Pintxos and tapas - is there a difference?

Hypothesis - There is no difference.

Experiment - Eat lots of both

Conclusion - There is a difference

Pintxos (pronounced pin-choss) are little tapas-like morsels of deliciousness, typically served on slices of lightly toasted baguette, sometimes flavoured with garlic oil or smashed tomatoes, and held together with a little stick. Pintxos bars line every Basque street where trays and trays of the stuff overfloweth with hot, cold, sweet and savoury sticks of goodness. No two bars are alike, and you quickly pick favourites.

Not that its a competition, but in my humble opinion, pintxos shit all over tapas for the following reasons:

1. The solid foundations of baguette slice and stick means that you can keep layering good stuff over good stuff. Por ejemplo, baked mushroom and soft, ricotta-like cheese, wrapped in bacon, and topped with a zucchini fritter.
2. If you're a purest, you can still have simple stuff, only its on a stick. Slices of oven roasted chorizo. A slice of jamon iberico on baguette. Cod croquettes. Or my particular favourite, grilled asparagus wrapped in bacon.
3. Because you buy per piece, you can eat as much or as little as you like. Perfect for snackers and over-eaters alike. And since you choose your own sticks, you're not forced to eat or pay for food other people have chosen.
4. Given there is no menu, the pintxos on offer every day varies so that only the freshest, seasonal ingredients are used.