Cafe Bar Bilbao ★ 4.2
Cafe Bar Bilbao on Plaza Nueva since 1911 keeps a Belle Epoque tiled interior in Bilbao, with ham croquettes, peppers stuffed with cod and rabas.
Order: Cafe con leche, tortilla, pincho de jamon
History
Rabas (the Basque-Cantabrian name for fried calamari) are a working-port pintxo, descended from the Andalusian calamares a la romana but cooked harder and served crisper in the north. Cafe Bar Bilbao, Bar Charly and Baster all run defensible versions; Baster's bocadillo de calamares (rabas in a roll) is the late-night fix on the Casco Viejo.
Common allergens: Shellfish, Gluten, Egg
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 600g cleaned squid tubes and tentacles, fresh or frozen
- 300ml whole milk
- 200g plain flour
- 100g semolina or fine cornmeal
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (pimenton de la Vera)
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 litre extra virgin olive oil, for frying
- 2 lemons, cut into wedges
- Maldon sea salt, to finish
- Alioli: 2 garlic cloves, 1 egg yolk, 200ml mild olive oil, juice of half a lemon, pinch of salt
- 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Method
- Slice the squid tubes into 1cm rings. Leave the tentacles whole. Pat completely dry.
- Submerge the squid in the milk and refrigerate 30 minutes. This tenderises.
- Whisk the flour, semolina, smoked paprika, pepper and salt in a wide bowl.
- Make the alioli: pound the garlic with a pinch of salt in a mortar, beat in the yolk, then drizzle in the oil whisking constantly to emulsify. Loosen with lemon juice. Chill.
- Heat the olive oil in a deep heavy pan to 190C (use a thermometer; hotter is fine, cooler is fatal).
- Drain the squid; do not rinse. Dredge in the seasoned flour mixture, tossing to coat.
- Lift in small batches with a slotted spoon, shake off excess flour, and lower into the oil. Fry for 90 seconds until pale gold and crisp. Do not overload the pan; the rings need space.
- Lift to a tray lined with paper. Sprinkle immediately with Maldon salt.
- Pile into a small paper cone or shallow dish. Scatter parsley over.
- Serve at once with lemon wedges and a ramekin of alioli.
Tip from the editors. Frying squid for more than 90 seconds is the only common failure; pull at pale gold. The colour darkens as they sit; trust the timer not the eye.
Where to eat rabas
Rabas in Bilbao
Baster ★ 4.3
Baster at the corner of Correo and Cintureria below the cathedral tower in Bilbao runs made-to-order tortilla and a young marianito crowd on the terrace.
Why locals love it: Tucked at the corner of Correo and Cinturería at the foot of the cathedral tower in Bilbao, Baster's made-to-order tortilla and marianito crowd skews young and local.
Tip: Order the made-to-order tortilla and the marianito (vermut and gin); the terrace is the spot in spring.
Bar Charly ★ 4.2
Bar Charly on Plaza Nueva in Bilbao since 1973 keeps a traditional Casco Viejo pintxo counter with bacalao croquettes, bonito and the gilda.
Try: Pintxo gilda, bacalao croquette
La Vina del Ensanche ★ 4.5
La Vina del Ensanche on Diputacion in Bilbao since 1927 runs three rooms under the third family generation, Joselito Iberian ham the house pintxo.
Signature drink: Spanish wines by the glass
Food: Joselito ham on crystal bread, croquetas de jamon, bonito
More cities are in research. Want rabas covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.