Showing posts with label Bar Astelena. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bar Astelena. Show all posts

8.25.2011

Bar Astelena - Pinxtos, Spain (San Sebastian)

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One of the most notable differences between this tapas bar and others that I visited on my trip through Spain was that the tapas were displayed on the bar uncooked.  As you point to which item you want the server puts it on a plate and sends it to the kitchen for cooking and plating.  So each item is fresh and carefully plated and decorated with special sauces and pretty plates. 
 
Chorizo skewer



Pistacio croquette
Croquettes are a main staple on the menu in tapas bars.  A little tired of the regular jamon or chorizo croquettes, I chose this unique filling.  Pistachios are common ingrediants in Spainish cuisine, but this is the first and only pistacio croquette I came across in this trip.  Crispy texture from the crushed pistacio crust and a pistachio flavored potato filling.  Yum!



Inside the pistacio croquette

Fried wrapper stuffed with crab and jamon

Inside the fried wrapper


Grilled squid
 San Sebastian, located by the sea,  is well known for their seafood.  This grilled squid skewer was my favorite tapa dish here.  Perfectly cooked with a delicate crunch from the fresh squid.


Shrimp wrapped in noodles - deep fried

This noodle wrapped skewer looked so crazy I had to pick it.  The thin fried noodles made it a little diffcult to eat, but still delicious nonetheless.

 Probably one of my favorite pintxos bars in San Sebastian.  Everything here is so fresh and well cooked.  The display of the raw and uncooked tapas made it a little hard to figure out what would taste good, but always ended up in a nice surprise.  I wish I could have tried everything on the menu.

 Address:                  Bar Astelena 
                                         c/inigo 1
                                         San Sebastian

Type:                          pinxtos (tapas)
                                         casual 

Chomp worthy:  squid

Pass:                           nothing