Donosti pintxo to pintxo
Saint Sebastian It is the best gastronomic destination in the world. Exaggerated? To much honor Lie? Not a bit, I refer to the tests. And as evidence -and tastings- the matter goes, serve as evidence before your honor these three irrefutable facts:
- San Sebastián is the best destination for British lovers of gastronomy
This is how the readers of the magazine have decided Which? , which have chosen the city of San Sebastian from among 10 other candidate cities. Behind of Saint Sebastian they have remained Tokyo, sydney, New York Y Paris . Yes, I know what you are thinking... English and good gastronomic taste?
- San Sebastián is the city in the world with the most Michelin stars per square meter The tri-starred are Pedro Subijana in Akelarre, Martín Berasategui in his restaurant in Lasarte and Arzak. But it doesn't end there: Mugaritz with two in Renteria and distributed throughout Guipúzcoa we have Alameza, Zuberoa, Mirador de Ulía, Kokotxa and Arbelaitz with one. A blessed madness.
- Skewers, skewers and more skewers Does anyone know any corner of the planet with better pinchos? Where tapas is religion? Yes, I also love the south and Calle Laurel but Lo Viejo is another level, it's the quam of pinchos, nirvana, the coup de coeur disguised as Gilda and accompanied by a txacolí.
That's why -and for so many things- I love San Sebastián. because you know wonderfully combine the Michelin Stars with the most rustic taverns yes; because it is many different things (elegant and trivial, clean and chaotic, distant and affectionate) but nevertheless it is always something more, and bye-bye, because you eat like nowhere else. So here are my five essential skewers:
1. Anchovies from Txepetxa The tradition of vermouth started in the thirties, the appetizer (ham or cod) accompanied by wine and a talk. Then came the prawns, croquettes or mushrooms. But it was in the sixties, thanks to the mussels and anchovies from Negresco, when the skewer was already faith.
Txepetxa It is the temple for all of us who love anchovies. In Txepetxa, homage is paid to the anchovy and that is why it is prepared in fourteen different ways: with spider crab cream, with sea urchin roe, anchovies with foie gras and apple compote, anchovies with trout roe, with coconut, with salmon... But in this life you have to choose, and if there is no other choice I would choose (of course) Gilda, the mythical cover tribute to Rita Hayworth's slap in the face of Glenn Ford.
The best anchovies, those from Txepetxa (covered with trout roe)
two. The potato omelette at Bar Néstor The Bar Nestor does not have the tortilla on the menu. In fact, his specialties are old cow steak, green peppers from Gernika freshly made and the tomato salad ( what tomatoes! ), but all the locals know that Néstor cooks two (only two) potato tortillas a day. At 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., a few minutes before, Néstor himself points with paper (no Moleskine or faggots, a lifelong notebook) and pencil to the lucky suitors of the best potato omelette that this humble writer has tasted: juicy, slimy and perfect.
Mr. Néstor, at the Néstor bar with the best tortilla and the best tomatoes
3. Mushroom risotto, at Borda Berri
Straight to the point: Borda Berri is my untouchable in the Old . Yes, I love each of the bars (Paco Bueno, Gandarias, La Viña, Néstor, La Cucha de San Telmo...) but if I had to choose just one -blessed punishment- it would be Borda Berri. And it is precisely part of the San Telmo team that is responsible for this bar where absolutely all skewers are perfect.
But how do you choose? I keep three : the veal cheek in red wine, the grilled scallop with peach jam from the vineyard and the mushroom or Idiazabal cheese risotto.
Borda Berri mushroom risotto
4.The Bonfire, in Zeruko
Zeruko is something else. Zeruko looks for confusion and bets on “creative” skewers . Behind the bar Joxean commands and this is to be applauded very loudly oasis of modernity between so much sirloin, mushroom and anchovy . That also translates -of course- in that the clientele seems to be taken from a special Donosti Monocle. They already understand me.
Here the skewers are eaten but they are also looked at -admired-, smelled and planted under the iPhone's camera: La Hoguera is a playfood that is already mythical in Lo Viejo , a semi-raw cod that the client smokes to taste to later place it on toasted bread.
To the rich creative skewer of Zeruko!
5. The Habanito, at Casa Vergara
From the new to the traditional. and close with Vergara House because it is from Casa Vergara where every good man -and woman- has to start their gastronomic journey in Lo Viejo. The perfect route begins here, in this bar three steps from Santa María la Real that is a perfect reflection of all the bars in San Sebastián, where there is hustle and bustle but also courtesy and smiles. That is San Sebastian.
The misunderstood (aubergine stuffed with spinach, carrots and a Martini reduction) is a must but we stick with El Habanito, a trompe l'oeil of a cigar , made with Beasain vegetable black pudding wrapped in brick pastry, where the grill is made with a piquillo pepper jam and the ash with poppy seeds.
Aubergine, mushrooms, ham and cheese at Casa Vergara