Yes, every tourist in Bilbao probably ends up at Victor Montes at some point. It's the kind of place. I was drawn in by the enthusiastic decoration and the rows of reportedly very creative open faced sandwiches called Pintxos or Pinchos in these parts. Though now pretty much anything served as a tapa in this area of Spain will be called pinxtos, originally the word referred to the toothpick that holds the often elaborate sandwich together. Pinchar (the verb that coined the names pinchos or pintxos which is a Basque-fied version of the same) means to pierce. There are fewer toothpicks then in years past, but the name lives on.
Pintxos ready at the bar. Customers walk in, order drinks and, if their Spanish is as bad as mine, point and meekly say something brilliant like . . . "Quiero uno de esos (I want one of those).
I pointed vaguely and ended up with crab salad mounded on a slice of baquette (or the spanish equivalent of it), a sprinkle of caviar dusted the top.
I thought 'd try just one more. Looking for the unusual I motioned for this eggplant and (I think) herbed cheese stack. Interesting and a little messy, nice for a bite. Bilbao is a city of eaters, hoping from one delicious bite to the next. I am waddling my own trail. Many pintxos to try before I rest.
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