Content warning: You might not want to read this if you are hungry
Biking to work in The Hague every day this summer made me constantly hungry. In July, I mostly fixed this with five food-filled days in the beautiful Basque region in northern Spain.
Every couple of hours during my stay in Bilbao and San Sebastián, I was nibbling or drinking. It’s not that the Dutch deprived me of food (well, non-bland food is another story…); it’s just that the food in the Basque region was everywhere—bite-sized, inexpensive, and so delicious. Every second building contained a bar that offered glasses of delicious red wine or txakoli (local, sweet white wine) and pintxos (small bites on skewers) for about two euros each.
Though there were some common plates, the pintxos largelyvaried by bar. Of course, everything was served on a skewer or toothpick. A common dish among the bars was the gildas, anchovies sandwiched between green olives and green peppers, then drenched with garlic and olive oil. This gave an explosion of flavour.
In Bilbao and San Sebastián, the pintxos were unparalleled. My personal favourite was any pintxo involving Iberico ham. I found the combination of caramelized onion, brie cheese, and ham on a fresh baguette to be especially delightful. I was also impressed at how much food they could pile on one skewer. The thought of two shrimp on a baguette with mushroom and ham made me drool a bit as I typed this.
However, I was truly floored by the buttery-soft txuleta from Bar Nestor in San Sebastián. It was a two-hour wait for a standing table, but entirely worth it. The Guardian aptly describes a txuleta as a “Flintstone-style” kilo cut of heavily-salted rib, served with at least an inch of fat surrounding the steak to give it flavour. If you are a meat enthusiast, Bar Nestor is worth the pilgrimage.
Not only are the pintxos and txuletas remarkably tasty, but they are also aesthetically pleasing. Giving in to my worst Instagram habits, I snapped dozens of photos of the food — much to the ire and admonishment of my less-basic boyfriend.
Although food was the highlight, the region also has a stunning landscape of green rolling hills and a rich cultural landscape. A famous feature is San Juan de Gaztelugatxe (also known as “Dragonstone” to Game of Thrones fans) which includes a free glute toner in the form of 237 scenic steps.
While couchsurfing in Areta, we witnessed a festival featuring erraldoi, ethnically costumed volunteers wearing giant papier-maché heads. In Bilbao, the Guggenheim Museum, designed by Canadian architect Frank Gehry, is a must-visit. The Basque region’s combination of food, people, and beauty is truly unique. If you are planning a trip to Spain, Bilbao is a slightlyoff the beaten path destination whose food will reward you a hundred times over.
This piece was originally published on November 20, 2018. It has since been updated with photos. Photos by Emily Tsui (2L JD/MGA).
