Monday 11 July 2011

LIZARRAN - BASQUE PINTXOS IN SITGES


Quiet possibly the best food I've had since I arrived in Spain is at Lizarran in Sitges. The gorgeous sea side pueblo 30 mins by train south of Barcelona.

Lizarran is a chain of Basque style pintxos bars. It has over 200 restaurants in 8 countries but this was the first to open in 1988. Plates of tasty morsels, held together with tooth picks, such as bread with cheese, ham, seafood and peppers sit along the bar.
Its self service, take a plate, help yourself to what ever you fancy and when you're done with your seconds or thirds the waiter counts your toothpicks and presents you with the bill. The menu also includes larger dishes for anywhere between €5-€15. There were so many tantalising pinxtos at the bar though, we we're spoiled for choice. We ate a lot, maybe 5 or 6 pieces each. Between 3 of us we each paid €15, amazing considering the number of pinxtos, the 2 mains shared and couple of bottles of wine we had.

Whilst everything looks very basic and easy to prepare there's something about the produce used, the local cheese, the meat, the fresh bread, that although so simple, are put together in a way where the flavours all compliment each other for the perfect taste. So moreish, so heavenly.


Round 1, tortilla & lots of cheese basically

The Front left is of course a potato tortilla, central is the cream cheese and salmon and on the right was a mixture of cheese, crab meat, peppers which had been blended together. It tasted so much better than you can imagine. A skillful combination.

This was a salt cod ball, deep fried hence delicious!

Possibly my favourite. Queso cabra (goats cheese) with onion and a little pastry. Both the onion and goats cheese have a sweetness which is perfect together. The cheese is has been cooked so there is a crust on top but as you bite in to it, its melts in your mouth. 

Oh hang on maybe this was my favourite. Sweet red pimento, slightly chargrilled to soften and bring out its flavour which goes perfectly with roquefort cheese...  *drools*

Rice with cod, clams, peas and eggs. One of our mains, for €5.50 it was very reasonable, though not as fresh or tasty as the pintxos.

Just simply Gambas with a bit of basil, fresh from the grill, devine.

After an absolutely mouth-watering meal along with couple of bottles of vino de la casa we were on our merry way to enjoy the fiesta happening on the beach. Another fabulous way to end Barcelona weekend.


Lizarran
Sant Pau, 3
Sitges, Barcelona 08870
EspaƱa 


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