4.5 stars
Irrintzi in the old city of Bilbao is all about…read more"pintxos&friends," and this casual bar sports some unique creations. First, I tried the classic pil-pil, a chunk of cod topped with a creamy sauce made of the cod skin along with garlic and oil. Then there was a pork "taco" made of breaded chunks of honey-glazed pork (it definitely reminded me of an Asian preparation), served along with seaweed salad in a "taco" shell made of nori on the inside and a crispy cornmeal coating on the outside--truly one of the most unique bites of food I've ever had! Finally, I had the octopus carpaccio topped with a dollop of mashed potato, all topped with a piece of crispy jamon. The creaminess of the mashed potato went perfectly with the tender octopus, and the umami, savory piece of jamon brought all the flavors together!