Top Tips for a foodie Bilbao Trip

Many good ideas arrive after a bottle (or two) of wine and this was no different!  My challenge?  A good friend which two glorious little boys wanted a weekend of ‘not-being-a-mommy’ and I had a budget of £120 for travel and accommodation.  After a little thought, I came up with Bilbao – a city in Northern Spain which boasts the Guggenheim Museum and is the capital of the province of Biscay which is the seat of power for the Basque nation.  The Basques are not Spanish but have their own language and culture which is fascinating to experience.

We flew from Stansted which is about 45 minutes out of central London and stayed in Hesperia Bilbao which is about 10 minutes’ walk from the old town and close enough to see the Guggenheim – in short, right in the middle of the action.  So what knowledge can I pass on to someone who wants to visit Bilbao? 

1. Firstly, take comfortable walking shoes.  If you stay in the centre of town, you can get the tube but Bilbao is most definitely a walking city – especially the old town.  There are loads of little restaurants to stop for coffee or a glass of wine if your feet get sore so don’t be scared to just wander and enjoy.  It is very hard to get lost.  
2. Don’t judge a coffee shop or bar by the outside but by whether it has customers.  In Bilbao, they have tapas which they call Pintxos with each bar serving a delicious selection of snacks.  These can generally be viewed in a little chilled cabinet at the bar or are made fresh.  Both are glorious and you need to try them – whether this is prior to dinner with drinks or for lunch.  It is completely acceptable to wander from bar to bar trying their each of their offerings.
3. Remember that Bilbao is Catholic city which means that all the shops are shut on Sunday and restaurants only open at about 1-ish.  Honestly, it is when most people get up late and have lunch before a stroll along the river.  This is fascinating to watch but it can be hugely frustrating if you are hungover and hungry for more than Pintxos at 11 am.
4. Dinner is served at 9 which is insanely late for Americans and a little difficult for the British but very normal for the Spanish.  If you think you are going to be hungry, enjoy Pintxos a little wine earlier in the evening before dinner.  There is something terribly about choosing only the best in each bar and then moving on.  It really is a high class pub crawl which never seems to end up with anyone drunk.
5. Celebrate the ham.  No honestly, they serve Jamon Iberico which is some of the best ham I have ever had and one of the standard Pintxos is glorious bread drizzled with olive oil and a slice of ham.  So simple but one of those breakfasts that I kept returning to again and again.
6. Bilbao (and the neighbouring towns of San Sebastian) has one of the highest concentrations of Michelin Star restaurants in the world so research this, budget for this and treat yourself.  Yes, the Pintxos is glorious but spending a little of your holiday budget to enjoy a truly remarkable meal is well worth it.  Alternatively, if you want something fantastic and a little more reasonable, book lunch at the Guggenheim museum – an excellent setting and fantastic food. 
7. Now this might seem like a somewhat controversial tip but I suggest that you stick to the local cuisine.  No honestly, if you see a restaurant doing Pasta or Japanese or Chinese – run.  The Basques are justifiably proud of their food but having eaten in Asia Di Roma (as it was open when I was hung over), I can say it is one of the most disgusting experiences of my life.  I did not think you could ruin spaghetti but they gave it the old college try and I have heard from other travellers that ‘local is most definitely lekker’ (as they say in South Africa).
8. Find out a little bit about the wine.  Generally the perceived wisdom goes, if the wine is produced in the region, it matches the food and this is true in Bilbao but you may not be familiar with the different options so ask or do a little research ahead of time.  Also, generally the wine served in the little bars is light fragrant and easy to drink so don’t be scared to taste this. 
9. If you have space in your luggage, bring back some of the ham vacuum packed or wander into one of the little shops for sweets – these are unusual, especially the little aniseed biscuits which look like tear drops.  Not to mention the latter are nice and light so I even managed to get it back on Ryanair. 
10. While the British equivalent of afternoon tea is not generally available, the Basques do have a soft spot for glorious pastries and there is a terribly sweet coffee shop near the bridge (and old town hall) which leads to the old town.  They serve tea, coffee, smoothies and pastries by the lb – a sweet treat if it is raining (which is quite often).

Finally, don’t be afraid to speak to people, try the food and generally enjoy the amazing walking city that is Bilbao.  While people speak Basque, many speak Spanish so don’t forget to gracias regularly and attempt to use whatever Spanish you may speak – enjoy!

L x

Don’t forget to follow me on twitter @littleofwhatyou

Not a spelling error but a comfort food!

When someone first mentioned Adobo, I assumed that they had either made a spelling error or were thinking of a style of architecture – but not so, no this is Filipino home food!  Well, Pilipino comfort food to be honest!  Essentially, it is chicken and rice with a sticky soya sauce which is very easy to whip up when you get in the door.  Quite impressive too so if you have people over for dinner, you don’t have to tell them how easy this is.

Ingredients:

• About a kilo of chicken pieces (either thighs, legs or wings)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic and chili powder
• Olive oil for frying
• ½ cup cider vinegar
• ½ cup soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon of chopped chili (optional)
• ½ cup water
• 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
• 3 dried bay leaves
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 bunch spring onions, chopped (optional)
• Serve on rice

1.  Mix the salt, garlic and chili powder and black pepper together (traditionally, you don’t add the chili but I like the kick).  Then sprinkle over the washed and dried chicken.

1. Add the oil to a pan and when smoking hot, add the chicken and fry until brown
2. Take the chicken out and let the oil cool slightly
3. Mix the vinegar, soy, water, bay leaves, pepper corns and garlic.  I also add chili but then again I like thinks a little hot (she blushes and tries not to sound like a bad romance novel)

1. Add the mixture to the cooled oil and bring to the boil.
2. Pop the chicken into the mixture and cook on a low heat until the chicken comes away from the bone easily (45 minutes for thighs but less for wings)

I serve this on rice so between cooking, washing up and trying to hang up the washing I tend to put a pot of this on (the work of a women is never done).  I also add chopped spring onions on top as I life the cheffy touch and it really does make it taste good.

Enjoy

L xx

Don’t forget to follow me on twitter @littleofwhatyou