Wild Detectives, the cozy bookstore and cultural enclave in the Bishop Arts district, continues its Mouth Full of Words series (wine tastings and olive oil tastings have been amongst the past events) with adventures in pintxos, a regional subcategory of tapas. These are the culinary pride of Spanish Basque country and particularly its gastronomical capital, San Sebastian, where the sometimes elaborate bite-sized toasts cover bars throughout the evening, beckoning as creative, casual, enticing bites. Such is their appeal that when I spent a week in Basque country, I ate nothing else.
For the culinary side, Wild Detectives’ owners, Paco Vique and Javier Garcia del Moral, have called on a friend, chef Inaki Betran, a native of San Sebastian whose culinary resume includes work with Juan Mari Arzak, founder of Arzak. (The 3 Michelin star restaurant is to Basque Country what the French Laundry is to Napa Valley.)
Among Betran’s pintxos, displayed in tiers that beg to be reached for, are classics such as wedges of Spanish omelet (tortilla), plain or with paprika-rich chorizo; tuna mixed with a colorful giardiniera of peppers; and surimi similarly brightened with bell peppers. Each is ferried on a round of charred bread. Others are Betran originals, like the two that seduced me when I tried them last night: a lush mussel cream accented with a duxelle of pistachios and black olives; and wild mushrooms zesty with orange juice and orange zest escabeche.
The other side of the equation is sherry; if you choose, each pinxto can come with its suggested sherry pairing, from the simplest Fino, through Amontillado and Oloroso, to the most complex, Palo Cortado. This marriage of pinxtos and sherry is a quintessential taste of Spain, but also a bridging of Basque north and Andalusian south. For anyone who’s been exploring Dallas restaurants’ sherry offerings, increasingly common in the last year and a half, this is another chance to appreciate the once-pigeon-holed “sweet dessert” wine’s affinities with savory food.
Other events between now and Sunday:
A guided sherry tasting on Thursday evening
Paella demonstration on Saturday
A documentary film about sherry on Sunday
Check here for more general details. Pintxos will be on the counter from 6pm till closing through Sunday.
