Arroz Negro con Bacalao

Tonight I went to a Spanish restaurant with another postdoc visiting Bilbao. This place had been recommended to me by a friend who had visited here to do some work at the Guggenheim at one point. It was a delicious meal with a relatively inexpensive but decent Rioja. I was going to order a paella but the waitress suggested this arroz negro, and I am extremely glad I listened to her. The flavors, spices and textures were all perfect. As a perfect cap to the evening, we tried the apple tart and the cheese tart, both of which are totally local ingredients and absolutely delicious. In some sense it reminded me of how much I used to love going out to eat. I mean, I do like German food. It is largely rather hearty, nutricious and filling, and I do always enjoy a good beer. However, sometimes a nice local wine blends perfectly with subtle spices, bold flavors and interesting textures to stimulate the taste buds, then a slightly sweet and well-paired local dessert coats your mouth, cleanses your palate and leaves you fondly recalling the meal for hours to come. This dinner did all that.