Whistle Britches: Dallas’ Best Fried Chicken

Whistle Britches: Dallas’ Best Fried Chicken

I am Always on the Hunt for Dallas’ Best Fried Chicken

Ya’ll. Fried Chicken. Fried chicken is the world’s most perfect food. It’s a pain in the ass to get it right though. I’ve made it at home. It is incredible, and I will never make it again (maybe). The time, the mess, the grease — by the time I sit down to eat it I am exhausted. Which is why I am forever on the hunt for Dallas’ best fried chicken. There have been a few contenders over the years. My current favorite was just knocked off its throne by Whistle Britches.

I need to begin with a confession. I wasn’t excited about this place. It is way north of where I live and well outside my bubble. You know, the area around your home that you navigate easily on any given day. I have a prejudice against the suburbs, and I try to avoid going north of 635 as much as I can.

So even though the press has been great for Whistle Britches, I convinced myself it was all hype. Another well packaged fast-casual joint. It would open to much fanfare and love. Then a few short months later reveal itself as all spit and polish with no substance. I never even once considered it a contender for the ultimate prize the Dallas Best Fried Chicken title.

I owe Whistle Britches an apology.

It’s the real deal. Yes, its a hipster’s dream with great font choices and lots of succulents. Yes, the patio full of lawn chairs and picnic tables is an Instagram vision. Forget ALL THAT. The food is where it’s at! Head chef and owner Omar Flores has the chops (and the resume) to deliver the goods.

He is a Culinary Institute of America graduate. Chef Flores worked in one of best kitchens in Dallas; Abacus. He then did a much-lauded turn at Driftwood in Bishop Arts. He then opened up the beloved (and now shuttered) Casa Rubia in Trinity Groves. He is a James Beard award semi-finalist. He is named or nominated “Best Chef” by at least one publication or another every year since 2012. Whistle Britches is his latest effort and it is a gem.

Location

Whistle Britches is located in far North Dallas (come on people, it is basically Plano). It sits in a pretty nondescript shopping center off of Frankford Road. It is not exactly in a food desert though. One of my favorite Indian restaurants is right across the street. It is also near a lovely French Restaurant, a pub, and bunches of other things. So as much as I’d like to tell you that Far North Dallas is the hinterlands, it’s not. Even if you are a little more centrally located, it’s pretty easy to get there. (and you should do that ASAP).

Drinks

Before we dive into the food, let’s take a little detour through the beverage program. I wasn’t expecting there to be a beverage program to speak of, but actually, they have a nice one.

Cocktails

The cocktail list is full of classic cocktails with a twist. An old-fashioned aptly named Smooth Criminal, a mule made with blackberry vodka, and even an Orange Dreamsicle made with moonshine. I was happy with my Bee’s Knees, a classic gin-based cocktail. It had just enough sweetness to balance the tartness of the cocktail. I hope they take the same care with the rest of the cocktails on the list!

Beer

Their beer list has a nice combination of basic beers, local craft beers, and ten beers on tap. It has a little something for every type of beer lover.

The Wine

There is a wine list, it’s short, and it’s okay. I wish that the choices on the list were more tailored to the food on the menu, but they have chosen to serve most of their wines on tap, which limits the options available. 

 

Ok, let’s talk FOOD

Starters

Whistle Britches styles itself as a chicken and biscuits joint with a side of beer. So, of course, I ordered the chicken and the biscuits, but before that, I had to get some fried green tomatoes! If you are not from the South you might not know this — but we fry everything. Seriously we will fry anything. Don’t believe me? Fried butter, fried pickles, chicken fried bacon — our Texas State Fair is famous for it.

The frying process improves some ingredients and green tomatoes are one of them. So if it’s on the menu, I order it. These don’t disappoint. They have a crisp cornmeal exterior and warm but still firm interior. They are what I want from a fried green tomato.

I believe that fried green tomatoes should always have some accompaniments. In a perfect world, you get something tangy, something salty and something sweet. Often this is a buttermilk dressing and some preserves. At Whistle Britches they step it up a bit and add some heat. I love the creativity of that scattering of candied jalapenos. The queso fresco gives it a nice hit of salt, and the creamy, comeback sauce balances everything out.

They also offer some of my very favorite southern classics in their starters: fried okra, pimento cheese, deviled eggs, hoecakes and of course their titular biscuits (I’ll get to those in a second!) I can’t wait to give them all a try.

Sides

They offer lots of good things. But there was mac and cheese and when there is mac and cheese there can be no other (see my story about Mac and Cheese HERE). It’s hard for restaurants to get mac and cheese right. I think this iteration is lovely, creamy and worth trying if like me; you love your mac and cheese.

I would say I wished it had a little more going on with it. I just wanted a bit more depth and complexity. Some tang from a sharper cheese or a bit of crunch from a topping. But, I also know that restaurant mac and cheese tends to be the haven of every tween and below kid. So maybe it’s perfect just as it is!

Mains

Of COURSE, we ordered the chicken. I ordered the Sir Mix A Lot. The Sir Mix a Lot consists of three pieces of fried chicken (one white and one dark and a wing) a biscuit and your choice of coleslaw or potato salad. I chose the slaw.

The Cole Slaw

I always hesitate to order cole slaw at any restaurant. I love it, but there are two schools of thought on cole slaw. Many southern chefs make a sweet slaw. Often intended to balance fatty, heavily spiced foods. I am not judging, but I don’t like sweet slaws (or potato salads for that matter).

I am happy to report the WB slaw does not fall into that category. It is very creamy with a delicate balance of saltiness and a definite hit of herby goodness from cilantro. I liked it. It was the one thing I am not in ecstacies over though. It was good, but it needs something else. Another note of umami or something else to make it sing.

Dallas’ Best Fried Chicken

The fried chicken through — my word. It is crispy, without a hint of oiliness. The pickle-brine on this chicken gives it a perfect hit of tang while at the same time delivering an absolutely moist piece of chicken. It is fantastic.  It comes with a gigantic buttermilk biscuit. That biscuit is a meal of its own. It has the crispy outside and tender, flaky crumb on the inside that epitomizes a well made southern biscuit.

I loved it. I asked for jam and butter so I could enjoy every single bite of my gigantic biscuit. Which I could not finish (but was PERFECT with my breakfast the next day!) I also stole some of Tim’s gravy because… well, because gravy. The chicken and the biscuit don’t need it, but next time I will request a side of gravy or my very own. I don’t say this lightly, but I really do believe this is Dallas’ best fried chicken! (and it is not even the best thing about this menu!)

Dallas’ Best Chicken Fried Steak

Tim got the (brand new to the menu) chicken fried steak (CFS). We had no idea they served chicken fried steak. We were only at this restaurant because Tim wanted to try their chicken. (In our never-ending quest for fried chicken nirvana.) Yet, if there is chicken fried steak it must be ordered. So he ordered it.

Yeah, this was the star of the meal.

IT IS HUGE. Also, I don’t know what seasonings Chef Flores is using, but they are chicken fried steak perfection. Sometimes you get a chicken fried steak, and it is enormous. Usually, because the steak is pounded very thin and then cooked. That is not what is happening here. You receive a beautiful, thick cut steak. It melts in your mouth when you bite into it.

You know that moment when your teeth break through the crispy exterior and sink into tender, savory meat and the smell of all the spices hits your nose? That is pure the pure CFS bliss you get at Whistle Britches. I will go back again and again for this chicken fried steak.

Tim and I have hearty appetites, and this still went home with us. (Oh yeah, and he got mashed potatoes and green beans too! They were great) The next day we transformed it into the worlds best breakfast. We toasted the biscuit, in a pan with plenty of butter. Then cut up the CFS into bite-size pieces and warmed them up in a skillet with a little oil and fried up some eggs.

Sigh.

I want some of that right this second. Don’t you? Yeah, get to Whistle Britches right quick and try Dallas’ best fried chicken and chicken fried steak for yourself!

Lunch at Sachet

Lunch at Sachet

A Year In and Sachet is Still Going Strong

A year ago, I was beside myself with excitement. The chef/proprietors of Gemma announced that they were opening a new concept. Gemma is quite possibly my favorite restaurant in Dallas; which is saying a lot in a city full of wonderful restaurants. Their new concept, Sachet, did not disappoint. Now a year on, it continues to deliver excellence. They have not given in to the temptation to compromise. Their “Mediterranean Inspired” concept is front and center in all parts of their menu.

A Taste of the Mediterranean in a Glass

You first notice it in the beverage program. Before you even hit the wine list, your pre-meal is highlighted by Sachet’s extensive cocktail selection. There are hints of Spain with extensive gin and tonic and vermouth options. I counted ten amaro selections and a bevy of aperitifs to prime your appetite and pair with your meze.

…and Then There is the Wine

Then you get to one of the finest curated wine lists around. Since Sachet is Mediterranean focused, every wine on the list is from a wine region that actually touches the Mediterranean Sea. The wines chosen from France come from the Rhone Valley, Provence, and Corsica. Spain sees offerings from Catalunya and Valencia. There are wines from Greece, Italy. There are even areas you may have never had wine from like Slovenia, Turkey, and Morocco.

Don’t Be Intimidated, Talk to You Somm

It may seem intimidating at first, but there is always a knowledgeable sommelier on hand. They can to guide you through the list and find the best pairings for you. It is such a treat to see a thoughtful beverage program at a restaurant. Too often we see restaurants leave their wine menu as an afterthought. Wine menus that feature familiar wines that have nothing to do with the food they serve. When we look at a list like the one as Sachet, our hearts sing with joy!

You Should Really Head to Sachet for Lunch

Nestled on the edge of Highland Park and Oak Lawn, Sachet might seem too fancy for a casual weekday lunch. It does seem that people have not caught onto the idea of lunch at Sachet. They are packed for dinner service, but at lunchtime, we walked in and got a table right away. Just remember, you will need to make a reservation if you want to enjoy their meze and cocktails for dinner. The lunch menu offers a condensed list of items from the dinner menu as well as a few “lunch only” options.

Our Favorite Meze

From the Meze portion of the menu, don’t miss the olives and the beets. Nibble your olives between sips of wine. The citrus and herbs in these olives will startle you with their intensity. The beet meze is vibrant with chunks of bright yellow beets. The beets are nestled onto a plate spread thick with bright, purple, beet hummus. Bright white dollops of tangy labne (a type of yogurt cheese) round out this beautiful plate of food. You can eat this with some of their outstanding house-made pita, or not; it is delightful either way.

The Star of the Lunch Menu Though?

The Porchetta sandwich.

I am not treading new territory here. The Observer has already proclaimed that the Porchetta sandwich is a “Game Changer.” If you want to know the nitty-gritty of how the sandwich and all its components are made, their write up covers it all. Here is what I want to tell you. Run, don’t walk to Sachet and order this sandwich.

No Ordinary Sandwich

It looks like an ordinary sandwich, but if you look closer, you will see signs this is no ordinary sandwich. The bread is full of the lovely airholes that are a sign of a bread made with care and attention. You will see a line of bright green in the filling. If you didn’t read the menu carefully, you might assume that its some type of lettuce. You would be wrong. It is chopped rapini.

Savor It!

Bring this sandwich up to your mouth to take a bite. Pause for a second and breathe deep, with your mouth open and draw all that aroma into your mouth and nose. It wafts in promising all the smokey, pork goodness that can only come from that hot brick pizza oven of theirs. Then take a bite. I want you to pause for a moment here as you chew your first bite of this sandwich. The pork flavor is turned up so high; it might even make you dizzy with delight. Taste, how the bitterness of the rapini complements the fatty goodness of the pork. Notice the elegance of the little hint of Calabrian chili oil. Feel the unctuous, melting softness of the provolone.

That Bread… Sandwich Perfection

Next, observe the perfect crisp of the ciabatta crust. Sometimes crusty bread on sandwiches can be so crispy it cuts your lips. The texture of the bread is often so strong it competes with the ingredients inside the sandwich. Not so with the ciabatta at Sachet. The surface of the crust is crispy enough to crunch as you bite it. The inside is soft and chewy. It offers “just enough” chew to the sandwich. It does not compete with the salty, smokey, cheesy goodness inside. There is a side of slaw with this sandwich. It is good. But it does not matter, because that sandwich is everything you will ever need.

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Macellaio: The New Restaurant from the Folks that Brought You Lucia

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Macellaio’s focus is on artisanal Italian meats like your Nona’s butcher used to make. Which explains the name. Macellaio means butcher in Italian. There are some kitschy plastic hams in their window. A little nod to the butcher inspired meats you will find inside. Once you are inside the restaurant, it is less Italian butcher and more California bistro. The big, floor-to-ceiling windows let in lots of light. The tables are small and cozy and the atmosphere, elegant, but relaxed and informal. The hostess greeted us warmly and seated us right away. I wouldn’t count on that being the case these days though. Make a reservation to be sure you get that table and don’t have to work a plan B.

Unique and Eclectic Wine and Cocktails

I’ve been to a lot of very nice restaurants, and I have experienced all kinds of service styles. My favorite style is relaxed, helpful, observant and unobtrusive. It seems as this is the level of service they are striving for at Macellaio. The waiter was familiar with all the dishes. He was very friendly and helpful with the ordering process. We tend to be pretty self-sufficent, and he took his cue from us and shared his ideas when we asked for them. He was not thrown when we asked a technical question about an ingredient. Instead, he got the owner Jennifer Uygur to come by and answer our questions. She was lovely and patient with us, and lord knows she had other priorities! It was a nice moment, and we were so happy she stopped by.

Mrs. Uygur is also responsible for the excellent and eclectic wine menu at Macellaio. You might not recognize everything on there, so be sure and talk to your waiter about what you like so they can guide you to the best pairing for your meal. We did not drink cocktails on our visit. However, the cocktail program headed up by the incomparable Ravinder Singh is lovely. I mean last year the Dallas Observer names him “Best Bartender of the Year.” So not too shabby right? You may have already enjoyed his cocktails. He headed up the bar at Boulevardier and Rapscallion for a time. The cocktail menu is creative and full of unexpected flavor combinations. I am excited to give them a try the next time I visit.

The Food!

Macellaio has two menus: a small plates and mains menu and a salumi menu. If I were you, I would order at least one thing from the salumi menu. (If you are me you will order the Chef’s choice salumi board!) Some of the items on there are works of art. Including meats from heritage breeds like the Texas red wattle pigs. (Saveur even made a case for it being the tastiest breed a few years ago) https://www.saveur.com/red-wattle-heritage-pig. The day we visited we enjoyed house-made salumi of pork jowl and fennel. It was a little stained-glass window of porky goodness. Pink and white panes of pork crisscrossed across the slice of headcheese. All that pink was set off by delicate green bits of aromatic fennel. Executive Chef, Lance McWhorter, puts out creative salumi. His program delivers on the promise implied by Maciallo’s name.

What We Ate

Daily bread: toasted wheat oat porridge sourdough, focaccia & caraway sourdough

A Bar N beef tartare with olives, anchovy, mustard greens & marrow crostini

Chef’s Choice Salumi Misti Board (Which for us included the below but its Chef’s Choice!)

  • Candy Cap Salame
  • Mortadella smoked, with pistachios
  • Prosciutto whole leg from Red Wattle pork aged over three years at Lucia
  • Capicola mildly spicy brined & smoked Berkshire pork collar
  • Headcheese with fennel (this was Tim’s favorite)

Slow roasted Anson Mills grits with wild mushrooms, poached egg, cacio e pepe broth

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Tapas, Pintxos: Spanish Small Plates

Tapas, Pintxos: Spanish Small Plates

Tapas is Synonymous with Spanish Food

I bet you automatically think “tapas” when you think of Spanish food. Here in the U.S., we have come to think of tapas as the whole category of small plates of food from Spain. Sometimes they don’t even need to be Spanish. Sometimes tapas just means the restaurant serves small portions and encourages sharing. It’s pretty simple. Things get much more confusing when you try to eat tapas in Spain. Have you heard of pintxos?

What are Tapas?

Tapas might mean that you get a slice of cheese or a little bowl of olives when you order your glass of wine or beer. Sort of like chips and salsa appear as if by magic at a Tex-Mex restaurant here in Texas. It’s automatic. Complimentary tapas accompanying your drink order used to be the norm in Spain. In some places, like Andalucia and in more rural areas, this is still true. These days though, it can mean ANY small plate of food, which means ANYTHING can be a tapa if it is a small enough serving. It is more a style of eating than a type of food. It’s my favorite way of eating, btw. Order one as a quick, delicious snack or order several as a full meal to share with your friends. To my mind, there is no better way to eat.

What are Pintxos?

Matters get a bit more confusing when you head north. There you will see small plates referred to as pintxos or pinchos. You will often see the term used instead of tapas and in the same way. This type of small plate originated in the Basque country. Initially, it described small bites on skewers. These days many people use the word pintxo/pincho like we Americans use the word tapas. It might specify a type of tapas or the whole category, so context matters. Did someone ask you if you want a pintxo? Is there is a pintxo specific chalkboard posted in the bar? Expect food on a skewer. Did someone tell you she LOVES pintxos? They mean the whole category. I know… confusing.

A La Plancha: Griddled Things

More of a cooking method than a category many small plates begin on the plancha. This cooking method involves placing food on a screaming hot sheet of metal. The plancha is not dedicated to meats either. Anything can go on the plancha. It could be steaks, fish, mushrooms or red peppers. Everything is more delicious when cooked on the plancha! Once cooked the items might find themselves on a skewer or as part of a montadito (see below). The possibilities are endless!

Habas: Beans

The Spanish love of beans becomes clear once you spend any time in Spain. In Spring expect small sweet peas and all sorts of beans that only appear when they are at their peak. These beloved green peas, favas, and spring legumes are anything but humble. They are key components in refreshing cold salads in the spring and summer. When the weather cools, you will find their dried cousins in a hearty warming braise. They often come served in small ceramic cazuelas that are typical of the Spanish table.

Estofados: Stewed and Braised Things

Other items you might find in a cazuela are a variety of long-cooked foods like braised oxtails or a fish stew.

Fritos: Fried Things

Here in the US, we fry many, many things. Generally, fried fish fillets, fried potatoes or fried chicken. Well, let me introduce you to the world of Spanish fried foods! How about a little cup of golden crispy artichoke leaves with a side of light yellow, creamy lemon aioli? Or would prefer a small plate of croquetas de bacalao? Delightful little golden brown balls of deep-fried salt cod and cheese. Even more traditional, a plate of tiny whole fish breaded and deep-fried. Spaniards eat them in one or two bites with an accompanying ale. Why yes please, I would like that very much!

Ensaladas: Salads

These small plated salads are usually light on lettuce, but big on flavor. You might get a plate of paper-thin shaved mushrooms with a light vinaigrette. Or a plate of roasted beets and fresh apple dressed in with sherry vinegar and fresh herbs. Spanish salads are always delicious. You will never receive a dull plate of iceberg lettuce and sliced tomato!

Pintxos: Things on Skewers

Most often found on plates on the bar. These cold but delicious little creations are a sight to behold! Imagine, a creamy white and yellow deviled egg topped with a curled pink and white striped shrimp. Now envision that shrimp wrapped around a thin, leaf-green pickled Padron pepper. Then it is all held together with a small bamboo skewer called a “palillo.” Right next to that pintxo there is a little white plate. On it is a stack of purple caramelized shallots. The shallots sandwich a creamy white square of idiazabal cheese. The whole dish is also drizzled with a sherry vinegar reduction. Beautiful right?

Montaditos: Things on Toast

You can find these lovely little bites on most bars waiting for hungry diners to snatch them up. These small bites are no less gorgeous and creative than their skewered counterparts! Imagine, an oval of golden toast spread with herbed creme fraiche. Then draped with a dark green arugula leaf. On top of the arugula, a bright red roll of seared beef. The entire bite crowned with a dollop of onion jam. Next to it, you see a lovely little piece of rustic bread topped with a pale pink and white mixture. Take your first bite. You will taste salty, diced Jamon Iberico (Spanish cured ham) mixed into crème fraiche. No matter how complex or straightforward Montaditos are both beautiful and delicious.

Bocadillos: Little Sandwiches

Here in the US, we call these sliders. They are oh so much more than that! Like all sandwiches, bocadilloas are anything and everything between two slices of bread. Some are as simple as a few slices of chorizo on bread rubbed with ripe, deep red summer tomato. Others are elaborate sandwiches stacked high with fruit, cheese, ham, and honey.

Sopas: Soups

Warm or cold, the Spanish love their soups. The most famous of which is cold tomato soup (gazpacho) Their cold soups don’t stop there though. You might get an icy cold shot of white asparagus, and potato soup. You are likely to encounter sweeter versions. Enjoy a lovely pale orange melon soup sprinkled with chili flakes and topped with a piece of crispy ham. If the weather is colder, your little shot of soup might be a bit of creamy, briny, clam chowder. These little shots of soup pack a lot of intense flavor into a small package.

Racion: A small plated item

Raciones are never on the bar. They are always on a chalkboard at the bar or on the menu. Raciones are usually items from the kitchen. Always hot, and in my experience always the best things on offer. These are not colorful, beautiful, plated, and presented items. For the most part, they are brown. Don’t let that stop you. What they lack in color and visual flair they make up for in flavor. Raciones can be ensaladas, estofadas, risottos, and more.

Albondigas: Meatballs

These might contain meat like lamb, pork, beef or even fish! They include breadcrumbs and egg and are usually floured and then fried. They might come sprinkled with parsley and covered with a gravy or a mustard sauce. If you are in southern Spain, you might see these listed as almondingas or almondiguillas.

Conservas: Preserved Things

Unlike canned foods here in the U.S., Spanish conservas are high gourmet fare. You will find tuna, razor clams, sardines, mussels, octopus, and more. Preserved and canned in various ways including salt, oil, vinegar and even sea water. Conservas are not mass canned for the sake of economy. Instead, the preservation process is a careful craft. The people that can these foods consider, each element of the process to achieve the best flavor. Conservas are beloved in Spain. So much so that there are even bars the specialize in conservas.

As you can see Spanish small plates are as varied and diverse as Spain itself. No matter what you call them they represent one of the most beloved of Spanish traditions good times with friends and family!

Resources:

If you are interested in finding out more about Spanish small plates, I highly recommend Gerald Hirigoyen’s “Pintxos: Small plates in the Basque Tradition” and Simone and Ines Ortega’s “The Book of Tapas.”

 

Buy Now!

I will earn a small commision on some of the products on this page if you purchase through my link. I have only recommended products I know and love. I have not recieved anything from these companies for free.

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I Should Have Eaten More Foie Gras

You Gotta Plan Your Pintxos, But Be Ready to Change the Plan

When it comes to getting ready for a trip, I’m the planner. I like to know where I am going, how to get there, what sites should be seen or missed, where we should eat, etc. Don’t get me wrong, I am not meticulous about having everything planned out to the minute, but I do like to have an outline for the trip. I read travel books, check out online resources, and maybe some of my favorite travel shows have visited the area. However, lately, I have found that I tend to throw all of that planning out once we have our feet on the ground. There is something about being immersed in the area you are visiting that can change what you want out of it, and sometimes a local can help you with that change. This is how we found some of the best pintxos in San Sebastian, Spain.

La Parte Vieja

We rented a small apartment in the Historical Quarter of Old Town (La Parte Vieja) for our stay in San Sebastian. This area is rich in history, with cobbled streets, a fishing port, San Vincente Church, Santa Maria del Coro Basilica, and the San Telmo Museum. The streets are narrow and ancient. There are bars and restaurants crowded along each narrow street. These eateries are not competing against one another, per se. They are all part of a symbiosis of aromas and tastes. This is the gastronomic heart of San Sebastian.

Three Simple Rules for Your Best Pintxo Experience

Our hostess Monika took the time to map out some sights, and more importantly, mapped out the best pintxos bars to go to. These are the local’s bars. A place where you can see the same faces every day, stopping in for a bite and a beer at all times of the day. Most importantly, she laid out some hard and fast rules for a novice like me:

  1. Don’t be timid. Step up to the bar and look the bartender in the eye to order a drink or something to eat. The bar you are in may be very crowded. Be polite, but be forceful. Fortune favors the brave.
  2. Don’t just go for what’s on the bar. There will be a lot of options on the bar area. Most of these are cold pintxos and tapas. While good, they may not be the best the bar may offer. Take the time to look around at what others are eating. You may find what they are having is not set out. Look at the menu for other options. This is usually written on the wall behind the bartenders, if not on paper menus.
  3. Don’t worry about keeping track of what you eat. You are dealing with professionals here. The bartenders will keep track. Just be sure that if you do grab something off of the bar placements, look the bartender in the eye and show him what you got.

With those three simple rules, we were off to explore. Here are some of our favorite pintxos bars and what they serve best.

Bar Sport Calle Fermin Calbeton, 10

They had me at foie gras. I love foie gras. I don’t get enough here in Texas because it is insanely expensive and usually only bougie places serve it. But in Spain, it is not seen as a delicacy for only the ritzy fare. Our simple foie gras dish was a piece of toasted bread, two thick slices of seared foie gras, and a drizzle of aged sherry vinegar. Quite simply, this was one of the best things I’ve ever eaten in my life. The cost? Three euros. Cheaper than a cheeseburger, but so much better.

La Mejillonera Calle del Puerto, 15

This small eatery showcases two food items very well: mussels and patatas bravas. La Mejillonera is not a fancy place. Basically, a box with a whole lot of locals shoved in to get a plate of mussels and the ubiquitous dish of fried potatoes covered in an aioli-like cream sauce. You will find that the locals throw the mussel shells on the floor. This is totally acceptable. This a cheap and well-loved bar for the local scene to enjoy.

Bar Txepetxa Calle Pescaderia, 5

I will speak for the majority of America in saying that we do not appreciate the lowly anchovy. After all, we really only know this tiny fish as something pulled from a can and usually plopped on a pizza by only those with the fortitude to withstand its intense flavor profile. But at Txepetxa, the anchovies are fresh and taste of the sea. Served in a variety of ways from simple pintxos on bread with a pepper sauce, to hot dishes fried with local veggies. My favorite is the simple pintxo. The anchovy is flaky white, briny, and nothing like what I have had before.

La Cuchara de San Telmo Calle Santa Korda Kalea, 4

This bar is a hidden gem tucked away by an alley to the museum, but it has some of the best food around. It is tiny and packed from the time they open, so push your way in and order! You will not find pintxos spread out on the bar so grab a menu. We shared a 45-day-aged ribeye, perfectly charred and tender and served with a chimichurri type sauce. We paired it with a risotto style rice dish with local wild mushrooms and smoked Idiazabal cheese. Once again foie gras was available, this time served in a massive portion with an apple compote and cider caramel. By the time I finished off this plate, I was sure I had gout.

La Vina Calle del 31 de Agosto, 3

A perfect way to end a night in San Sebastian is to stop in at La Vina for their specialty, cheesecake. Spanish cheesecakes are different from the New York style I am used to. The cake itself is very toasty, almost charred on top. It is served warm, and the texture is more of a soft cheese tension than cold firmness. Grab a slice with a nice Pedro Ximenez sherry to top of the evening.

Have you been to San Sebastian or other parts of Spain? What are some of your favorite places to eat? Drop us a line and let us know!

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