Embarassment of Riches.
 

Hi all,

We will be in Bilbao from Friday night until Monday.

Friday, we will have lunch at Etxebarri on the way from Donostia to Bilbao.

Saturday night I have reservations at both Aizan and Zortziko.

Neither are open on Sunday.

So, which would you cancel?

((I))
As you can see, this is one of those existential problems that can cause a person to lie awake all night. :)

You have my sympathy for your dilemma, but I have never been to Spain. Was thinking of going once twenty years ago, even bought a Michelin Guide, but Italy won the toss, again.

Hi RJ,

It has taken me a long time to visit Spain, too.

((I))

Is no one going to help me with my problem?

No help here, either, since we, too, are planning to visit Spain for the first time in October.

Byrd

Change one to a lunch reservation.

Simples. Innit.

Dr D (Channelling CW for some unknown reason)

"Is no one going to help me with my problem?"

No-- the rest of us WISH we had your problem! haha

Safe travels, prof.

Hi Ira,

though I've been to Spain I've never been to Bilbao, so I have no personal experience to go by.

I did look at TA and saw that aizian ranks just above the other one, AND has a €44 tasting menu [someone said including wine, though I couldn't find that on their website] so if you could verify that, that's the one i'd go for!

cancel them both and head to the local MacDondalds IMO.

I´d say Zortziko instead of Aizian. I ate there once when they were still the restaurant of the Sheraton hotel, and it was OK but not magnificent. Friends of mine have dinner there at the beginning of May (now belongs to the Melia chain), and opinions were quite mixed.

At least, with the Zortziko you know what you are getting.

Have you tried to book the Nerua at the Guggenheim? I think it can be more interesting than the Aizian
http://www.nerua.com/
Another option that I would try is the Ricardo Perez´s Yandiola in the Alhondiga
http://www.yandiola.com/
I have eaten at his place in Mungia, Txalgorri, and afterwards in the first Yandiola in Campo Volantin and this new one, and liked all of them.

PalenQ, it will be difficult to find a McDonalds, maybe in a shopping mall. Bilbao is probably one of the few places where a Burger King closed down and in the same place a Louis Vuitton shop opened ;)

bye, Cova

You may be spending too much time in Bilbao. The exterior of the Guggenheim is supposed to be more interesting than what's inside. I was stuck in Bilbao for a week with car repairs and was b-o-r-e-d. There were 4-6 banks on every block, tho' with what's now happening in Spain who knows how many remain open. The food is good, and the bullfighting feria is great, but Bilbao is only OK.

Hey, there may be some interesting demonstrations going on. There was one having something to do with local education when we were there back in '05. Considering the current financial situation in Spain, things could be much more interesting this year. All said, never have any demonstrations we've seen up close in France, Spain or Italy given us reason to be concerned. Generally they are orderly and sometimes have the vibe of being a Sunday afternoon walk with kids in strollers and bikes.

re: the restaurant choices -- is is possible to walk past to review the actual menu for the night, and THEN cancel based on what you want to do?

"I have never been to Spain"

But I kinda like the music
Say the ladies are insane there
And they sure know how to use it
The don't abuse it
Never gonna lose it
I can't refuse it

((H))

Of the two, I'd go with what Cova recommends, Zortziko, but Bilbao has may other good options. As far as spending too much time in Bilbao, a week at a time is just about right for me, but apparently not for everyone.

Rankings on TA should be taken with a grain of salt and a couple of shots of vodka...

But Ira is only going to be there for a weekend ;) Not enough time at all.

I don´t know how interested you are in contemporary art, but I found that the Hockney exhibition, "A bigger picture", was pretty good.

I hadn´t looked at the TA list, but I would move further up Bascook (another good option), and regarding pintxos places, I wouldn´t know how to sort Bitoque, El globo or Cafe Bilbao, all of them my favourites (also La Viña). It would depend on the time of the day, with whom I was going ... but any of them is a great place.

Cova