Borda Berri

Cook to order pintxos joint

Beef cheek

San Sebastian is full of amazing restaurants and pintxo bars, you can eat really well with very little, with many dishes costing around the 3 Euro mark while a glass of wine could be as little as 1 Euro. Pintxo is a must-try when you visit the Basque country, however, there are so many choices in Old Town San Sebastian, it is hard to decide which one to try. For me, Borda Berri stands out as all the pintxos are cooked to order instead of pre-cooked which you would see in most other places. The short menu with about 12 dishes also means the chef can really focus on perfecting those dishes without spreading themselves too thin.

Cod tripes

Tomato and basil soup

This is actually my third visit to Borda Berri, and the menu hasn't changed much at all. The signature pork ribs kebab was as good as I recalled, it had a thin layer of crispy skin with some really moist meat, finely seasoned, and had a lovely soft smoky aroma. Cod tripe and parsley is a Basque classic, and Borda Berri's version was done expertly, the tripe had a soft creamy texture without any unpleasant fishy aftertaste, with the parsley offered a touch of peppery tone which added freshness. The beef cheek was heavenly, really moist, and cut like butter but not overly rich, it was the best dish of the night easily.

Pork rib kebab

Roasted duck with couscous

The cooking level of Borda Berri was really high, all 3 of my visits amazed me that a humble pintxo bar can turn out great cooking at such a high level that can rival fine dining restaurants, not to mention at such a great price. For 7 pintxo size dishes shared between 2 with a glass of wine each, the bill came to 32 euro. Something not possible for this level of cooking back in the UK. Simply put, if you ever visit San Sebastian, Borda Berri should be high on your visit list.

Food 3.5/5

What I paid: 
16 Euro per person with wine

Average cost without drinks and services:
15 Euro

Fermin Calbeton Kalea, 12, 20003 Donostia, Gipuzkoa, Spain

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