There is a plate of toothpicks in front of me, littered between half eaten pieces of bread. Turns out, EVERYTHING is served on little pieces of bread here at this Basque Pinxtos bar. Whether its a piece of sausage or an entire omelette tortilla, bread serves as a serving platter for pure bliss.

These little snack bars are actually quite genius. Open at all hours of the day, patrons can just walk up to a bar adorned with trays of pinxtos from sweet to savory. After asking for a plate, you walk up and down the bar like a snack buffet and choicefully invite these bite sized treats onto your plate while a glass of wine is being poured.

I bite into a hot Iberico Ham and Cheese croquette. It’s pretty damn good and I’m pretty sure this is the only thing I really want to eat for the rest of the day. Its salty and fried taste and texture is more than I can handle. In fact, I know that these fried pillows of ham, potato and cheese deliciousness is going to be the demise of my figure. I wash down the rest with some dry Cava Brut Nature. The combination of bubbles and salty fried fat is a dance on my tongue. This pinxtos bar is out to get me. It’s right across from my apt and is a perfect quick lunch or dinner excuse. Snack. Drink. Repeat.

The toothpicks are piling up right now. I can’t tell which part of me is insatiable – my visual appetite as new pinxtos are being brought out OR my actual stomach.

You had better walk 20,000 steps today.

Patrons walk up, grab plates and just come in for a quick 15 min snack & vino break. There is no rush to start a tab, collect a tab or helicopter waitering. I love that this city is just open to anything & anyone that comes their way. Casual, relaxed and not in a hurry. Yet another European country that is so opposite of us.

The bar is filling up as about the same tie my stomach is. To feast with your eyes is torture here. Now the waiter is bringing out more hot Pinxtos on plates. I wish my stomach was larger But, I guess the point of tapas is to tempt you with small tastes so that you can’t help but want much more.

I grab one last pinxto which I assumed is a pickled & salted Mackerel on Toast. It’s DELICIOUS. Like’s Spain’s version of Japanese Saba Nigiri. Oy. There’s another toothpick to the pile. I’m just fascinated that one can make a meal out of what looks like a ton of appetizers.

While I was due for a good long Solo trip for the year (the last time I solo’d was a year ago), I actually wished this time that some of my family and friends were here to see and experience this. Everywhere I’ve gone in the past day, I can immediately think of a friend or family member that would enjoy something here. The analog camera shop, the candy shop, the spiritual living boutique…and of course, the food.

Oh God. I’m seven toothpicks in. I look around and see that the locals don’t nearly have as many toothpicks as I do…my seven easily rivals their two. Typical American.

I hop off my bar seat and call for the tab. I’ll have to do dessert & coffee somewhere else before I look like a food lush.

A glass of Cava & Seven Toothpicks = 18.70 Euro.

Could be worse. Welcome to Barcelona.

Where I ate: Sagardi, Carrer de l’Argenteria, 62, 08003 Barcelona, Spain