During our stay in Lisbon last winter I wrote my first blog, a Power Ranking of my daily pastel de nata consumption.
Since then my posts have focused on Athletic Club, hiking, and travel, with occasional mention of the food that we eat on these adventures. [Though, when I wrote about the holidays I did detail our experience preparing coquelet and arroz.]
While I’ve challenged myself to write more frequent posts, we have also developed a standard daily routine that isn’t the most blog-worthy. So, rather than waiting for our next trip or a unique hike, I decided to apply the Power Ranking theme to a staple of our daily life; gilda, perhaps the most universally available pintxo in Euskadi.
Left to Right: Enjoying gilda during our first week in Bilbao; Celebratory gilda after signing our lease; Gilda artwork in our kitchen
Pintxos: A quick intro
Pintxos, small snacks typically served on a skewer, are available in almost every bar. Aside from gilda, common pintxos include croquetas, champiñones [🍄🟫], queso [🧀], chistorra [sausage], and txipiron [🦑].
In Bilbao pintxos cost 2-3€, which means we can satisfy our hunger and enjoy a round of drinks for about 10€.
Two of my favorite pintxo options in Plaza Nueva are tres quesos at Negresco [left] and Pintxo Pote at Jam Toki [right].
So, what is gilda?
Traditional gilda includes olives, guindilla pepper, and tinned fish [typically anchovy]. Though, many bars now offer a diverse variety of the skewers, adding alegria peppers from La Rioja [for those who like 🌶️], small hard boiled eggs, and different types of seafood [including 🐙].
Gilda are considered aperitivo, light snacks designed to stimulate your appetite before a meal. The name is in reference to a 1946 movie starring Rita Hayworth and it is believed that the first gilda was prepared at Casa Vallés, a bar in Donostia.
Left to Right: Cata de gilda at Bilbao Basque Fest; Homemade gilda while watching 🏈; Trying the original at Casa Vallés
Before the rankings, an important note!
Containers of gilda are often found sitting on top of a bar, as is the case at Ledesma nº 5. One afternoon we observed a patron at this bar studying the different varieties on display before grabbing a skewer and placing it on his plate, alongside the pintxos he’d ordered from the bartender [and paid for] a few moments before.
When the incident occurred the bartender gasped. She wasn’t sure how to respond. Despite gilda’s frequent accessibility, they aren’t free. They still need to be ordered by customers and served by staff. However, he had struggled to place his initial order given his limited Spanish-language skills. She doesn’t speak much English and wasn’t really comfortable responding to the incident, so she decided to let it go without saying anything. [Though she did discuss her shock with us soon after, as she’d also noticed the looks on our faces when we saw what had happened.]
I share this story so that others know: never take a gilda for yourself. Always order from the staff!
Gilda de Boqueron at Ledesma nº5
Power Rankings
#5 Bihotz: One option includes a cube of cheese and a good-sized piece of alegria pepper. They also serve their gilda on freshly toasted bread and are one of a few places in Bilbao that serve craft beer.
# 4 Nervion: While the gilda isn’t remarkable, we love to hangout here. The interior of the bar is large, but everyone still spills out onto the sidewalks that surround it. Our favorite spot is a platform overlooking the ria.
#3 Mala Volta: This restaurant is on the same block as our apartment. We stop a couple of times each week to hangout with neighbors [or the staff, whom we’ve become close with]. The alegria pepper on their gilda gives it a good kick!
#2 Antxoa: Beyond gilda, their pintxos all feature high-quality tinned fish. [I’m a big fan of the queso, antxoa, and membrillo pintxo.] They serve a wide-variety of gilda and are a great place to go when we want fresh air on a rainy day, given their location inside Plaza Nueva.
#1 Negresco: Negresco’s gilda include two sizable and deliciously salty pieces of antxoa, which is the primary reason why they win my power rankings. However, this is also one of our favorite bars in Bilbao [and not just because they make my other favorite pintxo!]. They also show La Liga matches and we’ve gotten to know the staff well while watching matches there. It’s another bar that feels a bit like home.
Left to Right: Gilda at Bihotz; Nervion, and Mala Volta
Left to Right: Not a gilda, but still a delicious pintxo at Antxo, where I often do some writing in the evening; Gilda at Negresco
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