Endless small wonders

You can come here simply for the charcuterie and cheeses. There are silky purple strips of house-cured duck ham slicked with arbequina olive oil, for example, or paprika-spiced Pamplona chorizo (better plain than over those odd chocolate-smeared toasts), or medallions of butter-poached foie gras sandwiched between brioche and tangy house-made quince paste.

But there are also more elaborate delights not to be missed. The tender rack of lamb is scattered with house-fried chips so delicate they look like potato butterflies. There are little toasts topped with a soft scramble of zucchini and egg and draped with crimson slices of succulent Kobe beef. Alternating chunks of lobster and hanger steak come on a skewer sprinkled with peanuts and a chile aioli. Brochetas of canteloupe wrapped in white anchovies with pickled guindilla peppers wash across the palate in waves of sea salt, sweet melon and tangy spice.

Even the vegetarian options - snappy wild mushrooms seared on the "plantxa" and an addictive green bean salad (judias verdes) tossed with marcona almonds and dried Moorish fruits in a warm sherry vinaigrette - are memorable.

There are only four desserts to choose from, and all but the gateau Basque are keepers. Caramelized bananas bring out the fruitiness in silky flourless chocolate cake. A rich goat's cheese mousse plays an Andalusian tune with orange blossom gelee and sweet olive oil caramel. The most delicate dessert, though, is the Scent of a Woman, a moist sponge cake filled with sparkling cava gelée, topped with a pouf of rose water foam, then ringed with tiger nut sauce.

After a pinxto feast, that is passion on a plate.