Our main purpose to go to Bilbao and San Sebastian in Basque region (Spain) is to sample Basque cuisine. I read, San Sebastian has the highest number of Michelin star restaurants per meter square in the world after Kyoto. Recently, Bilbao is emerging to beat San Sebastian. However, we decided not to eat at any Michelin restaurant, we would like to eat at bars or small places, try various food.
Then.. A day before we left, hubby said that we should try at least one Michelin for 'an experience of a lifetime'. I have been trying to book a table to this minute, with no luck, unfortunately.
Bilbao and San Sebastian are famous for their pintxo or tapas or snack, a small portion of food. People eat pintxo in front of a bar counter while socialising, although some tables are available.
Last night was our first night in Bilbao. We were determined to find Gure Toki in Old Town. I read about this place as 'brilliant, a bit pricey, but worth every penny '. We walked quite far from our hotel, with a very small unclear map in hand. We asked 5 people on the way, all of them didn't speak English. One of them, a young man, walked with us for a few minutes to show us the direction. At a junction he stretched his arm pointing ahead saying "goooooo... goooooo" to which we interpreted as 'go straight ahead', then he said "nooooo... noooo..." paused for a while as if he looked for a word. We waited. He shook his head. I thought he wanted to say no left or right turn :)
We asked 2 more people until finally I saw it! I was so delighted. I took my small book out see my note about the special dish I wanted to order. When hubby saw "oxtail dimsum style" he asked, "Are we going to a Chinese restaurant?? I don't want to eat Chinese" to which I didn't reply, I just hurried up towards the place with all my excitement :)
The food, OMG.. a big WOW!!! So tasty, so different. We have never eaten anything like it in England. We have eaten scallops and foie gras many times but here they presented and combined them in such different ways. They were very creative and knew what they did. The bonus was: cheap!!! Some of the dishes cost €3.50 each, some only €1.90.
We had 10 dishes in total, a basket of bread, a glass of beer and a bottle of water. It was like having a tasting menu in a fine dining restaurant (small delicious nicely presented items) with the price of just €31.65!!!!!
Because the food was incredibly good, they brought tears into my husband's eyes. His dream to eat nice Basque cuisine has been fulfilled on the first night in a bar in the middle of Old Town of Bilbao. I am so grateful.
Foie gras with apple in Pedro Ximenez.
Soup. Quail egg, wild mushroom etc.
Soup. Quail egg, wild mushroom etc. I was tapping the table with my fist
whilst saying "OMG!! OMG!!". Deliiiish.
Scallop with potatoes in curry breadcrumbs bed.
Scallop with potatoes in curry breadcrumbs bed.
Beef rib with wakame.
Beef rib with wakame.
Prawn and vegetables.
On the left and right: oyster mushroom with goat cheese -oh it was yummy!!
In the middle is bacalhau.
Pintxos at the bar counter.
Pintxos.
Pintxos.
Crowd.
A small bar.
Affordable smile emoticon
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