March in La Rioja means two things: the onset of better weather, and the Concurso de Pinchos: the region's annual pincho contest.
THE BACKGROUND
"Marzo suele ser sinónimo de la mejor gastronomía en miniatura en La Rioja," writes Carlos Cuartero of COPE La Rioja. This year, 97 establishments from 18 Riojan localities have registered to participate in a month-long competition for monetary prizes and regional renown. This is the highest participation to date, notes an article by the local government, which means quite an expansive variety for pincho pilgrims—and, lucky for me, 68 of the participating bars are in Logroño.
Each weekend this month (including Sundays), the participating bars and restaurants must serve up their special "concurso" pincho for crowds of locals who can follow a descriptive brochure (available online here and at participating bars) to seek out pinchos they are interested in tasting.
Does this sound like a food lover's fairyland to you, too? If you, like me, have scribbled some stars onto your favorites and decide to head out to sample a few of these bite-sized wonders, here are some notes to help you along the way. Then, keep reading for my thoughts on the 5 I've tried!
THE GAME PLAN
First, you can pick up a paper "ballot" at the bar where you choose to begin your Concurso pincho crawl. Then, at each subsequent stop, make sure to ask to receive the stamp that bears the establishment's name. Your plan should be to visit (at least) four, because you've got four stamps, you can jot down the name of your favorite + your contact information and drop your ballot in one of the yellow boxes displayed inside any of the participating tapas joints to vote for the Pincho Popular. It'll count as a valid vote if it's full with all four!
If you're trying for your four, I recommend choosing one pincho that just screams "you," (your flavor palette), one that takes you outside your comfort zone, one creative twist on your go-to pincho and, for your final bite, either one dessert or one left completely up to chance—see where your feet and/or the crowds lead you. Who knows? It might just end up as your vote!
If hearing about the winner of the Pincho Popular isn't exciting enough, by the end of the month, a jury will have sampled and selected ten finalists to move onto the grand finale, which will be held as a live cooking show on April 1st at the Riojaforum. There, another special jury of gastronomical experts will vote on the prizewinners and leave with very happy stomachs, I am sure.
"Lo que buscamos con el pincho es que no sólo esté bueno, que es lo principal, sino que además se pueda comer fácilmente y sorprenda por su sabor y presentación", explains one of last year's finalists in the COPE article linked above.
What a spectacular way to fill a warm March evening, round out your taste of our little region's underdog (microgastronomical) culinary excellence and, if you do it right, get to know some passionate local chefs. I can't wait to hear which pincho gets your vote—find me by Calle Laurel, and I'll tell you mine.
THE 4 PINCHOS ON MY BALLOT ( + AN EXTRA)
1. CREATIVE TWIST ON MY GO-TO: Champiñon "picante" from As de Tapas - San Juan, 42
I can't do a proper pincho crawl without the champis from Bar Soriano or Bar Angel, so this spicy version was a must-try. The idea was great, but the smoky flavor in the spicy sauce canceled out the garlic component for me, which is what really keeps me coming back...
2. THE "ME" PINCHO: Empanadilla con salsa de kalimotxo y petazetas from El Arca - Travesía de San Juan, 3
Those who know me well know that my all-time favorite flavor profiles are sweet and savory mixed, and hot and cold. I will always choose the dessert option served à la mode and the breakfast bagel that pairs cheddar and bacon with grape jam. A crunchy chicken mini empanada with sweet calimocho sauce (cheap red wine mixed with Coca-Cola, the uber- typical regional bar drink that has really grown on me, spelled kalimotxo in Basque)... you can see why this was my first stop. And then I yelled out in disbelief to the chef when I realized this was topped with strawberry pop rocks, and he giddily brought me a packet of the strawberry candy as proof. I would love to hear about the circumstances surrounding the brainstorming session that created this submission. THAT is how you have fun with food.
3. THE RISKY: Bacabomba (bacalao bomb) from Pettetxico - Portales, 21
I do like brioche, bacalao, red pepper, and Riojano wine separately. Together? As a ... bomb? I was intrigued, and I've been wanting to try this Basque restaurant for a while, so this was my "in." The presentation alone made this feel like a pincho pining for a Michelin star. A special fish bomb, indeed.
4. THE RANDOM: El choricito de Portales 73 from Portales 73 - Portales, 73
Portales 73 wasn't messing around with this mini chorizo sandwich on crystal bread. Sweet chili sauce, sesame seeds, and stewed leeks added some crunchy intrigue, but I never would've picked it out from my brochure. Sure, the owner flat-out told me they weren't going to win... and at face level, maybe it's "boring" among its competitors, but I dare say it made for the perfect & hearty unplanned end to our Sunday afternoon crawl.
5. EXTRA, EXTRA: La torrija de Papín from Papín Gastronomía Dulce - Travesía de San Juan, 2
I've loved Papín since herds of third graders eeked out very-broken-English urges that I IMMEDIATELY try its French-inspired pastries way back in September. It is the place I bring friends for coffee, the place that holds my heart. I wonder if they would let me open a franchise in Oklahoma. Anyway, I had high expectations for their take on the classic Easter torrija, and they were met. The citrus and cinnamon notes were equally powerful without overpowering each other. I give a *mwah* to you, again, Papín, XO.
"Podría vivir de pinchos."
- a woman in my cooking course, 3/14/2023
3, 2, 1, vámonos ya...!
Love,
Ellie
P.S. This marks blog post #20. Thanks to each of you for reading along.
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