This little tapas bar in the wealthy city's medieval centre was recommended to us by Haizea Luzuriaga Badiola at Donamariako Benta, who had been to culinary school with the chef.  In true modern Basque culinary style, A Fuego Negro was reinventing tapas.  Their food isn't the foams and clouds you might expect at Ferran Adria's El Bulli up the road, but it does challenge the traditional tapas of Spain's bars.  As streams of locals came in for a minute caña and a tapa or two, we stayed firmly put at the bar to work our way through as much of the extensive menu as possible (wine list included)...  

The beautifully presented little plates, bowls, glasses and spears of tasty morsels included: sweet baby clams on a bed of savoury rice flecked with rice crispies, perfectly cooked cod on cauliflower puree garnished with cress and curried toasted breadcrumbs, a skewerette of jamón and melting goat's cheese on toast, and bonito with shaved red onions and pickled chillies.  All as delicious as attractive on the eye. 

Perhaps my favourite was 'La Txiki-Huerta en tempura con ketxup casero y ali-oli de patata', which was all it promised and more.  And Matt's was a shot glass of green olives, pickled green chillies and anchovy fillets with extra virgin olive oil to dispense ontop with a miniature pipette and Maldon sea salt to sprinkle.  Very classy indeed.

Read about other tastes of Spain...