Lizarran Tapas Restaurant

This Northern Spanish tapas restaurant lets you make almost all of the choices. You can nibble on pintxos until your heart’s (and stomach’s) content. Pintxos (pronounced “pinchos”) are single servings of meat, cheese and/or vegetables on bread. The cold ones are displayed in a case by the bar. Go take a look and/or ask your server what’s available and then order ’em up. Hot ones come out of the kitchen periodically, their arrival heralded by a ringing bell and the call of “hot pintxos!” A server circulates a tray until they’re gone, which is sure to happen fast. There’s also a full menu of Spanish classic entrees, made with garlic, olive oil, tomatoes and other Mediterranean staples. The social setting is as much a part of the experience as the food. Lizarran embodies the lively, chatty character of Spanish bar-hopping. Instead of the passive, sit-down dinner, the tapas scene is about standing with drink and food in hand, mixing, mingling and socializing, all of which is heartily encouraged at Lizarran. The neighborhood is home to a number of restaurants featuring all kinds of cuisine. The Cellar is a well-known place for first-class French dining. Italian resides at Roman Cucina, Irish at Brannigan’s Pub, New American at Table 10, offbeat casual American at Rialto Café and the supper-club vibe at Commonwealth Lounge and Grill.

Tips: Be adventurous with the pintxos. Make the small investment and try new things. Do mind the protocol, though. When a tray of hot pintxos comes out, don’t rush the server. Wait for them to come to you. If they run out, they’ll get to you with the next tray, be it the same or a different selection. That’s part of the adventure, so go with the flow.