ChangBang Posted July 28, 2023 Share Posted July 28, 2023 Prepping for my August trip where I'm going to San Sebastian, Playa del Ingles, and Frankfurt and wanted to see what everyone recommends! Seems like San Sebastian is loved here so in searching the past history and google, 31 de Agosto shop and Estanco Cava Nava Cigars & Pipes Specialist seems to be the popular recommendations for cigars. Any other shops or lounges I should stop by? Already have Amelia and Akelarre booked for dinner for 2/4 nights with the rest of the nights dedicated to pintxos? Any other places I should eat at? In Playa del Ingles seems like tobacco is relatively frowned upon and I'm struggling to find places to smoke - seems like restaurants, bars, beaches, and where you're around other people isn't allowed? Frankfurt seems to have a bunch of shops that I can go to including some lounges. Anyone have any recommendations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perla Posted July 28, 2023 Share Posted July 28, 2023 Absolutely must is a sundowner in the hotel Mercure. Top of the mountain. Big view. Smoking not allowed 😣. try as much Pinxtos bar as you can see. Frankfurt. Favourite drink is Äppelwoi, that’s Cidre. this is the oldest house in town https://www.zumgemaltenhaus.de and you can smoke outside. Food is very hearty and down to earth 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChangBang Posted July 28, 2023 Author Share Posted July 28, 2023 Any pinxtos bars youd recommend? Right now i have bar Nestor, bar sport, La Cuchara de San Telmo, gandrias, borda berri, and paco Buena starred Nice! My impression is Germany is kinda as accepting as London, Italy, and Switzerland for cigars! Only been to Munich for oktoberfest so will be cool to check it out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perla Posted July 28, 2023 Share Posted July 28, 2023 Never had made a bad choice with Pinxtos bars. you usually don’t stay long there. Have a wine (Taxitolt) and a Pinxtos or two and crawl to the next. If you observe the scenery you will see it. Go where the Basques are going. Some of the Pinxtos are an art of itself. Nice presentation. Good food. frankfurt is not a big city. A lot of commuter, in the evening it’s very quite. the museum’s are very nice. If you want a coffee break I would recommend the cafe at the Liebig Museum. When you sit outside, it’s lovely but selfservice. https://www.liebieghaus.de/de/cafe the restaurant of the Metzler museum is very very good. http://emmametzler.de or when you are brav enough. Try out SettoBello close to the trainstation, surrounded by crackheads and drug addicted but worth it. Ask for the menu of the day. It’s a little scribbled notice block. When you order your espresso, be prepared to get kicked out. It’s not mean, the place is busy like hell. So they ask you if you like your espresso/cafe. If you denied pack your belongings and go. You pay at the desk at the front. don’t miss the Mercedes Reyes Bar They roll cigars, you can smoke and have a few drinks https://www.mercedesreyes-bar.de vist Tabakhaus Büttner probably not much in stock as all the shops have problems with the supply. website is not state of the art https://www.tabakhaus-buettner.de 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Hoze Posted July 28, 2023 Share Posted July 28, 2023 I’ll offer two picks on San Sebastian, I could go on forever: The morcilla at Cuchara de San Telmo is possibly the best thing I have ever eaten. I do not see it written up as often as it should. Even if you do not like morcilla just eat it. It is worth flying around the world for! About 40 min outside of town is a restaurant called Elkano that specializes in turbot. May be difficult to get in as I now see if on many of the “top restaurants” lists but even for lunch it is worth it. Probably my favorite restaurant in the area, which is saying something! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perla Posted July 29, 2023 Share Posted July 29, 2023 Don’t miss out to have a coffee at Hotel Londres. The overview over the Concha is wonderful and you pass by Sancho Panzo statute and of course Don Quixote. Elkano is great. If you go to Getaria, visit the harbour. Getaria is non for the white tuna. You can buy it in tins. Something for your wife the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChangBang Posted July 30, 2023 Author Share Posted July 30, 2023 True I guess if the pintxos bar I go to isn't great then I can move on. My worry is that the "specials" chalkboard I've been seeing are only in Spanish - I can't read/speak Spanish and def don't know basque lol. Hope I can just ask the server whats good then go based on that. Huge fan of blood sausage so if I see it, I'll get it! I'll check out if Cuchara de San Telmo is offering it when I go. I won't have a car so it'll be tough for me to visit somewhere that far away, but I'll keep it in my mind if I get bored and decide to take a day trip. I'm only in Frankfurt for 2 days and was more of a flight decision vs me actually wanting to go to Frankfurt haha. Is Settobello a pizza place? Can't find anything on google regarding it? That Mercedes bar sounds cool! In general, cigars should be cheaper in San Sebastian vs Frankfurt right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perla Posted July 30, 2023 Share Posted July 30, 2023 Just to confirm I do not speak Spanish either. just point out what you are fancy. blood sausage or black pudding you will see quite often. Good for you 👍🏽 Settebello you can find on Instagram. it’s a classical Pizza & Pasta Place in second generation. Nothing fancy. Try the tagliatta it’s beef strips with rosemary and green peppercorn. I would walk for this around the globe. see pink circle in the pic below please be aware you will see drug addicted people. That does not mean that the rest is dirty or ugly or dangerous. They get their drugs in the methadone programme close by, so that they do not have to become criminals/ prostitutes. in the middle you see the tagliatta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChangBang Posted July 30, 2023 Author Share Posted July 30, 2023 Thanks! Looking forward to all the food! Ahhh yep that's what I saw when I googled Settebello frankfurt, I'll have to check it out. Oh yea I'm used to seeing homeless/drug addicts as they're everywhere in the city I live in. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChangBang Posted August 8, 2023 Author Share Posted August 8, 2023 Well first day here, 13hrs and 3 different planes but I'm here! Same thing can't be said about my luggage though 🥲 No cigar shop today, just grocery shopping and stuff I need tonight that's in my checked bag. Did go to a nice dinner though! 1.2kg steak, tomatoes, and peppers was a good prepped meal @ La Txuleteria! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ChangBang Posted August 9, 2023 Author Popular Post Share Posted August 9, 2023 Went to the cigar shop today. Others to check out so I just got a lgc for a post meal smoke. Got Tortilla and steak at bar nestor. In line for the Tortilla, saw a guy smoking a Monte edmundo in line so chatted with them. Ended up eating together with their party and having drinks! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChangBang Posted August 9, 2023 Author Share Posted August 9, 2023 Beach time with a brc! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChangBang Posted August 11, 2023 Author Share Posted August 11, 2023 Haul. Punch DC is kinda in rough shape, but shop guy said it's over 20yrs old and so is the unbanded hdm des dieux! There were a few left of the dieux, wonder if I should go back and get the rest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted August 11, 2023 Share Posted August 11, 2023 5 hours ago, ChangBang said: Haul. Punch DC is kinda in rough shape, but shop guy said it's over 20yrs old and so is the unbanded hdm des dieux! There were a few left of the dieux, wonder if I should go back and get the rest If you're there a little longer, smoke one of the HdM des Dieux to see if it is 'on-point', or smoking like what you'd expect. If it passes that test, I'd say go back and buy up what you can. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perla Posted August 12, 2023 Share Posted August 12, 2023 It’s probably a 2003 HdM Dieux. I would buy it blind, just testing if there are no knots in the cigar(s). That’s it. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChangBang Posted August 12, 2023 Author Share Posted August 12, 2023 Left earlier today. Was thinking about it but read some reviews on its flavor profile and seems like I can replicate it, mostly unique due to the shape? Hope I don't end up regretting it haha. Gran Canaria tomorrow! See nothing about cigars down there so hopefully I find a hidden stash! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChangBang Posted August 19, 2023 Author Share Posted August 19, 2023 Gran canaria was bare as I assumed. Picked up their local cigar that was 1 euro, which I'll smoke when I get back home. Don't have high hopes for it lol In Frankfurt now. Stopped by vabajo cigar lounge and they didn't have much stock, so many bare shelves. Still worth a visit if you're in town though, they had lusis at 27 euro which was the same as in Spain. At Mercedes reyes right now smoking a custom. They had some pre-made cigars, but I like the corona Gorda size the most so I requested it plus I got to watch them roll it which ive never seen before. It's at least a Churchill length and they said they're usually generous 😅 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuroDiario Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 Just came to 31 de Agosto to see if the fed dieux were here. They said they never had them, did you pick them up at Nava? there were 4 boxes of Novedosos at $5k each. What a world we live in…is there a profit to be made on those should I bring them back? LoL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChangBang Posted August 21, 2023 Author Share Posted August 21, 2023 Oh yea they were at cava Nava. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PuroDiario Posted August 23, 2023 Share Posted August 23, 2023 On 8/21/2023 at 4:05 PM, ChangBang said: Oh yea they were at cava Nava. the owner of Cava Nava and his son have an hilarious youtube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@CigarSpecialist Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChangBang Posted August 28, 2023 Author Share Posted August 28, 2023 Did you end up picking up the rest? Yea he was nice guy, minimal english but nice. But yea recapping my trip. Great cigar selection in San Sebastian at 31 de Agosto and Cava Nava with Cava being the better one. Gran Canaria was bare. Frankfurt had some but not much. Frankfurt duty free did have some more stock but I'm not sure about buying duty-free stuff that isn't allowed? Seems like duty-free would communicate with customs? Took everyone's recommendations and tried to visit everywhere I was recommended! My pics were too big I guess so couldn't put em here. @El Hoze - that blood sausage was delicious and by far the best I had in my trip (korean blood sausage is still the best for me). I wouldn't have ordered it without your tip! The random apple-y sauce I wasnt a fan of plus it wasnt a pinxtos portion so I would've passed on it. @Perla - Whoa those beef strips at SetteBello were so good! I found I'm not a fan of apple cider, was too fermented and kombucha like for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perla Posted August 28, 2023 Share Posted August 28, 2023 Glad you like Settebello. The beef strips are unbeatable. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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