Arts & Entertainment

Jaleo turns 20

Spanish tapas restaurant has renovated décor, creative offerings

Published

13 years ago

January 24, 2013

Jonathan Howard

Jaleo, newly renovated, features a bounty of exquisite tapas. (Photo courtesy of Jaleo)

A couple of weeks ago my mother was passing through Washington on a night when I was planning on prepping for a column. My mother knows me as the picky child who refused to try anything new and wiped peas off noodles in her pasta carbonara before eating it.

So, I thought having a meal with her son who tries all sorts of new foods and writes about them could be fun. That is when I remembered that Jaleo (480 7^th Street NW) had been renovated semi-recently and was celebrating its 20^th year in D.C. I texted my mother with the suggestion, letting here know it was a Spanish tapas-style restaurant, and when she responded with, “Oh, sounds good,” I made the reservation.

Jaleo is a Spanish word that means revelry and fun and you feel this festive spirit the moment you step into this redesigned space, from the foosball dining tables to the murals on the wall. The restaurant is full of bold colors and sleek furnishings and the artwork clearly embodies the meaning of the work jaleo. This playful space was truly pleasurable to dine in.

For drinks we decided on the sangria de cava, which is a whole bowl of sangria mixed tableside. The sangria was sweet, fresh and an excellent pairing for the food that followed. Our first course would be a selection of cheeses and an assortment of cured iberico meats. The manchego, one of my favorites, was tangy and served with compressed apples in muscatel and the cana de cabra was a luscious goat cheese served with a delectable fig jam. The iberico meats were fresh delicate slices of meat from the legendary acorn-fed black-footed iberico pigs of Spain. It was a great way to start the meal.

As we finished our first course we decided on a few other items to order, including the “setas al ajillo con la serena,” which are sautéed seasonal mushrooms in a cheese potato puree and a plate of seared piquillo peppers stuffed with goat cheese. Both dishes were brilliant but the perfectly prepared mushrooms in the rich, fluffy potato puree were a favorite. Then the dates wrapped in bacon arrived; this was a superb rich and sweet combination. Another item in this course, which did not want to be overshadowed by the bacon wrapped date, was the chorizo wrapped in crispy potato, which was scrumptious.

The seafood portion of the menu was up next. I made sure we ordered the “Gambas al Ajillo,” described as the “very, very famous tapa of shrimp sautéed in garlic.” We also ordered the seared scallop and the jumbo lump crabmeat salad. While the shrimp may have been the “famous tapa,” and it was enjoyed, it was not the winning item in our opinion.

That was a tie between the other two tapas: the scallop with pine nuts and Pedro Ximenez, each amazing. They were cooked perfectly, smooth and tender with a hint of sweetness and they melted in your mouth. The cold lump crabmeat salad with cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes in a brandy sauce was crisp and refreshing. We tried a few other dishes on the menu including the brussel sprout special. My mother discovered she liked them, though I still think they look and taste like alien eyeballs. Each dish that arrived at the table was very good, some were extraordinary and many more piqued our interest, so another visit may soon be in order.

With the savory portion of the night behind us, we tried a couple items off the dessert menu. With our waiter’s assistance we decided on two desserts: the Manzanas “Carlota” al PX and the Gin and Tonic sorbet, Jose Andres favorite cocktail made into a dessert. The apples Charlotte was a delicious option, however at least in the opinion of the four of us at the table, gin and tonic should remain a drink not a dessert.

When all was said and done, Jose Andres and his head chef at Jaleo D.C. Paul Yeck deliver an excellent dining experience in an energetic atmosphere. All our courses were luscious, the company was entertaining and my mother appreciated her meal. So, whether you are dining with mom or friends, Jaleo is a worthwhile flavor adventure and the food is just part of the fun.

Related Topics:Dining Jaleo Out & About Spanish tapas

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FUND LGBTQ JOURNALISM

Theater

Rorschach stages ‘Dragon Play’ in unlikely, raw space

Out sound designer Madeline ‘Mo’ Oslejsek notes ‘sound is my bag’

Published

8 hours ago

April 18, 2026

Patrick Folliard

Madeline 'Mo' Oslejsek (Photo courtesy of Oslejsek)

‘Dragon Play’
Through May 17
Rorschach Theatre
The Stacks @ Buzzard Point
101 V St., S.W.
$50 ($35 for students and seniors)
Rorschachtheatre.org

Celebrated for its site-specific, immersive productions, Rorschach Theatre puts on plays all over town. The unlikely spots have included greenhouses, church vestibules, closed retail spaces (including a vacant downtown big and tall men’s store) and historic locales like Rock Creek Cemetery’s Adams Memorial.

For its current offering “Dragon Play” (through May 17), a tale of love and longing, Rorschach is using a raw space in The Stacks at Buzzard Point, a new mixed-use neighborhood situated where the Anacostia and Potomac rivers meet.

Out sound designer Madeline ‘Mo’ Oslejsek considers all sites – whether traditional theatrical spaces or not – specific, particularly in terms of sound. She says, “Part of my practice is if you’re creating a soundscape for a theatrical production you’re also working with sound that already exists with the space.”

For instance, The Stacks space comes with its own unique qualities. It’s a large cement room that has a different reverberation, an echo.

“Some sounds (a car, dog bark) are planted or they might just happen. What starts as a live sound might be heard again as something recorded.”

Whip smart with a ready laugh, Oslejsek never set out to be a sound designer. She was going to direct. And now, the 2025 Helen Hayes Award nominee for Outstanding Sound Design (“Astro Boy and the God of Comics” at Flying V,) says, “Sound is my bag. Sometimes it seems that I’m the only one in the room thinking about it.”

As an undergrad studying theater at Ohio Wesleyan University, she was first exposed to sound design, but it didn’t make a big impression.

In grad school at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, University of London, she was interested in direction. But when students were offered a choice of three more specific tracks to choose from (performance, composition, and scenography, which includes sound design), Oslejsek was swayed.

“An introduction to scenography by the department head radically changed the course of my life,” she says.

What struck her most about sound was the subjectivity: “The core of my practice is that sound has no meaning until it’s experienced. All sound is noise. It’s just a pitch, active, or vocalization. It becomes real when you hear it and apply meaning to it. That’s very exciting to me.”

Today, Oslejsek and partner Caitlin Hooper, an actor and intimacy choreographer, are based in Baltimore but work primarily in D.C.

“It feels good to be in a place where art and queerness in art are celebrated. It’s not like that everywhere, and making that kind of work down the street from this White House where that’s not the vibe, is real resistance. That feels really meaningful.”

Also important to Oslejsek (who identifies alternately as queer and lesbian) is “queer as a practice,” a concept suggesting that a queer identity or practice does not seek to replace other identities but to encompass and bridge them.

“I’m queer because I like women, but the work is more about making room for what everyone in the room hears,” she says. “Never do I want to come into a space thinking I have all the answers. That’s no fun.”

As its title might suggest, Jenny Connell Davis’ play directed by Rorschach’s Randy Baker is filled with magic. “Dragon Play,” blurs the past and present; one world bleeds into the next; and, of course, there are dragons. At 80 minutes with no intermission, the play moves in and out of different timelines; increasingly things start to overlap.

And it’s also about the magic of relationships – all kinds. There’s a line where the dragon girl asks a Texas boy what he dreams about and he replies “you, always you.”

Oslejsek, 30, is touched by those words: “In my little gay heart, I cried. It makes me think of my partner. This play is about the idea of people who strike a match in your heart that never really goes away.”

In creating a layered soundscape, she brings her own brand of magic to the production. Her big goal was “not to play with how we think a dragon might sound, but rather with how does the world sound to a dragon.”

Sometimes sound design takes the lead, but in some productions, sound is purposely subtle or secondary, she says. Either way, sound can be monumental in shaping theater.

Calendar

Calendar: April 17-23

LGBTQ events in the days to come

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

Friday, April 17

Center Aging Monthly Luncheon With Yoga will be at 12 p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. Email Mac at [email protected] if you require ASL interpreter assistance, have any dietary restrictions, or questions about this event.

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Social in the City” at 7 p.m. at Hotel Zena. This is a chance to relax, make new friends, and enjoy happy hour specials at this classic retro venue. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Trans and Genderqueer Game Night will be at 7:00p.m. at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. This is a relaxing, laid-back evening of games and fun. All are welcome and there’ll be card and board games on hand. Feel free to bring your own games to share. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.

Saturday, April 18

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Brunch” at 11 a.m. at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

The DC Center for the LGBT Community will host “Sunday Supper on Saturday” at 2 p.m. It’s more than just an event; it’s an opportunity to step away from the busyness of life and invest in something meaningful, and enjoy delicious food, genuine laughter, and conversations that spark connection and inspiration. For more details, visit the Center’s website.

Sunday, April 19

Go Gay DC will host “LGBTQ+ Community Lunch” at 11 a.m. at Federico Ristorante Italiano. This fun weekly event brings the DMV area LGBTQ+ community, including allies, together for delicious food and conversation. Attendance is free and more details are available on Eventbrite.

Monday, April 20

“Center Aging: Monday Coffee Klatch” will be at 10 a.m. on Zoom. This is a social hour for older LGBTQ+ adults. Guests are encouraged to bring a beverage of choice. For more information, contact Adam ([email protected]).

Tuesday, April 21

Center Bi+ Roundtable will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is an opportunity for people to gather in order to discuss issues related to bisexuality or as Bi individuals in a private setting.Visit Facebook or Meetup for more information.

Senior Self Defense Class with Avi Rome will be at 12:30 p.m. This inclusive and beginner-friendly class, led by Instructor Avi Rome, offers a light warm-up, stretching, and instruction in basic techniques, patterns, and striking padded targets. Each session is designed to be adaptable for all ability and mobility levels, creating a welcoming space for everyone to build strength, confidence, and community through martial arts. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.

Wednesday, April 22

Job Club will be at 6 p.m. on Zoom upon request. This is a weekly job support program to help job entrants and seekers, including the long-term unemployed, improve self-confidence, motivation, resilience and productivity for effective job searches and networking — allowing participants to move away from being merely “applicants” toward being “candidates.” For more information, email [email protected] or visit thedccenter.org/careers.

Asexual and Aromantic Group will meet at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This is a space where people who are questioning this aspect of their identity or those who identify as asexual and/or aromantic can come together, share stories and experiences, and discuss various topics. For more details, email [email protected].

Thursday, April 23

The DC Center’s Fresh Produce Program will be held all day at the DC Center for the LGBT Community. People will be informed on Wednesday at 5:00 pm if they are picked to receive a produce box. No proof of residency or income is required. For more information, email [email protected] or call 202-682-2245.

Virtual Yoga Class will be at 7 p.m. on Zoom. This free weekly class is a combination of yoga, breath work and meditation that allows LGBTQ+ community members to continue their healing journey with somatic and mindfulness practices. For more details, visit the DC Center’s website.

Out & About

Team DC’s annual gala set for this weekend

LGBTQ sports organization to hold annual ‘Night of Champions’

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

(Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

Team DC will host “Night of Champions Gala” on Saturday, April 18 at 6 p.m. at the Georgetown Marriott.

This will be an evening of celebration and inspiration as Team DC honors remarkable individuals and supports the next generation of LGBTQ student-athletes.

There will be opportunities to support Team DC through auctions. The Silent Auction items will offer an array of unique goods and experiences. Additionally, Team DC will feature an exclusive selection of live auction items for those looking to make a significant impact.

This year, Team DC will recognize six outstanding awardees who have made significant contributions to the LGBTQ community and sports: