09/23/17
San Sebastián -- a coastal town in the Basque region of northern Spain -- holds its own against the best European culinary destinations. Known for its "pinxtos" (fancy tapas, for lack of a brilliant description) at nearly every local establishment, the city has no shortage of quirky yet delicious offerings (e.g., squid ink-tinted calamari, sake-infused hake and roasted ox filet coated in ashes). Kokotxa -- a restaurant situated in Old Town -- is a must visit for both San Sebastián rookies and vets. Unlike the (many) other gastronomically ambitious restaurants in San Sebastián, it offers a relatively affordable lunch tasting menu.
The highlight of our lunch at Kokotxa was a dish simply titled "Kimchi-Crunchy-Crab". Set on a base of sweet coconut tapioca broth and relatively spicy kimchi, the soft shell crab, itself, was delicious. However, the balanced (sweet and spicy) combination of the broth and the kimchi carried the dish. Per the restaurant's recommendation, I broke off piece-by-piece of crab and dipped it in the base. My only (unjustified in the context of a tasting menu) gripe -- despite my efforts to savor every bite, I joined the clean-plate club far too quickly.