Jaleo Bethesda — Spanish Tapas, Bethesda
Jaleo Bethesda is the original Jaleo — predating the D.C. location, the first restaurant that José Andrés opened in America in 1993. The Spanish tapas kitchen that became one of the most important restaurants in American culinary history started in a Bethesda storefront.
The paella program — the multiple varieties of paella prepared in the traditional Valencian pans — is the kitchen's most ambitious offering and the preparation that most directly demonstrates the Spanish culinary tradition's depth. The socarrat (the crispy bottom layer) is the test that separates the real from the approximate.
The jamón ibérico, the croquetas, the gambas al ajillo — the Spanish tapas canon executed with the authority of a kitchen that has been doing it for thirty years and whose owner's James Beard Award reflects genuine mastery.
The Spanish wine and sherry program is among the most serious in the region — Rioja, Ribera del Duero, and the fino and manzanilla sherries that the tapas tradition was built to accompany.
Best Occasion: Great for First Dates
The tapas format creates immediate sharing. The Spanish wine creates exploration. The paella creates the event. First dates at Jaleo have been memorable since 1993.
Best Occasion: Works for Impressing Clients
The original Jaleo — the restaurant where José Andrés began his American culinary career. For clients who understand that culinary history matters.