Ni Neu | San Sebastian

On our last night in San Sebastian we decided to check out Restaurante Ni Neu located at the edge of the Gros District just beside Zurriola Beach. Previous research indicated the restaurant - which means I Myself in Basque - offered a reasonably priced tasting menu highlighting adventurous modern cuisine. The New York Times article 36 Hours in San Sebastian noted it as the stage upon which the stylish set gathers to dine. Enticed by these sentiments, the sleek and contemporary Ni Neu managed to coerce us away from another night of txikiteo. (The Basque term for a pinxto bar-crawl.)

We did not have a reservation and hesitated once we entered the bustling space where it was apparent the International Film Festival crowd filled nearly all the tables. We were greeted by a friendly hostess who lead us to a separate dining room where we breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of empty tables. We're in! The restaurant is also adjacent to the Kursaal - an Auditorium and Convention Center where the zinemaldia (cinema!) is located. In the above photo, Ni Neu is the glowing space on the first floor. In all my San Sebastian posts, I have somehow neglected to mention that we were in town during the film fest! It's a pretty big event as International Film Festivals tend to go; the streets radiating with that movie premiere fanfare was an infectious scene that Adam and I relished. It felt like an added bonus to our time here. What also felt like an added bonus was everything included in our meal at Ni Neu. We chose the Xortak tasting menu, in addition to six courses it included a cocktail aperitif, a bottle of Rioja, bottled water and coffee all for 38 euros. That's an outstanding deal.  For the aperitifs, a Cherry Martini for her (though I guess our definition of martinis vary - no worries, it was delicious with hints of Campari) and a Tequila Sunrise for him (now that's a martini!) The Salade d'Anchois was the least impressive course overall, but not a complete disappointment. Under a bed of slightly wilted lettuce and tomato confit hid the ample portion of fresh anchovies over an emulsion of praline seeds. Anchovies are a staple in Basque cuisine, so I was savoring their fishy, briny essence every chance I got. Pairing them with a slightly fruity and nutty sauce was unique and I enjoyed the contrast. I only wished the greens freshness matched that of the fish! Next, the Cuttlefish is simply radiant with its glistening black ink complexities over a bed of creamy chickpea puree. The bold umami flavors are persistent yet elegant and there is something to be said for eating jet black food. (It's exciting!) The Grilled Hake was the recipient of a super sleek presentation (how fantastic is that plate?) over a black olive cream with sun dried tomatoes and roast aubergine. The piece of hake was nicely grilled with a light flakiness to it and the cohesive flavors of the Mediterranean were a splendid pairing. The Boneless Roast Lamb was salty enough without the addition of coarse sea salt sprinkled on top. It permeated every corner of the tender meat and I didn't fully enjoy the lamb because of it. I did appreciate the flavorful butternut squash puree and stroke of coffee and cardamom. Never a brushstroke out of place, the three main plates nailed the aesthetics; embodying an elegant and artful simplicity. A duo of desserts were exemplary, beginning with a Pain Perdu which had been prepared in the traditional style, soaked in egg yolk and fresh cream and caramelized in a pan. This breakfast turned dessert was topped with a green lemon juice compote that nicely balanced the sticky sweetness with bright acidic notes. A scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side was perfect. Finally, a whimsical bowl of lemon gnocchi in pineapple juice with coconut ice cream is probably my favorite course. Plump little dessert dumplings mingling in a pina colada pool strike a perfect balance of fluffy to chewy. This is an inventive ending point that certainly leaves a lasting impression. Thanks Ni Neu for making our last night in San Sebastian a memorable one! And thanks to the random gal on the Zurriola Bridge who handed us tickets to the premiere of Le Skylab. The Zinemalda experience (where the movie was in French, the subtitles were in Spanish and the sub-sub titles were in English) was the icing on the cake. P.S. This meal was photographed using my Canon Powershot (point and shoot)

Monte Urgull | San Sebastian

Oh hi, dear readers! I'm back yet again with more pictures of San Sebastian, Spain - because if the last sets of images hadn't already convinced you to book a trip, these will!

P.S. I just got back from a weekend in London! As in, I flew five hours across the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday night and seven hours back on Monday morning, all before I even had a chance to tell you I was going. (Which means - let the European travel blogging continue; I have lots of fun details to share!) But for now, back to our regularly intertwined / never ending Spain posts.

On a most relaxing afternoon stroll along the splendid San Sebbie shores, the sun finally decided to grace us with her long awaited presence. Still making up her mind about weather to shine for longer than 15 minutes at a time, at least the rain was done!

As we were wandering the harbor and the winding roads surrounding the outskirts of the Old Quarter we decided to trek to the top of Mount Urgull.

It was past prime sunbathing hours and so on a spontaneous decision, the swift yet steep climb began. It was not without breathtaking views of the crescent shaped shores surrounded by the colorful harbor; situated before it a posh seaside city scape and behind it the vast mountains of Basque Country as they sweep through a cloudy blue sky.What I'm saying is, a climb to the top of Monte Urgull is rather quick, far from strenuous, and worth it for the views alone.At the top, Mount Urgull boasts a large statue of Jesus. Even from the base, he can be seen poking out of the trees and looking down over the foothills. Among the flat topped peak you will also find the abandoned yet fairly well kept ruins of Castillo De Santa Cruz de la Mota, a historical battle fortress. The small castle with dark narrow passageways and weathered stairwells invites you to explore within its chiseled stone walls.
I should also note, these explorations are free of charge - no entrance fee or ticketing. This was definitely a nice change of pace from what we were used to in Madrid and Barcelona! We saw others on our journey but at times it felt like we had the place all to ourselves. This made for a serene and peaceful afternoon. The hike and historical castle combined with the rewarding panoramic views definitely marked Monte Urgull a city highlight, I would happily encourage this activity to travelers of San Sebastian. Pack a picnic to enjoy at the top, or, work up an appetite and venture into one of the many pintxos bars nearby once you have completed the descent.I am so so tired. The London jet lag isn't as severe compared to Spain, but is present none the less. It is 9:20 pm as I finish this post, and I am ready for bed!! 

Pintxos Crawl | San Sebastian

"A pintxo should be eye-catching, original,

and petite enough to eat in two bites"

~Patxi Bergara

In a city known for its Michelin Stared restaurants, we favored the more affordable but no less appreciated haute cuisine of the region - Pintxos. The highly regarded Basque style tapas reign as a collection of mini masterpieces lining bar counter tops in most notably the city's historic district. The atmospheric Parte Vieja (Old Town) encompasses tiny charming streets limited to those on foot, where the most common activity is gallivanting from one pintxos bar to the next.
Among lively crowded spaces, the amicable bartenders nod to locals and welcome out of towers. The tab is on the honor system. A spirited pintxos crawl kicks off an evening that turns into a party in the street, which might lead to playing slots at the small unassuming casino, making friends over darts and beers, and hitting up a seemingly hidden discotheque till the wee hours. It is an enticing scene as a whole, the pintxos alone are reason enough to embark on a bar crawl even if you decide to call it an early night. (You likely won't want to.)One of my favorite traditional pintxos is a briny melt in your mouth oil and vinegar marinated anchovy woven with a spicy pimento pepper, speared on a toothpick with a juicy green olive, topped with a colorful confetti of finely diced onions and peppers, and bathing in a vat of golden olive oil. Pintxos are a highly adored cuisine for their impeccable attention to detail, both in taste and presentation. A tuna stuffed piquillo pepper here, a thin slice each of jamon, pimento and a hard boiled egg stacked gracefully on on a toasted baguette there, followed up by a cube of cod fish sandwiched by pickle halves dusted with peppers and onions, and you've got yourself a meal. Wash it all down with a glass of Txtakoli, the fizzy white wine of the region notorious for its dramatic pour. Sparkling wine streams out of an emerald green bottle from nearly a foot above the glass, it is poured this way to aerate the wine for optimal taste. Move onto the next bar and prepare to do it all over again, and again, until you are feeling sufficiently full and buzzed. Pictured at a local "sports" bar where everyone was playing pool or darts. Our crawl one night started first with a glass of Cava and then Estrella on draft at A Fuegro Negro - a stark contemporary black and red space amongst a slew of traditional wooden clad tavernas. Here we consumed bar snacks of bocadillos and tortillas. We quickly learned that even the "average" bar snack around here are pretty sensational. We popped into Casa Vergara for chorizo sausage and crouquetas and were warmly embraced by Bar Ganbara where the pulpo de gallega - octopus dusted in rock salt, paprika and olive oil delighted. After that point, I officially lost track of bar names.That's the great thing about a Pintxos crawl, wander into any one that appeals to you and you're pretty much guaranteed a reasonably priced excellent bite of food. Same goes for the glass of wine.At least, that was our experience. There are definitely beloved spots and many we had read about and researched, but in the end, wandering into the unknown, maybe even unnamed spot proved to be just as rewarding as seeking out the recommended. Inside a traditional pintxos bar on Calle 31 de Agosta we feasted some more and drank a glass or two of Rioja, the ever reliable red wine choice. You also might want to wander into the Basilica of Santa Maria at some point, or at the very least, you'll notice it along your crawls. It stands as an impressive 18th Century Baroque church at 46 Calle 31 de Agosto. Just when I thought I had experienced Spanish nightlife to the fullest in Madrid, and ate some of the best cuisine of life to date in Barcelona, I traveled to San Sebastian where the two merged in extraordinary fashion. The dreamer in me imagined what it would be like to take up permanent residence (the beaches playing a huge part), while my younger self wished I studied abroad here (stemmed after we hung out with kids from England spending a semester in town, naturally) while my still not rational self is planning a trip back when I win the lottery so I can afford to eat at restaurants like Akelare and Arzak. Otherwise, I remain beyond content with the city as I experienced it; my affections for San Sebastian run deep.