Donostia – San Sebastian never ceases to amaze me! Although after MasterChef I spent six months living here while studying at the Basque Culinary Center, every time I come back I discover new flavours and pintxos that are an absolute delight for the palate.

On my latest visit —to explore the new GOe (Gastronomy Open Ecosystem at the Basque Culinary Center)— I stayed in the Antiguo neighbourhood, wanting to make the most of this quick trip to have dinner with my friend María Lo at asador Portuetxe (asador is a traditional Basque grill restaurant) and to try a couple of pintxos the next day in two iconic local bars. There’s something so special about enjoying those neighbourhood places, with their unique charm. I loved the pintxos so much that I just had to share my recommendations!

On a small street crossing the famous Matia, you’ll find Oliyos. As soon as I walked in, I was greeted by Mari Jose, the owner of this restaurant with over six decades of history. It was barely ten in the morning, and the counter was already full of freshly prepared pintxos.

—Which pintxo should I absolutely not leave without trying? —I asked her straight away.

—Our star one : the mushrooms in sauce with potatoes —she replied without hesitation.

Flavourful, perfectly textured, with a rich sauce made for dipping bread, and thin potato slices: crispy on the outside and soft inside. What a brilliant combination! A hot pintxo, freshly made, full of the taste of tradition.

Of course, I had to know how it was made, so I asked — and Mari Jose invited me into the kitchen. The team welcomed me as one of their own, and I watched how they prepared that delicious sauce and those potatoes. But most of all, I saw the mushrooms slowly reducing in the pot over the heat. They looked incredible!

—Come on, I need to know the secret behind this pintxo. Will you tell me? —I asked her.

She smiled and took me next door, to a small local shop right beside Oliyos: piles of fresh vegetables, perfectly ripe fruit, local cheeses, pulses sold loose, 100% homemade chorizo… and, of course, the star of the show: the mushrooms. Fresh, big, locally grown. Seasonal produce, from nearby farms, and of outstanding quality

Then it all made sense. It wasn’t just that every step of the pintxo’s preparation was done with such care: the ingredients themselves were locally sourced and top quality, bought daily from a neighbourhood shop. That’s something that truly captivates me, because I firmly believe in the importance of supporting this kind of local business. Thank you, Oliyos!

My next stop was La Rebotika, and this time I already knew exactly what I wanted to try: the famous Arzak Pintxo, created by Laura, the restaurant’s owner. They made me feel right at home and prepared a freshly made pintxo.

—Cut it in half and you’ll see —Laura told me as she brought it over.

So I did, and was amazed by that perfect coulant effect. The runny yolk flowed from the centre, mixing with the ham and sauce… an explosion of flavour.

I asked her to tell me what it was made of and the story behind it.

—I came up with it to enter a competition —she explained.— In 2019, we won the ‘Pintxo Arzak’ contest, part of the initiative ‘In search of Arzak’s flavours around the city.’ The idea was to reinterpret the classic fried eggs with piquillo peppers.

And they won! Incredible! On top of that, I had the chance to sneak into La Rebotika’s kitchen and make the pintxo alongside their chef.

—Laura —I said— you say it’s a ‘very simple pintxo’, but I need you to tell me the secret. How do you make it taste so good?.

Then she brought out the key ingredients: potato and egg. She explained that both are ‘kilometre zero’ products, from local farmhouses, high quality, and full of flavour. “The eggs, of course, are free-range,” she added. There’s no doubt that when the ingredients are excellent, a pintxo is that much closer to perfection. Thank you, La Rebotika!