To eat well in this Spanish region, you need to know four magic words
There’s a phrase you need to know, in Spanish (because that’s easier than the local Basque tongue). It’s simply: “Cual es su especialidad?”
What is your specialty? Those four words are your ticket to good dining in the Basque Country of Spain.
Spanish pintxos on the counter of the tapas bar in the gastronimical capital of Spain - San Sebastian. Credit: iStock
Every bar in this semi-autonomous region will have a dish it is most famous for, or most proud of, and there is no trick to divining what it is. You don’t need extensive research, or local knowledge. There is no secret code.
You just have to ask the person behind the bar. What is your specialty? And he or she will tell you, straight up. It’s this. Order this.
The snack you are served will be delicious, a work of skill and dedication, a bite-sized portion of history and passion that only costs a few euros, and yet allows entry into a world of gastronomy and a cultural rite that will feel like the utmost privilege.
These snacks are called pintxos. You could say they are Basque-style tapas, but that’s not completely true, because the dishes are distinctive, and the culture subtly unique.
There are two basic versions of pintxos: the traditional version, which are only one or two bites in size, the ingredients held together with a toothpick (a “pintxo” is a spike in Euskara, the Basque language); and then there’s the more modern iteration, described as “cocina en miniatura”, miniature cuisine, small plates of highly complex food that require specialised techniques and the highest quality ingredients.
Illustration: Jamie Brown
Most bars in the likes of San Sebastian, Bilbao, Tolosa and Getaria will serve several versions of both. You will see some, generally those pintxos served cold, arranged behind glass cases on the bar, while others will be cooked to order and served hot, and are listed on a menu posted within easy sight.
To order, you simply approach the bar, flag down a staff member and call out what you want. Add drinks – beer, cider, wine – and you’re all set.
The drinks and cold pintxos will be passed over immediately. Someone will yell out when the hot dishes are ready.
You consume these drinks and snacks wherever you can find space, either leaning at a high counter inside the bar, or out on the street, usually a narrow alley with perhaps a few tables and chairs.
And don’t try to pay when you order. In the Basque Country, you settle the bill when you’re ready to leave. The bartender will remember your tab, though you are also expected to keep track in case they get it wrong. (Honesty rules here. Don’t mess with the system.)
And then you continue to the next bar and the next, always with that magic phrase, that perfect question, ready.
Ben Groundwater is hosting a gourmet tour of San Sebastian and the Basque Country in October this year. For more information see worldexpeditions.com
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