I have been learning Spanish and my tutor is from Peru. She does teach me the Vosotros pronoun but I've also started using an app just now. It has the option for Mexican and Spain Spanish. I was gonna choose Mexican but it is missing the Vosotros pronoun. Is there anything practically different that I would be missing out on/doing differently if I choose the Spain Spanish option?

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The linguistic difference between the Anglophone Caribbean countries (Jamaica,Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada etc) and the Spanish speaking Caribbean countries(DR,PR, Cuba) is something I find interesting.

On one hand you have the Spanish speaking Caribbean whose Spanish though faster is largely intelligible to fellow Spanish speakers and on the other hand you have the Anglophone Caribbean who speak Creole languages that are for the most part unintelligible to English speakers.

This fascinated me so I came here to ask this question.

Hi all

I’m craving a flan. Like in the reels we all see.

Any reccoemndarion please

Thanks

Hello all,

Just looking for feedback on upcoming trip to Spain over 3 weeks and suggestions on restaurants that I have overlooked or should reconsider. These are all locked in and was unfortunately unable to reserve El Cellar de Can Roca. We have a couple of days open for suggestions so keen to hear what everyone thinks.

COME*
Lasarte***
Martin Berastegui***
Akelare***
Azurmendi***
Smoked Room**
DiverXO***
Aponeinte***
Disfrutar***
Cocina Hermanos Torres***

Thank you all in advance! 🙏

Even amongst titans like Disfrutar and El Celler De Can Roca, Diverxo sat comfortably a step above in every regard.

In a similar sense to a restaurant like Alchemist, you see a constant "reformatting" of ingredients that appear slightly alien or presented in a way you've never seen before, but with flavor profiles that are comforting, nostalgic and represent fusion in a way that is both freeing and doing justice to a core dish and cuisine.

Textural contrasts are abound, multiple nations are often represented in a single dish and I particularly enjoyed the "dish within a dish" aspect to almost every course. There is a deep conscientiousness running through the menu to avoid even a semblance of redundance and a similar level of precision runs through the cooking. Every soft, tender chew of a protein to the glassy crunch of a parmesan whey emulsion cracker feels engineered to its limits.

More impressively than I've likely ever encountered elsewhere, Diverxo also captured broad use of exotic and native ingredients throughout the entire menu in a way that never felt compromised. Not only was a herbal pil pil kokotxa "pintxo" on a spoon the most delicious rendition of the ingredient we had in all of Spain, but it brought together Basque, Thai and Indian flavours in a single bite that still felt entirely natural.

Similarly a Japanese shaved ice ceviche dish reflected the humour underlying the restaurant, but the execution, bold flavours and simply how delicious it was is entirely serious.

While plating isn't as refined as a restaurant like Geranium or as those in the Nordics in general, stylistically they were by far the most impressive in Spain in terms of representing a style that is entirely their own. Even at the 3 star level there is a tendency to see the same plates, same cutlery, same visual structure to the plating, same green oil and foam etcetera, here they are pushing in an entirely separate direction that is far more interesting, and much more fun. Even as far as functionality goes, the giant horn was a surprisingly great way to drink soup, and the use of foam in a dessert was so effective it makes you wonder why chefs are still stuck in the 2000s using it purely for savory application.

It wasn't always the case in Spain even at the 3 star level, but the perfect English of staff was very much appreciated. The level of individuality of the service people and passion they had was also well beyond any other restaurant we visited. Particularly at the very highest level (Alchemist and Noma in my experience) the service staff are incredibly precise, but also showcase their unique personality and are memorable unto themselves. Absolutely the case here.

I went for the Danaux Plexippus pairing (link below for pics) at 900 Euros and it was well worth it, but in particular the sommeliers did an exceptional job at doing the wines justice by not overselling dreary details, they focused on core traits of the wine with their individual spin. The were knowledgeable, the choices were as impressive as you'd likely get anywhere on earth but they also kept it concise and fun. If you are considering making the splurge, I highly recommend it.

https://imgur.com/a/BsZRSe2

The distinct outfits between service people are also particularly memorable and make you feel like you're somewhere special. The layout of the restaurant with the curtains between tables worked similarly well, they may not have the natural beauty of a space such as that at Txispa or Noma, but they made the best of the space and seeing two hands dip between the curtains to lay down new glasses after each course was uniquely elegant. Also enjoyed the amusing detail of carpeted stairs made to appear visually like they were made of wood.

In terms of criticisms, if I had to truly nitpick I could say I'd have liked slightly more texture in the crab dish, or the rooster skin on the spoon of the baby eel chicken soup dish could have been a tad crispier. But these are few and far between and even these feel like a stretch.

The fact that the immediate response in my mind of what to criticize is that I would have liked more wine and more courses despite the fact that I was entirely full at the end of the meal regardless tells me that things are as close to perfect as is realistic.

If I'm the one voting for worlds best restaurant, no reservations in saying that I think Diverxo is almost certainly at the very top.

9.6

Being the primary restaurant our trip was planned around and with the still recent worlds best accolades, expectations were incredibly high going into this meal and although they were largely met, there are a variety of smaller issues that drag down the experience from pinnacle level to flawed but exceptional.

Off the bat, we were seated at the front of the restaurant along with a couple of other tables of two which lack the ambience or energy of the main dining room, and have a number of wine cabinets directly visible. The space leading into the main dining area broadly reminds me of a terrace house, a little crapped in a dim corridor that in my opinion, is far too compromising for a restaurant of this caliber.

During the welcome greeting they referenced artistic relevance of the fit-out choices, but in my personal opinion it ultimately isn't an impressive restaurant aesthetically. Enigma in comparison had a unique approach which while "kitsch", was far more functional, spacious, and emphasized an "energy" in the restaurant while still offering privacy with distance between tables in an open space.

The service while warm, lacked energy compared to other restaurants of this caliber and there was a noticeable English barrier that again, I feel like shouldn't be the case here. Trying to balance alcohol consumption between meals, I also feel the decision to not have a non-alcoholic pairing was a mistake, and they only offered 3 mocktails. Txispa, Diverxo and Enigma all had excellent non-alcoholic pairings (particularly Enigma) and it feels like a missed opportunity for a restaurant at this level to not put that creativity to work. Even El Celler offered to tailor a shortened pairing without alcohol despite it not being a listed option.

The by the glass list is an area that I feel restaurants are beginning to push limits (Diverxo in particular) with use of Coravin and get some exceptional bottles on offer, I didn't feel it was the case here. Very fair prices and the somm was reasonably helpful, but I wish there were more high level options. As other restaurants explore this area more aggressively, I think restaurants at this top level like Disfrutar should follow suit.

That's a lot to nitpick before we get to the food, and not surprisingly this is where the restaurant truly excels. The opening bite of the Classics menu such as the frozen passionfruit sorbet on a translucent crisp was an exceptional and refreshing start, the gin filled rose petal beautiful and equally delicious, and the highly regarded Chinese bread caviar ball despite its simplicity actually rose above expectations.

Even when a dish isn't quite to taste (the Hoisin and cucumber sorbet desert or Gazpacho sandwich for example) the dishes feel thoughtfully engineered and technique is never flashy for the sake of it.

Spherification being a consistent technique theme derived from El Bulli, and it never got old across multiple utilizations. The olive of the Pintxo dish was fun and delicious, the snaking pesto peas in the eel/jamon dish (one of the best dishes I've had anywhere period) produced unique and beautiful plating, and again it was just a joy to eat.

Again to nitpick, the quality of the highs emphasized weakness in the menu and I simply don't think the liquid salad and tomato polvoron live up to the rest of the menu. Nor the Hoisin dessert, and particularly throughout the meal itself and particularly during the desserts I was craving more freshness and acidity. A lot of richness upon richness and explosive flavors which could have been balanced better, particularly towards the end.

Similarly in terms of overall balance of savory to dessert courses the result just seemed off, could have done with another one at bare minimum.

Regardless, I could rattle off one incredible course after another for the most part and I appreciated that even the petit fours showed as much effort as the broader menu. Textural wonderland full of international flavors and components executed to the highest level imaginable. Even the serving table was particularly impressive and a great way to end the meal with a bang.

Overall, I would still love to go back and try the festival menu and its clear that the Disfrutar kitchen is amongst the best in the world. It might sound harsh and in their position they don't need my advice, but I think this restaurant deserves a better space and dining area than it is in now. The tables at the front of the restaurant are clearly worth 3 figures less than those in the main dining table, which at the 3 star level isn't acceptable in my opinion.

Somewhere here is a restaurant that deserves the title best in the world, but in reality what you get is exceptional but by no means perfect

8.9

For me, Spain has many jewels, but San Sebastián is the one that truly steals my heart. It’s the place where the rhythm of life feels just right, slow enough to savour, yet alive with a pulse you can’t resist. The people there are warm in that effortless, unforced way, greeting you like an old friend even if you’ve only just met. The culture is a beautiful tapestry of tradition and style, one moment you’re watching fishermen mend their nets by the harbour, the next you’re swept up in a lively Basque festival with drums, dance, and laughter echoing through the streets.

San Sebastián has always felt like that impossibly beautiful stranger at the bar, dressed in sunlight, smelling faintly of sea salt and fresh-baked bread, smiling like they know a secret you’ll never quite guess. Imagine waking up to mornings where the Atlantic flirts with the shore, afternoons of languid wine-sipping in pintxo bars, and evenings where the city glows gold against the water. It’s where food isn’t just eaten, it’s worshipped; where language rolls off tongues like music; and where life feels less like a race and more like a dance. Spain is the dream—but San Sebastián? That’s the romance.

And the food… oh, the food. This is where flavours become memories, pintxos so good they make you rethink your definition of “snack,” seafood that tastes like the ocean whispered its secrets to the chef, and wines that seem to stretch conversations into the small hours. For me, San Sebastián isn’t just the best place to be in Spain, it’s the place where I feel most alive.