Originally an industrial city with an emphasis on iron ore and ship-building, the city began a true renaissance in 1997 with the completion of Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum. This was followed with additional architectural art, a concert hall, a metro system, and renewal projects. The city has become a business and service center. We saw lots of street cleaners and green spaces.
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| Bilboa's Guggenheim |
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| Koonz's 40' "Puppy" made from fresh flowers is popular in selfies |
A visit to the Guggenheim is a must. And if you can splurge, consider having lunch at Neura, the museum's fancy restaurant just next door (www.neura.com). We indulged in the "9 products" lunch at 95E per person, and it was quite special. My favorite dish was a collection of five different small tomatoes that had been prepared differently, injected with infused oils and herbs. It was perhaps the most memorable meal of our trip, and the visit includes a visit to the kitchen where few extra treats are served (a tempura quail egg was delicious!).
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| Beautiful salad of greens, asparagus and avocado at Neura |
It is a short drive from Bilbao to the coastal town of San Sebastian, maybe an hour and a half. The Basque name for the town is Donostia, by the way. There are some town beaches worth visiting for a quick dip, and the Kuruaal Auditorioa presents world class music in an acoustically perfect environment (We saw the 80-piece Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra present a stunning performance of Tchaikovsky).
But for most visitors, San Sebastian is all about food. It is the second city in the world for Michelin stars per capita (behind Kyoto, Japan, cf. Wiki) and two of the world's best restaurants can be found here (2013 ratings). For most of us, however, food in San Sebastian centers on pinxtos (say "pinchtos"). Wander into almost any bar/tavern in San Sebastian and you will be dazzled by an array of very high- class small plates that go from about $3 to about $10 per plate. Pair these with an excellent glass of local red (tinto) --- Rioja is nearby --- or the refreshing and delicious white called Txakoli (say "Chacoli") and you will be happy, guaranteed.
I highly recommend to you the group Pinxtos Hunting Tour done with San Sebastian Food (www.sansebastianfood.com). The tour has been recommended by international publications, is well-run, and a great social experience. At 95E per person, the tour turns out to be a great value. We had six stops, all the food/drink was arranged for us, and we felt like insiders in the know. As a bonus, our wonderful guide provided us with a summary of our experience by e-mail together with a cheesecake recipe and other recommendations for eating in the city. Absolutely genius!
Here is a summary, to whet your appetite:
- Goiz Argi (Fermin Calbetón street)
o Brocheta de gambas – Prawns skewer
o Marijuli: Green peper, smoked salmon & smoked anchovy
o Pimientos de Padrón & Gindillas – Green peppers (big and small ones)
o Drink: White wine, Txakoli de Getaria
- Bar Sport (Fermin Calbetón street)
o Chipirón con vinagre de modena y salsa de ajo y perejil – Baby cuttlefish with Modena balsamic vinager and parsley and garlic sauce
o Calamari
o Drink: White wine, Via Nova with Godello grape
o La hoguera – Smoked cod with fine herbs mayonnaise and shot of liquid salad
o Drink: White wine from Rueda región
§ Here you should also try ´La rosa´which is the main lobster one with the pink liquid we saw yesterday
o Solomillo - Sirloin steak
o Jamon de bellota - Iberian ham
o Queso Idiazabal (de oveja Latxa)- Idiazabal cheese (from Latxa sheep)
o Drink: Red wine, Trus Roble from Ribera del Duero wine
o Aceitunas con vermuth – Olives with vermuth
o MaKcobe – Mini burguer
o Pajarito – Queal
o Drink: Red wine, crianza from Rioja region
o The best cheesecake from the city
o Drink: sweet red wine, Pedro Ximénez
Other nice bars to visit:
- Nestor (Pescaderia street)
o This is the bar I mentioned is well known for the steak, tomato salad, the pimientos de padrón and the tortilla (remember to go 30 mins before to book your piece!).
o Vieira en salsa ajoblanco - Scallop in ajoblanco sauce
o Tartaleta de hongos, queso de Idiazabal y piñones – Pastrey with fungus, Idiazabal cheese and pine nuts
o Ensalada de tomate de temporada – Seasonal tomato salad
o Foie gras con mostaza y mermelada de naranjo – Foie gras with mustard and orange jam
o Carrilleras con salsa de hummus - Veal cheeks with hummus sauce (see photo below)
- Borda Berri (Fermín Calbetón Street)
o Salmorejo soup
o Rissotto de Idiazabal – Idiazabal cheese risotto
o Pulpo – octopus
o Torrija (basque bread & butter pudding), carrilleras (veal cheeks)
o Hongos (porccini & egg yolk), Calamares, Mini Croissants with ham, Txuleta (steak).
o Anchoa con arándanos (anchovy and blueberry), Anchoa con Huevas de Trucha (anchovy and trout eggs), Anchoa con aceituna (anchovy and black olives), Anchoa con Centollo (anchovy with spider crab) -> my favourite one! J
o Secreto Ibérico (Porc)
- La Mejillonera (Puerto street)
o It may not look that nice from the outside, but they have the best Patatas Bravas and Tigres (Mussels with spicy tomato sauce).
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| Pinxtos Bar |
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| ...and more Pinxtos |
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| The killer veal cheek, my fave |
There is really no bad food in San Sebastian. It seems the availability and options are so great that people are downright giddy. Everyone --- visitors and locals alike --- seems to be in a terrific mood almost all the time. They are happy to talk about their favorite small plates and share food hints with newbies.
Honestly --- and I realize the gravity of what I'm about to say --- I have never eaten better than in San Sebastian. The Michelin stars are almost superfluous. This is it. The Main Nerve. Food Heaven.
You don't want to miss it!
Come back and read the next installment on Menorca and Madrid. Thanks for looking in!
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