El Perro Chico

In our view, this is the most underappreciated restaurant in Bilbao. It's true that the decor doesn't win any Architectural Digest awards; it could easily be turned into a Gypsy den for telling fortunes. But patrons come here for the cuisine, an array of Basque classics. Many discerning celebrities have already found the place: Antonio Banderas, Dennis Hopper, and Jeremy Irons, for example. Frank Gehry considers it his favorite Bilbao dining room. Start, perhaps, with the grilled fresh anchovies with a green sauce or long green peppers, which are fried and perfectly salted. Fresh tuna comes with a black squid ink sauce that's rich and delectable. The dish of clams and artichokes would keep us coming back again and again. The merluza has a natural sweetness only enhanced by the topping of a velvety béchamel sauce and scoops of freshly mashed potatoes.

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