JLK Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Two friends and I went for food and drink after a 7ish showing of Volver nearby. Spanish movie, Spanish food. The movie was far more enjoyable. With each visit to Jaleo, I become progressively disheartened. I'm very close to saying "no mas." Individually, few dishes I have had there are "bad" per se, but many recent meals there have been so mediocre that when coupled with service that ranges from indifferent to surly, I just don't need to go back. We sat at one of the bar-area tables because while the place was NOT packed, it looked like our party of three might have a wait for a regular table. The downside to sitting near the bar is that your server is the bar staff (and our barman seemed really, really put off having to take care of us) and if there's any sort of rush at the bar, prepare to be jostled by your fellow patrons. We ordered anchovies with roasted red peppers, octopus, asparagus, potatoes with cabrales, dates wrapped in bacon and fried, chorizo with garlic mashed potatoes, half a carafe of red sangria and several glasses of wine. Interestingly enough, the waiter/bartender carded me, and only me. That was awkward. I'm 33 and surely do not appear to be underage. The food ranged from tasty to OK to inedible. We ordered asparagus, even though it's not in season, because we really wanted something green, and it was very good. My friends really liked the anchovies, but left the "rubbery" octopus nearly untouched. I had plan to try one or both dishes as a part of my expand-your-horizons-damn-it! campaign, but the anchovy portion was rather small (didn't want my waste a bite of something my friends really enjoyed) and I was frightened by my friends' reaction to the octopus. Potatoes with blue cheese is hard to mess up in my book. Were they crisply fried potatoes? Err, no. But we ate every one of them and sopped up the remaining cheese sauce with bread. The chorizo has changed--last night the nuggets of sausage were probably twice the length they used to serve and strangely lacking in any spice. The garlic mashed potatoes were starchy and we didn't finish them. The dates we finished off, but not because they were so spectacular. We all love dates and love bacon so it's a combo that's tough to pass up, however the breading tasted stale. As for the service, it was thisclose to sucking. After more than ten minutes of sitting ungreeted with menus, he finally came by after we snagged a member of the floor staff to confirm that our table had table service. We were ready to order not just drinks, but also food by that point, however he wasn't ready to take said order. We had to ask the same server three times for water and it finally arrived when our first dishes came. He left empty plates stack up on our small bar table until we called him over and asked him to help us make room. None of the desserts appealed to us at the moment so we ordered up another round of drinks. The bill was just under $40 pp. It's sad to see a place I used to adore fall off this much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Ox Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Two friends and I went for food and drink after a 7ish showing of Volver nearby. Spanish movie, Spanish food. The movie was far more enjoyable. With each visit to Jaleo, I become progressively disheartened. I'm very close to saying "no mas." Individually, few dishes I have had there are "bad" per se, but many recent meals there have been so mediocre that when coupled with service that ranges from indifferent to surly, I just don't need to go back. Not that it matters all that much, but which location were you at? I've found that the DC one often fares better than MD or VA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLK Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Not that it matters all that much, but which location were you at? I've found that the DC one often fares better than MD or VA.We were at the downtown DC location which is the one I've dined at most times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Riley Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Just an F.Y.I. to anyone who enjoys the wines at Jaleo "Downtown" (480 7th Street, NW) my friend Brian Cook is the new wine manager there. Unless I'm wrong, he just started there today. A trained sommelier, Brian will bring a ton of enthusiasm and interest to the job. I'm sure the wines there are perfectly adequate at the moment, but I'm certain that Brian will "ramp them up" to even newer heights of fun and enjoyment. Brian is registered here, and I hope that he posts about the fun things that they will be doing there. If you happen to stop by, give him a big DR.com "Hello!" He'll be happy to see you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookluvingbabe Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 I wish I had read this thread before I decided to have a lunch at the Bethesda location today. Absolutely nothing was good--the service was indifferent; my water glass was empty for 10 + minutes while my rice, mushroom, cheese glop congealed into an even more unappetizing mess, and the rest of the food wasn't much better. I just wanted something simple and tasty....There have to be better choices for a late lunch in Bethesda.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porcupine Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 There have to be better choices for a late lunch in Bethesda.... Bowl of soup at Raku? Last I checked, they serve lunch until 3pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Horoscope Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 Still thinking about going to the Bethesda location this Thursday for Restaurant Week. Gazpacho, your choice from the cold, seasonal, and hot plates, and dessert. Somebody tell me how good it can be, please! The latest reviews here are a bit discouraging! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MC Horoscope Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 We really enjoyed our Restaurant Week outing there on Thursday night! Pickled vegetables, bread and olive oil, and gazpacho were quickly delivered. My wife's three dishes were Apple and Manchego cheese salad, Boneless rib of pork with slow cooked piquillo peppers, and chicken and ham fritters. For dessert she had a hazelnut torte. My dishes were Shredded salt cod fish with tomato, black olives and mixed greens; Sweet peppers stuffed with goat cheese and mushrooms; and Slow cooked piquillo pepper stew. For dessert I had flan with orange slices and an after dinner drink. Not bad for the price! The only extra was for the Spanish beer I had. Everything was good but the winners were the pork ribs, the salt codfish, the pepper stew (which was a bit oily but very sweet!), and the desserts. I am not usually a hazelnut fan, but that dessert was delicious. They must have seen us coming -- service was very friendly and efficient. I think the second dish came out while I was still eating the first, but I didn't mind since that night we really didn't want to linger. We'll definitely return! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrescentFresh Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 I've said before that the lunch sandwiches at the downtown Jaleo are a great and delicious deal. This week I enjoyed a bocata de calamares como lo hacen en Madrid (Madrid-style fried squid sandwich with alioli and caramelized onions). The squid is great. Meaty and tender. The batter is crisp and not oily. Served on a toasted roll. This is just a great sandwich at only $7.95. Comes with a side dish of your choice. I always go for the Spanish potato salad. Not just potato, but also peas, big chunks of hard boiled egg, and roasted red peppers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweaked Posted March 20, 2007 Share Posted March 20, 2007 I posted this over on the News and Media section, but since there is probably going to be great interest...and there is a Jaleo viewing party component...etc. etc. Wash Post is reporting that Jose Andres Iron Chef battle will air April 1. Apparently taking on Bobby Flay. Jose will be hosting a charity viewing party at the Crystal City Jaleo. http://blog.washingtonpost.com/goingoutgur...ndres.html#more Don: feel free to move this where ever. I know there has been past mention of this but couldn't find the thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcanuck Posted March 21, 2007 Share Posted March 21, 2007 I posted this over on the News and Media section, but since there is probably going to be great interest...and there is a Jaleo viewing party component...etc. etc.Wash Post is reporting that Jose Andres Iron Chef battle will air April 1. Apparently taking on Bobby Flay. Jose will be hosting a charity viewing party at the Crystal City Jaleo. http://blog.washingtonpost.com/goingoutgur...ndres.html#more Don: feel free to move this where ever. I know there has been past mention of this but couldn't find the thread. The above link didn't work for me but this one should be OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrescentFresh Posted March 22, 2007 Share Posted March 22, 2007 I've said before that the lunch sandwiches at the downtown Jaleo are a great and delicious deal. This week I enjoyed a bocata de calamares como lo hacen en Madrid (Madrid-style fried squid sandwich with alioli and caramelized onions). The squid is great. Meaty and tender. The batter is crisp and not oily. Served on a toasted roll. This is just a great sandwich at only $7.95. Comes with a side dish of your choice. I always go for the Spanish potato salad. Not just potato, but also peas, big chunks of hard boiled egg, and roasted red peppers. I had this again last week. A little oily this time, but damn this is a great sandwich. If you ever feel you want a little taste of Madrid, find a seat at Jaleo for lunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acevedo81 Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 Dudes,Could everyone sign in today and post about their most recent restaurant experience? I'm curious to see where people here have been dining. Hell, post on the McDonald's thread if you want to (I admit it - I went there once last week myself). Cheers! Rocks. I went to Jaleo in Bethesda on Saturday night and it was not good at all unfortunately. It seems as though they have tweaked some recipees for the bad. I ordered: pulpo a la gallega - octopus was hard and bland (this dish is always hit or miss). Patatas cabrales - They went cheap on this one and now they dont serve cabrales cheese over the potatoes, just the sauce Chipirones en tinta - it was fine, its been better before Setas al ajillo - I can't believe how bad this was, it tasted of lemon and very strong thyme flavor. This dish used to be good, now its soaked in lemon juice, whole soggy stems and leaves of parsley, thyme and bay leaf. A little too much here for what used to be a good dish Mejillones en escabeche - another dissapointment, the sauce was not escabeche it was a grated tomato sauce. Other than the food, service was great and drinks were good. But I'm sad to say that Jaleo is definately out of my list of go to (cant go wrong) restaurants. Maybe it was a bad day in the kitchen but i doubt it, my issue had more to do with the recipee than the cooking involved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 We had a perfectly fine lunch at the DC Jaleo today. Standouts were bacalao fritters with aioili, beet salad with Cabrales, and the rosemary sorbet. The kids chowed on chorizo with mashed potatoes, calamari with aioli, and the apple and manchego salad. We sat outside drinking rose and watching all the poor suckers streaming in to Austin Grill next door - I wanted to trip them and make them sit down and expand their horizons, not just their waistlines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdcbrucefan Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Had lunch at Jaleo today. As always, the patatas bravas are such a treat, as always. Special of figs wrapped in serrano ham was tasty, although the vinegrette didn't quite work, in my estimation. The dessert of chocolate torte with candied nuts was quite large, filling, smooth and addicting. And, after traveling in Sevilla last year, I love to have a cortado after my meal. I have never seen it anywhere else in the US, except Jose Andres' establishments. It brings me back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura24601 Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 My heart, she is broken. I am wallowing in a pit of despair. Break-ups are awful, but when you throw the spectre of "deployment" in there, it just gets brutal. A beacon of hope? "Splitting" (my 70 to my friend's 30) a bottle of Cristalino Rose Cava; patatas bravas that happily came out very crispy and golden; croquetas de pollo that had a crunchy exterior and a creamy, satisfying interior; rich and hot chorizo on mashed potatoes, which I would like to say reminded me of home, because they are that comforting and wonderful, except I grew up not knowing what chorizo was, so thank you, revisionist history; and tender grilled beef loin with roasted green pepper and Cabrales sauce. It is my best practice to skip dessert at the Crystal City Jaelo, as the overall impression of that course at that locaiton is "dry," so later on, I continued to marinate in tears and Ben and Jerry's S'Mores. After a few days of not being able to bring myself to eat, this was a spectacularly good meal. Jaleo is always there, like an old friend. An old friend who occasionally confuses my order or forgets to refill my water, but a friend nonetheless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted October 25, 2007 Share Posted October 25, 2007 My heart, she is broken. I am wallowing in a pit of despair.I hope it heals quickly. I stopped in for a quick lunch today after viewing the Hopper exhibit. I had wanted to try Oyamel, but was in a mood to huddle in a corner, and the bar there is much too exposed. Bocata de pollo Menorquino (fried chicken breast stuffed with Mahon cheese and sobrasada) mostly hit the spot, with surprisingly good tomatoes and some kind of addictive, garlicky green sauce to make up for the slightly overdone chicken. The "Spanish Potato Salad" was fab, though, as was the service. Total, plus tax, for the sandwich and fresh limeade: $13 and change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captcourt Posted October 25, 2007 Share Posted October 25, 2007 My heart, she is broken. I am wallowing in a pit of despair. Laura, best wishes for getting out of the pit soon. Hang in there. My +1 and I went to the Crystal City location on Sunday night with a friend. I won't go into the entire meal, but the date and bacon fritters were absolutely spectacular, at least to my taste - crunchy and salty on the outside, sweet and nearly creamy-soft on the inside. We ended up ordering another plate, which came out exactly the same. The shrimp with garlic came with plenty of yummy golden garlic slivers. One plate that was just okay was the piece of monkfish. Cooked fine, just not terribly exciting, and I can't even remember what the sauce was... The cava sangria was tasty as always. An abomination of sangria, perhaps, but the Licor 43 in there is really nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Pressley Posted October 25, 2007 Share Posted October 25, 2007 the date and bacon fritters were absolutely spectacular Agreed. Simply prepared dishes are often the most memorable! When I go to Jaleo, this gets ordered every single time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Demvtr Posted October 26, 2007 Share Posted October 26, 2007 My girlfriend and I ate dinner at the Crystal City Jaleo last night (10/25). I hadn't been to Jaleo in, literally, years (and therefore had not been to the Crystal City location), but it is back on my restaurant radar with a vengeance. We started by sharing the "classic" gazpacho and the "traditional white" gazpacho. The classic gazpacho was, as advertised, a straightforward take on the simple cold soup, and it conveyed a fresh, rich flavor, given body by olive oil. While the classic gazpacho was all we hoped for, the white gazpacho was nothing less than sensational. The bowl landed on my side of the table, but my girlfriend, after her first taste, was not shy about spooning out her share of the soup. The clear bowl set on the table showcases a layer of slivered almonds, white grapes, and crab meat, over which the thick, white soup is poured by a server. The soup, tasting of almonds and subtle sweetness, manages to be both creamy and light, and the crab, slivered almonds, and grapes give each savored spoonful a wonderful texture. I believe I used the word "fantastic" twice while eating the dish. A small plate of grilled asparagus in almond-tomato sauce was perfectly good, though the plate (and our stomachs) probably had room for more asparagus than is served. The patatas bravas, a reflexive order, were firing on all cylinders; hot, smothered in tomato sauce and garlic aioli, brown on the edges, and tender inside. Chicken croquettes were another fried indulgence, the chicken softened and made lush with béchamel sauce and encased in a crisp crust. The chicken croquettes were well-served by a side of requested honey aioli, a sauce that is on its way to becoming one of my favorite condiments. The bread was a yawn, but the coffee was a full-flavored pleasure, and the service, food delivery, and payment process were prompt, which was appreciated, as we were trying to get to a movie. Next time, however, we have every incentive to linger over a few more dishes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 We stopped by for snacks after the Shakespeare Theatre matinee, and ordered the butter nut squash soup, mushroom and serrano croquetas, spinach with pine nuts and raisins, patatas bravas, chorizo with garlic mash, and chanterelles with cabrales sauce. Everything was on target but the chanterelles, which seemed to be missing the cabrales, and the snooze-inducing soup. Desserts were the same old - I wish they would shake that menu up a little. Jaleo has the weakest desserts of all of Andres' restaurants. ETA: The sangria is much too sweet. I'll stick to tinto the next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomA Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 The Crystal City Jaleo had been excellent on are three last visits...the new manager has instilled the staff with a higher degree of quality control...highlights from those visits have been the grilled squid with green olive puree (one of the best calamari dishes in the DC area IMHO), the Basque crab stew, the grilled chicken with green/garlic sauce and the white gazpacho with crab. All of the standards (like the fritters and patatos bravos) have been fresher tasting and more carefully presented than in the past. Sietsma's third star is, at least for now, earned at this location. Also a nice Saturday lunch at Bebo, which offered its full menu for the marathon weekend...great whole spaghetti with rapini, garlic and hot pepper and a nice marinara pizza with eggplant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lperry Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 We went to the DC Jaleo last night with some out of town guests who are staying at L'Enfant. The patatas bravas were spot on, hot, delicious, and crispy, and my favorite of the evening was the roasted golden beet salad with walnuts and blue cheese that is on the specials menu right now. Also ordered and complimented: chorizo with mashed potatoes (although the sausage eaters liked the one with beans better), the fried shark, skirt steak with piquillo confit, garlic mushrooms, cod fritters, spinach with pine nuts, scallops, calamari, garlic shrimp, and apples with manchego. A couple of tortillas made the rounds, but I didn't have any and I don't remember any comments. The chickpea-spinach stew and asparagus with romesco were OK. The bread was, well, bread. A couple of people had wine and we ordered two pitchers of sangria that were pretty good - not as sweet as they have been in the past. I like Jaleo for groups like this (four locals, two out-of-towners, two are vegetarians, one is a fish-a-tarian, one is lactose-intolerant - you get the picture) because if you don't like a dish, it's not a big issue, just pass it on and grab the next one or order something else. They were fairly busy for a Monday, and our service was very good. We've never been to a branch other than downtown, and, as usual, we were happy and will be back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcandohio Posted January 22, 2008 Share Posted January 22, 2008 My last visit to Jaleo was pretty poor. Maybe it was a bad choice for New Year's Day, but the signs posted at Zaytinya said "Visit Jaleo!" and we did. The server was brusque. The chick pea stew (sorry if I can't remember the offical name), which I have loved in the past, was flat. The tortilla espanola (potato omelette), which I had pronounced as "delicious" on a previous visit was undercooked and leaky. Even the Sangria tasted tired - as if it had been made hours before. I left feeling let down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monsterriffs Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Wasn't there a whole lot of ruckus about the VA Jaleo's sangria in this thread a while back? Well sounds like the prohibiition-era nonsense is back up for review: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...ml?hpid=topnews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padow Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I wanted to write and tell Jaleo fans that we are offering Pinxto Hour on Monday evening from 5pm until 7pm. Pinxtos are fairly elaborate hors d'oeuvres from the Basque region of Spain and they are delicious! Usually they are concoctions of octopus, tortilla patata, eggplant, smoked salmon, duck confit, or trout roe salad on top of toast. We are offering them at $1.50 a piece and combined with our drink specials ($3.50 for sangria, beer, or a glass of wine) that's $6.50 for a drink and two hefty hors d'oeuvres. Come visit us! Also, to Heather, we have a new pastry chef coming on board soon, so look for new and improved desserts soon!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Also, to Heather, we have a new pastry chef coming on board soon, so look for new and improved desserts soon!! Excellent! Is Steve Klc no longer associated with Andres' restaurant group? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAC13 Posted April 27, 2008 Share Posted April 27, 2008 We went to the Crystal City location tonight after staying away for a year+ due to service and consistency issues- what a pleasant surprise!! The menu was updated and creative, the food was spot-on, and the service was great! To commemorate their 15 year anniversary, they brought us an amuse of white asparagus gazpacho, which was delicious. The standout tapas were the sauteed cauliflower w/olives and dates (this was so good that I plan to recreate it at home), piquillo peppers stuffed w/goat cheese, and a seared cod dish that was served with white grapes and a light white wine sauce. My boyfriend had a squid served w/some an ink sauce (he said it was delicious and I believe him since I never got a taste) and the baked canelones stuffed with pork and foie gras, which had great flavor but it was hard to discern any foie gras. Dessert was good but not great-I had a molten chocolate cake flavored with some kind of tea. It was prepared beautifully but I found the tea flavor to be too much with the rich chocolate. My boyfriend had the apple charlotte, which had nice flavor but was on the mushy side and needed to be warmer. All in all, it was an extremely pleasant night at a restaurant that we had all but written off and is now back on our rotation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwertyy Posted June 14, 2008 Share Posted June 14, 2008 I had a late lunch/early dinner at the DC Jaleo last weekend. With all the tourists in town, that's a good time to go--4:00 or 5:00. Service was pretty solid, the sangria was exactly what the day called for, and the food was on point. Along with my usuals of bacon-wrapped dates and garlic shrimp, our favorites were the artichoke, black olive, and orange salad (merely "good" unless you get a bite of everything on the same fork, which makes it excellent) and the wild mushroom rice (gorgeous in taste and texture, but wildly rich--don't get this unless you've got a good apetite on). Incidentally, another favorite, the celebrated patatas bravas, are being made differently now. They still have the same excellent aioli and tomato sauces, but the potatoes are now served as chips rather than chunks. I was skeptical on seeing it, as thick, house-made chips can either be soggy or leaden, or both, but except for a few poor souls at the bottom, these were simultaneously crisp and chewy and addictive. The new style makes it more of a nacho-type dish, probably more popular with groups, but I think it works. And, even if just on principle, I'm happy to see a successful restaurant making the bold move to change up a proven, successful favorite. Change is good, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcaCRL Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 Incidentally, another favorite, the celebrated patatas bravas, are being made differently now. They still have the same excellent aioli and tomato sauces, but the potatoes are now served as chips rather than chunks. I was skeptical on seeing it, as thick, house-made chips can either be soggy or leaden, or both, but except for a few poor souls at the bottom, these were simultaneously crisp and chewy and addictive. The new style makes it more of a nacho-type dish, probably more popular with groups, but I think it works. And, even if just on principle, I'm happy to see a successful restaurant making the bold move to change up a proven, successful favorite. Change is good, right? The husband and I had the new patatas last night and were very disappointed. The spicier tomato sauce is nice, but the chips just don't soak up the sauces the same way a good potato chunk does. And because we were dining at the Crystal City location, where the kitchen sends out dishes in bizarre order (cold soup appetizers brought out last?) and too quickly, the chips had gotten soggy by the time we got to finish them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdcbrucefan Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Last summer, Jeleo (downtown) was serving a drink concoction of Hendricks gin, lemonade (from a seltzer bottle) and maybe something else. Anyone know the name of the drink? The recipe & proportions? We were back earlier this summer and they didn't have it again. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweaked Posted November 3, 2008 Share Posted November 3, 2008 Swung by Jaleo after an afternoon at the National Gallery (Pompeii exhibit, while packed, was medicore, unless you are into marble busts of dead Romans)...anyhoo... the star tapa was the braised boneless pork rib with potato puree, falling apart pork capped with a melting layer of fat. oh yeah! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RWBooneJr Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Have I missed something, or does Jaleo not appear in the DC dining guide? Regardless, they have one of the best dishes they've ever served on as a special right now (it was once a regular item that, like the boquerones, inexplicably disappeared): the beef tripe stew with braised beef, blood sausage, chorizo, and chickpeas. This dish alone is worth a visit to the Penn Quarter location. I'm told it will be gone shortly, so get it while it's around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Have I missed something, or does Jaleo not appear in the DC dining guide? [it's in the Multiple Locations section (which, by the way, I'll be reorganizing when I can get around to it). ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Blume Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Swung by Jaleo after an afternoon at the National Gallery (Pompeii exhibit, while packed, was medicore, unless you are into marble busts of dead Romans)...anyhoo...During the Roman Republic (pre-Empire), aristocratic male heads of households paraded through the streets dressed in togas and the death masks of their ancestors so as to embody the deceased patricians of their family. Think of it as a procession of the living dead, long before anyone thought to make zombie movies. At this time, marble busts were based on these masks. One place for displaying busts in households was upon shrines where food was left for the spirits of household gods. At least, this sort of macabre stuff makes the otherwise dreary tedium of one portrait after another a bit more interesting for some of us, especially when you consider how flinchingly realistic likenesses of elite citizens were laboriously and expensively produced in a form previously reserved for rulers, philosophers and what not.* * * This Sunday at the Dupont Circle farmers market, Jaleo will mingle local food (goat cheese) w Spain in celebrating clementines, a featured ingredient for a week at their restaurants. Chef at Market events are scheduled to begin at 11 AM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomA Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 Gaius Caligula, you will succeed me. I will nurse you like a viper in Rome's bosom...we will eat supper at Jaleo and make a list, a longgg list!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrescentFresh Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Dear Jaleo, I had no idea that you take private parties and close your restaurant on a walkup basis! What a wonderful convenience for those of us looking for a spontaneous way to put together a meal for 30, 40, 50 people when it absolutely, positively has to be done right now! How else can it be explained that the restaurant was closed for lunch today and I didn't know anything about it until we hiked all the way over in the strong wind and pulled up to the door and were informed with a sign that said "sorry for the inconvenience." Naturally, if this party was planned in advance, you would have made mention that it was closed on your website, which I just so happened to check right before I left to go to Jaleo today! That would be the same website that has an "events" listing that would have told people you were closed for lunch today. (That is, of course, if you had known in advance you were going to have a private party that would close the restaurant.) That would be the same website that encourages visitors to sign up for your email list. The same email list that I'm signed up for where you give me news of happenings at your restaurants. I'm sure if this closure was planned in advance, you would have let me and your other interested customers who like to stay in touch with Jaleo know that you were going to be closed for lunch today via email. I gotta say, I feel terrible for those restaurants that don't have the strong web presence and ability to communicate with their customers in advance about closings. I wonder what they do? You're closing today without me knowing allowed us to sample some of the other fine restaurants in the Penn Quarter area. I was actually pretty pleased where we ended up. (I'm sorry, but it wasn't Oyamel, Atlantico or Zaytinya). I may have to go back to this place a few more times to try other things on their menu. And Wagamama is opening soon, I guess! That will be a great new spot to go to for lunch. I'll miss the superb bocatas that I've raved about for quite some time now online and off. But next time I need to have a party and close a restaurant on the spur of the moment, you can be sure I'll be back at Jaleo! After all, what's a little inconvenience to customers? F 'em, I say! Buen Provecho! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qwertyy Posted December 28, 2008 Share Posted December 28, 2008 On December 26, DC Jaleo was surprisingly the only restaurant in the area with no wait for seating. They currently have a lovely salad of spinach, orange, pomegranate, goat cheese, and olive on special. We enjoyed it very much with the red pepper, eggplant, and onion dish and the paprika sausage and cheese omelete. My standby of bacon-wrapped dates and a new choice of battered shrimp were oddly undercooked, but the service was very friendly, and surprisingly efficient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mojoman Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 Dunno if this is common knowledge but we were at Jaleo last night and they had a special. A substantial list of hot tapas for $4 each. Only at the bar and only between 4:30 and 7:00. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura24601 Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Dear Server at Crystal City Jaleo, I'm sorry I didn't catch your name, but I wasn't much inclined to after about three minutes into our interactions last evening. After greeting my two girlfriends and I and asking if we had experienced tapas before, you patiently explained how tapas work...even after we had told you that we'd been to Jaleo numerous times. But then when taking our order of two tapas dishes each per your guidelines, and I ordered the bacon-wrapped dates and the patatas bravas, there was really no need to look me dead in the eye, raise your eyebrows and say, "Well! We're not watching our weight tonight, are we?" Well, first of all...no "we're" not. And second, I will not be consuming these items by myself. I will be partaking in all the dishes ordered by the table...remember how that works? What with the sharing and the trying different things and all? So I will also be having artichokes and shrimp and asparagus and all the other things I'm sharing with these two lovely ladies. You also managed to insult the rest of the table by telling three women in their late twenties that "There's no need for me to check your IDs...you're clearly old enough to drink!" And finally, when my friend says right off the bat that she is an Arena Stage staff member and politely presents her discount card and business card, there's really no need to give her a hard time about using it, joking how it will affect your tip. It's your attitude that is affecting your tip, buddy. Do you not appreciate the extra business that Arena Stage has brought to your establishment by making a temporary home in Crystal City? Luckily, the food was delicious and it was convenient to run off to the show after we got the check. But next time? We'll be down the street at McCormick's, where the food isn't revolutionary, but the service is friendly...or at the very least, not rude! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 After greeting my two girlfriends and I and asking if we had experienced tapas before, you patiently explained how tapas work...even after we had told you that we'd been to Jaleo numerous times. But then when taking our order of two tapas dishes each per your guidelines, and I ordered the bacon-wrapped dates and the patatas bravas, there was really no need to look me dead in the eye, raise your eyebrows and say, "Well! We're not watching our weight tonight, are we?" Holy mother of pearl. How did you refrain from going ballistic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcandohio Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Dear Server at Crystal City Jaleo,And finally, when my friend says right off the bat that she is an Arena Stage staff member and politely presents her discount card and business card, there's really no need to give her a hard time about using it, joking how it will affect your tip. It's your attitude that is affecting your tip, buddy. Do you not appreciate the extra business that Arena Stage has brought to your establishment by making a temporary home in Crystal City? This is off the charts, really. And no, you CAN'T make this stuff up. Who's watching the store here? There was some talk in another chat about the uneven service in Jose Andres' places - that when you get the bad server, things are truly horrible. I think you landed the worst! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FunnyJohn Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 This is off the charts, really. And no, you CAN'T make this stuff up. Who's watching the store here? There was some talk in another chat about the uneven service in Jose Andres' places - that when you get the bad server, things are truly horrible. I think you landed the worst!Wow! Never had a problem with the Jaleo in Penn Quarter. This is almost surreal. Are they doing a revival of Monty Python and looking for someone to do "a really obnoxious waiter" skit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura24601 Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 What makes it even worse, for me, is that I've always really enjoyed Jaleo at both locations and have talked it up to other people quite a bit. I've experienced mild service problems there before (forgetting items, bringing me the wrong wine), but those were always taken care of quickly and politely. I probably will be back, but it won't be my go-to for pre-Arena Stage dining. And to answer how I refrained from going ballistic...I rested comfortably on my charm and stunning good looks, per usual. He's the one with the problem, not me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
comestibles Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Dear Server at Crystal City Jaleo,I'm sorry I didn't catch your name, but I wasn't much inclined to after about three minutes into our interactions last evening. After greeting my two girlfriends and I and asking if we had experienced tapas before, you patiently explained how tapas work...even after we had told you that we'd been to Jaleo numerous times. But then when taking our order of two tapas dishes each per your guidelines, and I ordered the bacon-wrapped dates and the patatas bravas, there was really no need to look me dead in the eye, raise your eyebrows and say, "Well! We're not watching our weight tonight, are we?" ............ And finally, when my friend says right off the bat that she is an Arena Stage staff member and politely presents her discount card and business card, there's really no need to give her a hard time about using it, joking how it will affect your tip. It's your attitude that is affecting your tip, buddy. Do you not appreciate the extra business that Arena Stage has brought to your establishment by making a temporary home in Crystal City? Luckily, the food was delicious and it was convenient to run off to the show after we got the check. But next time? We'll be down the street at McCormick's, where the food isn't revolutionary, but the service is friendly...or at the very least, not rude! I hope you at least stiffed that waiter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzy510 Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 I've experienced mild service problems there before (forgetting items, bringing me the wrong wine), but those were always taken care of quickly and politely. I probably will be back, but it won't be my go-to for pre-Arena Stage dining. Those are mild service problems? You're certainly a far more patient person than me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericandblueboy Posted May 30, 2009 Share Posted May 30, 2009 Looks like she ran into a fearless, brutally honest and tactless server Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Blume Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 ...brutally honest...You're kidding, right?That waiter your brother, maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ericandblueboy Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 You're kidding, right?That waiter your brother, maybe? Why my brother? What's he ever done to you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura24601 Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Um, I didn't want to have to "go there," but I assure you that there is nothing to be "brutally honest" about when it comes to my girlish figure. Maybe this isn't a server problem...maybe it's more of a menfolk/foot-in-mouth situation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now