Pintxos

Mexican is the new «it» cuisine; tapas are, like, so totes 2012. That is, unless you have tried the pintxos at the appropriately named Pintxos in Ponsonby, the first authentic bar/​eatery of its kind in Auckland. A pintxo (pronounced «pincho») is a traditional Spanish snack especially popular in the Basque region of Spain. The literal translation is «thorn» or «spike» because of the toothpick that skewers the delectable morsel to a slice of fresh baguette.
Opened in November 2012, Pintxos is located at the back of the alley next to Grand Central on Ponsonby Road and has a sun-​drenched street frontage and entrance from MacKelvie Street. You can while away the late afternoon summer sun in their colourful courtyard, which comes alive at night with strings of colourful lights replicating the seaside resort of San Sebastian. Or you can choose to enjoy your Spanish snack in the quirkily furnished cosiness of the indoor spaces.
The well-​stocked bar will cater to everyone’s needs; there are craft beers on tap, a good selection of Spanish & NZ wines, and friendly bar staff to guide your decisions if you feel like trying something new. The Spanish sparkling wine was a smooth and fruity glass of bubbles to match the sunny atmosphere.
With delicious options focusing on quality Spanish-​style ingredients, the pintxos selection is an ever-​changing array of hot and cold seasonal delights. The day we visited there were crispy crumbed balls of goats cheese paired with sweet onion confit; spicy warm chorizo, green olives and tangy red onion; and a proscuitto, mango & manchego cheese match that sang of summer.
The beauty of this style of snacking is the self-​service option. You simply help yourself to the snack that tempts you, and store up the toothpicks after you’ve demolished your pintxo. On leaving, you can proudly display your collection and pay accordingly. I’m sure there’s room in here for some kind of pintxos eating record! Even those on restricted diets are catered to with the thoughtful option of gluten-​free crackers.
Pintxos is the perfect place to catch up for an after-​work snack, pre-​dinner drinks, or simply to sit back and imagine you are enjoying a siesta or fiesta in Spain.

I’ve been to Pintxos for a wine/​sangria in the sunny courtyard and for a private function.
The afternoon wine/​sangria was nice, although the service was a little ironically abrupt. I hesitate to say rude but there was something pugitive about it. The wine and sangria were both nice and the front courtyard does catch the afternoon sun nicely, just a shame it looks out over a building site and the road.
The back courtyard and little attached salon/​living room type arrangement are absolutely perfect for an evening function of 20+ people. There’s just the right amount of seating to encourage mixing and mingling and the wine and sangria are still very good.

I came to Pintxos for a late afternoon/​early evening drink with friends and it was lovely to find outdoor seating still in the sun! A rare treat in Ponsonby.
I was able to order a drink from my seat, but I didn’t get the wine I ordered — a more expensive option plus a larger size — something I didn’t realise until the bill came! Still, it was enjoyable. Some of my friends ordered some of the pintxos from the bar — they looked ok but nothing special and not as appetising as the pintxos I sampled in San Sebastian — hence why I opted out of ordering. You pay according to the number of toothpicks leftover at the end of your visit.
I wouldn’t rush back but still a nice option to have in Ponsonby.