"Kalimotxo is a Spanish restaurant at the bottom of the Arrive Hotel. If the name sounds familiar, that’s because it was Downtown for a few years before reopening on East Sixth Street—or because you’re familiar with the classic red wine-and-cola drink it's named after. Austin has about as many Spanish restaurants as it does mountains, which by default makes Kalimotxo one of the best options in the city for tapas and pintxos. Scarcity factor aside, this large restaurant from the team behind Hestia, Emmer & Rye, and Canje is a decent spot for catching up with a group, with food and drinks that are a modest step up from what you’d expect to find at a hotel bar. photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel photo credit: Richard Casteel The menu is made up of classic small bites—tortilla española, marinated anchovies, Iberian ham—plus a few larger plates if you want to turn snacks into dinner. None of it will blow you away, but it all does a serviceable job of scratching a pintxos itch for considerably less money than a plane ticket to San Sebastián. Ask nicely and they’ll even let you drink your wine from a porrón. Food Rundown photo credit: Richard Casteel Cocktails We weren’t fans of most of the cocktails we’ve had here, including the namesake kalimotxo or the tinto de verano, which both had wine-to-soda ratios that were too heavy on the soda. There’s a good selection of sherry if you were transported here from a Hemingway novel, but we’d recommend sticking to the solid list of Spanish wines. photo credit: Richard Casteel Gildas Most of the pintxos are single-bite-sized, including these little skewers of anchovy, guindilla pepper, and olive. They're a nice way to start the meal. photo credit: Richard Casteel Mushroom And Quail Egg Tosta Our favorite of the pintxos. The mushrooms are cooked well, and the quail egg adds a bit of creaminess. photo credit: Richard Casteel Spanish Ham Plate Iberian ham is expensive by nature, but $21 for eight translucent slices still hurts. The quality is excellent though. photo credit: Richard Casteel Tuna Crudo This is a tasty plate, with a good amount of tuna served over a refreshing gazpacho sauce. Get one of these to share with the table. photo credit: Richard Casteel Boquerones En Vinagre These marinated anchovies are exactly what they sound like, but the vinegar overpowers the fish. photo credit: Richard Casteel Pork Milanese This dish has a little tableside flourish, with a soft egg and capers that get spread across the plate. It’s pretty to look at, but the meat is a bit dry and underseasoned. photo credit: Richard Casteel Salt Roasted Carabinero Prawns The Carabinero prawns are some of the biggest we’ve ever seen, and the smoked paprika butter is an excellent sauce for them. Get an order to share (or hog them for yourself)." - Nicolai McCrary
