Review: Txotx (2016) Authentic Basque Pintxos Bar in Oslo

Txotx is a newly opened pintxos bar in Oslo that tries to introduce the authentic Basque style of cooking and culture of eating. Located in the long, flat, yellow brick building in the backyard next to Schous bryggeri in-between Trondheimsveien and Thorvald Meyers gate – it is well hidden. A hint is to walk through the gates next to the Italian restaurant Trattoria Popolare, into the alley where you might have been before to visit Schouskjelleren Mikrobryggeri.

Head chef Mats Vaulen and restaurant manager Jessica Senning
Head chef Mats Vaulen and restaurant manager Jessica Senning

Txotxxx-what!?

To start with the question everyone will be asking themselves – how the hell do I pronounce the name Txotx? Apparently, it’s Cho-ch, if that makes any more sense. Try saying the first letters of the word chocolate twice. Something like that. Maybe the name is supposed to draw attention away from the already difficult word pintxos (you say pin-chos, by the way). Difficult to pronounce restaurant names have become some sort of trademark for Nevzat Arikan, who also holds a stake in Oslo restaurants like Arakataka, Happolati, and the former Ylajali.

Parts of the Team From Nedre Foss Gård

Apparently the restaurant group of Arikan have had this unique venue in their posession for a while. The Txotx pintxos bar project might have fast forwarded as a result of employees that were left without a job after the tragic fire at Nedre Foss Gård last year. At least you still find Mats Vaulen in the kitchen as head chef, and sommelier Jessica Senning as the restaurant manager.

The bar area
The bar area

What is a Pintxo?

A pintxo is like the less known little brother of the tapa. A pintxo is a mouthful, or maybe two bites, and each piece is served with a pintxo stick or skewer. These sticks serve two functions: holding the piece of food together and keeping track of your bill. Different looking sticks can signalize varying price levels. Traditional pintxos have ingredients from the Basque country: local ham and cheese, octopus, sardines, anchovies, olives, chilis, Iberico pork, tomatoes, and garlic.

Self-service in the cold section
Self-service in the cold section

The Authentic Basque-Style

In Basque country, pintxos are bar snacks, usually accompanied by wine, that are enjoyed while you socialize with friends and strangers. There’s a culture of bar hopping and eating a few pintxos at each stop, as well as drinking, and this is the kind of authenticity that the team at Txotx wants to replicate. I guess all Oslo needs now are more pintxos bars! There’s already one at Mathallen, but it’s not open in the evenings.

First Impressions on Opening Day

I never seem to be able to follow my own advice of not visiting a restaurant on the first day of opening. Unfortunately, this was the only chance I had of dropping by in a long while, due to travelling. My first impression was pretty good, though, if not I wouldn’t be sharing this experience. Restaurant manager Jessica introduced me quickly to the concept. There are three main categories to choose from: the cold section of premade pintxos, the warm selection made to order and raciones – bigger portions.

My selection of pintxos. Pepper with crab in the back
My selection of pintxos. Pepper with crab in the back

Flavors of the Basque Country

I picked three cold pintxos, one warm and one bigger plate. I asked Jessica for a wine recommendation and she let me taste both a white wine and a natural cider. I loved the latter in particular, which I found out is available at the Norwegian wine monopoly. My favorite bites were the cold, premade ones. A tender octopus with a Basque-style salsa, a red pepper filled with crab and topped with anchovies and a skewer with gildas chilis, olives, and anchovies.

Enter to the backyard through this gate next to Trattoria Popolare
Enter to the backyard through this gate next to Trattoria Popolare

The racione of bonito sofrito was authentic, although personally, I like tuna less cooked. The dominating flavors were of rich tomato juice and garlic, and crispy pork rinds added that crunch you want. My least favorite dish was the Croquetas de Iberico. The inside of pork and potatoes lacked flavor, in my opinion, and had a less appealing texture, while the coating was too thick and dry. Let’s put that on the account of first-day-of-opening area of improvement, though. I wanna go back and live like they do in Basque country again!

The bill
The bill

What is your best pintxos bar experience? Please share in a comment.

Anders Husa

Anders Husa and Kaitlin Orr are food & travel bloggers and creative content creators. From their base in Copenhagen, they operate the largest and most influential restaurant-focused travel blog in Scandinavia.

4 comments

  • Somebody needs to give the chef a little bit of salt, and those croquetas should be taken away from the menu ASAP. Those are simply not croquetas you should be serving anyone.. Apart from that, there are charming guys in the bar and a nice little selection of sidra and txakoli. But the food needs work, I found everything to be very anonymous. Even the patatas bravas sauce lacked spice. A trip to San Sebastian should do, Zabaleta for tortilla, Ganbara for mushrooms, Gandarias for risotto, and the rest of calle 31 de agosto for a bunch of fun!

    • Totally agree on the croquettas. I hoped they would have changed them or swapped them by now. I believe the guys have been to Basque Country for inspiration recently.

  • What is “basque sauce”? I have never heard of it. Surprising, as I happen to come from La Rioja. I asked my 90-years-old basque grandma: no idea either.
    And croquetas do not, I repeat, DO NOT have potato (!!!!)
    Another case of Scandinavians who went on holidays to Donosti and thought they could replicate the food.

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