The last time I ate at Jaleo in DC was at a party Jose Andres threw during a food conference in the 90s.

I was again in town for a conference, this time for a Women’s Midlife Health Summit, on the heels of President Biden’s Executive order to allocate $12 billion to new women’s health research at the National Institutes of Health; First Lady Jill Biden will lead the White House initiative.

At our conference, put on by the National Menopause Foundation, where I serve on the board, we discussed the many needs of women during menopause and midlife health, which span advocacy, policy, clinical care, education and awareness.

Graphic recorder Jim Nuttle, Crowley and Company, illustrated the meeting through his drawings, shown at the bottom of this post.

Before the conference started, we dined at Jaleo, taking advantage of their amazing $26 prix fixe lunch menu. We chose and shared one course from each category and added a glass of red sangria ($6). It was just as good as I remembered.

We started with Ensaladilla Ucraniana, a potato salad with tuna, carrots, green beans, olives and mayo and Empedrat de mongetes, a Catalan bean salad with tomato, onion and peppers atop shredded olives in a sherry dressing.

Then we shared the Coquetas pollo, the traditional fried chicken fritters, and the Pimientos del piquillo rellenos de queso de cabra, the seared piquillo peppers filled with goat cheese.

Next, we shared Gambas al ajillo, shrimp sauteed with garlic, and the Pollo con pisto y salsa de ajillo, tender grilled chicken thighs with stewed vegetables and garlic sauce. Everything was yummy, including the dessert with an option of strawberry ice cream or lemon sorbet.

I highly recommend a visit.

Jaleo
The Lansburgh
480 7th St NW
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 628-7949
jaleo.com