In Bilbao's old town you will be certainly be spoiled is places to eat. Apart from the many pintxos bars, there are dozens of restaurant ranging from the simple to the sophisticated. However, most are excellent value and prices are lower than Madrid or the Costas and tourist areas of southern Spain. Bilbao has a reputation as one of the gastronomic meccas of Spain and rightly so - standards of cuisine are high even in modest restaurants. As you might expect for a port on the Bay of Biscay, fish features highly on most menus. My favourite is 'bacalao al pil pil' - cod served in a small dish, sizzling in a garlic, pepper and olive oil sauce. Although a Basque recipe, you may have come across 'gambas a pil pil' on the Mediterranean - prawns done in the same way. Another recommendation often seen is 'calamares en su tinta' - squid cooked in its own ink or 'arroz negro' - black rice, a sort of risotto also cooked in ink. Most who are prepared to try it are pleasantly surprised that it is nothing like as bad as it sounds (or looks) but it can be a bit rich and a small amount can go a long way, so share a portion!