Barcelona 2014 - Bilbao Berria

In most parts of Spain you will find Tapas - the national snack, but in northern Spain you will find Pintxos. They are similar to Tapas - being small appetizers or snacks eaten with a drink in a bar, but Pintxos are usually served on a piece pf bread spiked with a skewer or toothpick.

Bilbao Berria is a popular Pintxo bar at Placa Nova near Barcelona Catherdral. There is no menu here, instead, all that they offer are place on the long bar counter. You take a plate and help yourself to whatever strikes your fancy. The varieties of Pintxos here are truly mind-boggling - some very simple with only two or three ingredients, and some quite elaborate.  For the first-timer there are bound to be some hits or misses.

The selection of Pintxos is mind-boggling, especially for a first-timer.

These are what I had - they range from good to great.

You can order a cava or beer to go with your Pintxos. At the end of the meal, the waiter counts the number of skewers on your plate and charge you accordingly. Each skewer cost around 1.75€ - though they are relatively cheap they can add up if you end up having 4 or 5 Pintxos and a few drinks. Service is almost non-existent as many reviewers have pointed out - but hardly required for a place like this.