There are certain places that I visit that feel like I am entering into someones painting. The artist took their time carefully selecting the canvas. They carefully selected the brushes and the paints and the strokes they would use and the picture they would create. Some art can feel manufactured while some can feel as if it were birthed. Pintxo in Canandaigua feels as if it were birthed.
The first thing I notice is the bar. A thick and tall and masculine bar. Straight lines and warm tones. Wooden bar seats with bright yellow metal parts welcoming you to sit and drink and eat.
A record player and records on the wall. Pintxo is B.Y.O.V. Bring your own vinyl.
The wood. The bar seats. The colors. Even the B.Y.O.V. sign feels intentional. Brush strokes and paint carefully selected.
To the left of the entrance and in front of a beautiful large window sits a table designed for special dinners. Dinners that are by invitation only and where the proprietor, Julian sits at one end and his guest of honor the opposite. I hear Julian tell our group about these special evenings and I hope I get to be his guest one day.
We are ushered into the back room. The building once housed a law office and the back room, I believe was the former occupants private office. The shelves that once held law books now holds a plethora of wine. The light in this room is dim and softer than the front room. Just as welcoming and perfect for time spent with someone you deeply care about.
We are given early access to Pintxo and special attention from Julian. A unique seven course experience of delicious bites and accompanying wines. What I so enjoyed about my time at Pintxo was that each course and dish and wine were accompanied with a story from Julian. A story of the wine, the vineyard, the winemaker, the grapes, or of his travels and experiences abroad. So the bite was not just the flavor but it was his story. I could close my eyes and see Julian finding his number one favorite anchovy and bringing it to the Pintxo menu. The Pan con Tomate was not just a bite of house bread with tomato, olive oil, and flaky salt. It was an image of Julian painstakingly selecting what he feels is the best tomato for the dish. The goat cheese toasta was not just a bite of whipped goat cheese with caramelized onion on toasted bread. It was a scene from the kitchen where Julian carefully selected the balance of cheeses to accompany the sweetness from the caramelized onion and avoid the harshness and overpowering flavors from a singular goat cheese.
The Gilda with pickled Basque peppers, olive, and anchovy. A wonderful way to ignite your taste buds for the following show. The salt, the brine, the vinegar from the pepper. This was a balanced bite and one I’ll remember because of the story he gave of him finding the anchovy.
The Sobrasada Iberica with its balance of smokey chorizo and sweet honey spread on warm bread. I could take a bite and imagine Julian discovering the flavors himself before introducing them to his menu.
As I look back on my memory of Pintxo I think I was not in Julians painting anymore but maybe I was in his journal. In his memories. I was with him as he traveled and tasted. I was with him in the kitchen as he selected the flavors and paired the wines. I was with him as he thought, as he felt, as he tasted, and as he chose.
I have more than a few, but not an over indulgence of fond memories of dining experiences in my life. There is the one walking down main street in Lake Placid in late autumn on my way up to Purple Sage and having the smoked trout and the Cassoulet. Alone at the time but content.
There was the late summer evening at Frank near the East Village having their “Uncle Tony’s Gnocchi” with someone I cared for deeply.
There are more fond memories and among them now is this visit to Pintxo in the winter of ’26. Memories I will keep with me for some time.
Certain restaurants and chefs have my complete trust. In these places and with these people I defer my drinks and food choices to them. “Whatever you think I should have is what I would prefer” is something I say when I am at these establishments. Pintxo is a place where I would do the same. I don’t want to choose, I want to experience whatever they have in store for me.
So, if you are looking for a trip through Julians memories, his travels, and his tastes then I highly suggest a visit to Pintxo.
Sit across from someone you love, stare into each others eyes, and enjoy what will be a memorable evening filled with delicious bites and wonderful wines.
One more thing before you go…as my gift to someone wanting to visit Pintxo soon, there is a $400 gift card waiting at Pintxo under “Eat Local New York”. Go in person and ask for it and it will be yours. This is to the first person to go after reading this blog. Once it’s been claimed, I will update the blog here. If you’re one of the next 24 to arrive after the gift card has been claimed, you can still get a glass of their happy hour wine on the house and compliments of Julian.
