January 19th, 2018

January 2nd, 2018 - San Sebastian (Donostia) - A Day In The Life

Did you ever have one of the greatest days of your life and realize it as it was unfolding?  This was one of those for me.

I nearly always wake up well before the rest of the clan and hadn't been getting in a daily walk.  Since this was a mellow day without the mountain goat sightseeing of the previous week planned, took the opportunity to commune with the city walking along the beach promenade all the way out to the end and came back as the sun was coming up.  Spectacular in all ways.  Even had time at the end to pop into the local coffee joint, and the crusty old lady pulled me as fine a double cappuccino as they make.  

When I got back to the apartment (this time, we rented a place with a kitchen and bedrooms for us all to stay in one place), the gang was slowly rising and snacking on some fine Spanish ham with bread that we bought the night before at the local convenience store.  Convenience stores in this town have a bread oven and the dude pulled out a fresh loaf for us (and fogged up his glasses in the process).  We enjoyed our pastry while watching some tennis match from Brisbane with commentary in Basque(Euskara)  I mentioned the lack of English channels in this part of the country...not a single one amongst the 100's offered on the cable.  We all seriously got into this match and provided our own analysis.

Other than eating, we had no agenda and as it was raining, looked up things to do in town on a rainy day.  Shopping was one of them and Babydoll had been on my case for finding time to do so.

San Sebastian is a pretty swanky town...they have a film festival that rivals Cannes and the beach in the summer time is a world class destination...so they have all the shops that such a town would have..  We spent a leisurely morning looking around and the kids both got winter coats.  In the same style.  More about those in tomorrow's installment.

It was time for lunch and mentioned previously that we had researched pintxos.  First of all, the cold pintxos that we had been getting from the bar tops are good, but the true aficionado knows that there is usually a hot menu that you can order off of.  At this point, considered myself an aspiring afficionado

Looked at a bunch of articles on where to get pintxos in town  and found this one from Anthony Bourdain's site to be the most evocative.  Called "Your Ultimate San Sebastian Pintxo Crawl", it had many in the old quarter that we were saving for dinner, but there was one in the shopping core that was recommended.  I will be quoting it often below.

At Bar Antonio, we ordered a couple things not on Bourdain's list, but did take him up on the things he suggested.  To quote..."sink your teeth into their decadent offerings like morcilla (black sausage), lightly battered and fried, then topped with seared foie gras and sauced with a sweet and sour apple agridulce. Also try the shrimp wrapped with tocino Iberico and dressed with a lemon vinaigrette, or the crispy ravioli stuffed with oxtail." 

If that sounds good to you, they tasted even better.

Nice and full, another activity the 'rainy day guide' suggested was a walk around the Kursaal.  The beach is framed by two small but steep hills and the one to the east is called Kursaal.  It has a monastery or something at the top, but we opted for the flat and well paved path that hugs the coast.

As you get to the first point, the calm bay is behind and you are now up against open ocean.  They had built up walls here for the path and at the point where the ocean hits land, the wall is a straight 90 degree drop down.  We had all been walking along at our own pace and hit the wall at the same time.  We can hear the waves and see off to the side some mist from the crashing surf.  As we all look over the railing and down the sheer wall, a big wave rolls in and hits it...and it doesn't stop.  We see this wall of water flying up at us.  Not sure about them, but had a second of thinking that we are gonna get swept out to sea.  Betty and the kids turned and ran, but unable to do so, I could only turn and brace for impact.  Water shot a good 30 feet straight over my head, but it only came onto the path a  couple of feet.  I had my rain gear on so didn't get too wet, but my head got drenched.

We laughed our asses off.  There was no previous wave that did that so had no warning.  That we were all looking over at the same moment was sheer luck.  Spent the next hour or so trying to recreate the moment in selfie form with a wall of water behind us, but could not quite get it right.

We did see one dude a little further along get surprised by one and he was totally enveloped.  He was not too happy, but we found it hi-larious.

The hill wraps around and at the end is another spot that gets nailed.  Seriously nailed,  You have to look close, but in the thought bubble of the guy about to get pummeled, it is a coffin.

I told the Boy to pose with his mom for a water photo, and to hold her down for the water money shot.

At the end of the path is the old quarter and our cheesecake place from last night was conveniently located.  We popped in for another slice (or three).

One thing we also read about pintxo life is that you shouldn't put your little napkins on the table, but just chuck them on the floor.  We obliged and felt like locals.

After that, we walked back to the apartment for a well deserved nap.  Even though it was the off season, several buscars were out.  They ranged from the sublime (note new jacket already being worn)

To whatever the hell this thing was supposed to be.  It just sort of moved its head and made a clacking sound.

Apres nap, it was time for dinner.  After the success of the cheesecake place and the lunch from this afternoon, was excited for the nights festivities.  

On the way into town, the rainy day guide said to stop buy Casa Ponsol and consider buying a rain hat.  This store is a San Sebastian haberdasher that had been in business since 1838.  Looked at their stuff on-line and saw a hat that I liked.

Damn I look like an old man.  The kids thought the hat was stupid (but to be fair, everything I wear is stupid to them), and it was in an old man style, but they teach you in driving school that if your car slips on the ice, to turn into the skid.  Turning into the skid that is old age, I bought it.

We stuck our heads in and admired the wares at the cheese monger

And then it was time to get serious.  Understand that at each stop, a glass of wine was had by yours truly.  Betty and the Boy joined me for a cocktail at some of them.

The first stop was Bar Ganbara.  Tell me about it Anthony..."The undisputed king of traditional pintxos bars. The gildas, jamón on warm croissants, and crab tartlets are a good warm-up to ordering hot raciones from the kitchen. The porcini mushrooms cooked à la minute on the plancha and served with an egg yolk is a quintessential Basque dish. No one does it better. The seasonal seafood—anchovies, shrimp, squid, tuna neck—are all top quality. You will pay more here than at other places but it is well worth it. And the wines and beers are extremely well-curated."

                                               

You can sorta see my new hat in the above.

Not sure how I missed it, but failed to take a photo of the porcini mushroom dish.  The Boy loves mushrooms.  I like them too, not quite as much as he, but I wrote down in my book about them...oh Gawd.

Borda Berri was next.  A trio of items suggested by the gang at Bourdain HQ.

"Another stop on the short list is Borda Berri. There are no bar-top pintxos. Everything comes from the kitchen. The crispy pig ear is gelatinous, crispy, meaty, fatty, salty. As it should be. The spiced and seared pork rib, beef cheek, and ravioli with shrimp, bacon, and leek are other worthwhile choices."

Pigs ears were something our dog Homer loved to eat so I was skeptical.  And am down for meaty and crispy, but am not a huge salty/fatty guy (in cuisine not attitude/appearance)  Unreal.  It was all so good.  The beef cheeks meat was tender like you read about.

Next spot was Zeruko.  Went off the Bourdain list for this one.  The article we found this in said it was a bar top pintxo only joint, but the twist is that once you choose your items, they take the plate and garnish them with sauces to enhance the flavor and beauty of the plate.

I had been doing the ordering up to this point, but it was time for the family to spread their pintxo wings and sent them inside to make the choices.  I don't have the ingredient list Bourdain style, but they chose a mushroom and blood sausage item, some stinky cheese and jelly, and aubergine with olive tapenade.  So proud of my family and their decision making.

Up next...A Fuego Negro.  Take it away A.B.

"When looking for a more modern and ironic take on pintxos, A Fuego Negro is the place to be. You can find two very satisfying takes on fried chicken—either a mini-basket of fried quail or a full bucket of locally-bred fried chicken." 

"The Ironic Pintxos" has got to be a band name.  By the way, you pronounce it 'Peen-cho'.  Not only great to eat, but so fun to say.  Over and over.

Had been thinking about fried chicken all day and naturally went for the full bucket.  Also naturally, Betty ate the feet.  Batter was a flaky panko and the meat was juicy in just the right way.

Batting .1000, we had a hard time finding the last spot on the list and was about to give up, but Betty had the nose and found it tucked up an alley. La Cuchara de San Telmo.   Bourdain me...

"La Cuchara shares a category with Borda Berri—there aren’t bar-top pintxos here either. A penchant for salt, sear, and spice pervades their offerings. The foie gras is hard-seared and deeply satisfying. The same can be said for their crispy baby pig with apple compote, or the grilled octopus arm cooked a la plancha with braised cabbage."

You had me at 'crispy baby pig'.  I think I can never have foie gras again that isn't hard-seared.  

Was well lubed and stuffed, but we couldn't call it a night without one more piece (or 3) of that cheesecake.  Three visits to La Vina in 24 hours has to be some kind of record, no?

For posterity, here is what Mr. B had to say about La Vina...

"Near the end of the night, pretty much everyone will find their way to La Viña for the house version of cheesecake that is slightly charred on the surface, yet creamy inside."

At lunch this afternoon, we shared a chorizo that had been cooked in apple cider that was perfect.  Babydoll wasn't quite full yet, so she ordered one up.  You can tell I am feeling no pain at this point.

I think we were discussing what our personal  Mt. Rushmore of foods would be cause whatever it was before, Pintxos just got etched in granite on mine.

Made friends with the dude behind the counter on our first visit (he taught us how to say Please and Thank You in Basque) and he just shook his head in knowing awe when we walked in for the third time.  I asked if I could take a selfie with him (my first and only of the trip) and he obliged.  Love you man.

A leisurely and completely satiated walk home.  Laid down with my belly make the most beautifully harmonic of rumblings and fell asleep to listening to The Return of the Jedi in French.

A beautiful city, natural wonders, spending it with family and laughing the whole way, and eating food that was art, I pray that when my mind starts to go and I relive days in the past, this is one that will play over and over.