WASHINGTON—Jaleo, yet another one of D.C. chef José Andrés’ masterpieces, specializes in Spanish cuisine. The eclectic menu perfectly mirrors the diverse community of Washington. From traditional Spanish paella to plates of cheese, there is something for everyone on this menu.

This tapas-style spot offers many small dishes which are perfect for sharing, as well as larger portions. While the bilingual menu was difficult to navigate at first, our waiter Juan Carlo took the time to explain to us how the menu worked and what we should try.

To start, we had the pan de cristal con tomate, which was a crispy and delicate bread brushed with fresh tomatoes. However, the tomatoes were more of a paste used to give the bread some flavor. Juan Carlo suggested we add another appetizer, plato de queso Manchego Pasamontes, which was a plate of raw sheep’s milk cheese. This addition complemented the bread very nicely and added to the overall delicate taste.

For our entrees, we ordered two different things on our own. The first thing we ordered was ensalada de pipirrana, which was a salad with peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes (we added chicken to this). The second thing we ordered was salmón con pisto, which was seared salmon with stewed vegetables. We both agreed that our meals were delicious. The only complaint we had was that the portion size of the salmon was smaller than we expected it to be.

Overall, we were very satisfied with the food that we ate. We believed that we ordered the perfect amount so that we were no longer hungry, but we were not unbelievably stuffed to the point that we felt sick.

One of the elements of the restaurant that we found interesting was the décor. The walls were covered with interesting artwork and the floor tiles had a red and white design. There were a few tables that even had foosball beneath the glass. We thought that this was a unique idea and added to the overall laid back vibe of the restaurant.

Jaleo was the perfect restaurant for us. It had a lively atmosphere, friendly waiters, and overall good food. We walked out of the restaurant feeling like we had gotten a true taste of the unique culture that D.C. brings.