New Delhi, Nov. 13 -- a single salt-cured anchovy, a pickled olive, and a bright green chili, all threaded onto a toothpick. But this tiny, briny powerhouse is the perfect opening act to the San Sebastian experience. It's a rush of salt, acid and spice. As I take a bite, I realise the rules of eating in this Spanish coastal town are different. The only way to truly experience it is to dive into the frantic, elbow-to-elbow chaos of the pintxo crawl (locally called txikiteo).

Pintxos (pronounced peen-chose) are small bites, usually served on a piece of bread and secured with a toothpick. So, is it similar to a tapa? Not really. While a tapa is often a complimentary side dish meant to stretch your drinking time, the pintxo is a sophisticate...