It's no secret: Spain has some of the best food in Europe. But Tokyo is only starting to realize there's much more to it than just paella and sangria. That's why we were so pleased to hear about Txoko, the city's first restaurant specializing in the outstanding cuisine of the Basque Country.
The climate, people and language of this mountainous region wedged between the Bay of Biscay, the Pyrenees and the French border are quite unlike those of the sun-drenched Mediterranean coast or the Castilian heartland. So too is the cooking. Having eaten our way around the area on a number of visits, we were keen to see how well the flavors could be translated to Japan.
The initial impression is underwhelming. Txoko (it's pronounced "Choko") only opened in March, but the look is far from cutting-edge. Apart from the sign and menu in the illuminated "window," little has changed since the demise of the previous occupants (Capitolino, a fusty Italian eatery): the same black brick surround, whitewash stucco and heavy wooden shutters.