Girl Meets Food

Do you daydream about a Ben and Jerry’s-style 20-scoop ice cream sundae with flavors like mozzarella, swiss, cheddar, asiago, parmesan, romano, gouda, feta, gorgonzola, blue, and havarti?

Photo: Bryan Applegate

Maybe it’s just me.

Because I don’t want to gain fifty pounds, or throw up on myself, I did find a more appetizing, more civilized version in Jaleo’s caña de cabra ice cream, made from fresh goat cheese.

This Spanish dessert is usually served with sopa fría de frutas del bosque, chilled mixed fruit soup with berries.

I beckoned to the server, and looked him dead in the eye. I politely stated that I was the Terminator and I had come to terminate his caña, and to please bring me some. He quickly obliged.

Hey, girl’s gotta have her sugar.

It did not disappoint. In fact, if I ever get my tonsils out, I would like cheese ice cream delivered to my hospital room everyday. Creamy white, mildly-flavored ice cream starts off sweet and finishes with a lance of saltiness. It’s surprisingly good. Imagine vanilla ice cream with a mild goat cheese finish.

Photo: Bryan Applegate

Jaleo also has other unusual offerings such as erizos de mar con pipirrana, a spoonful of sea urchin with diced peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers.

Frankly, I thought the delicate flavor of the sea urchin was lost in the tartness of the salsa. The sea urchin at Neptune Oyster is better.

I did, however, enjoy the dátiles con tocino ‘como hace todo el mundo’, fried dates wrapped in bacon.

Then again, bacon makes everything better. The sweetness of the soft dates went well with the crunchiness of the batter and saltiness of the bacon. I’m a fan.

If this isn’t your cup of tea, Jaleo also has classic tapas like Spanish omelets with potatoes and onions, sautéed garlic shrimp, various soups, salads, meats, seafood and paellas, as well as fruity sangrias, wines and sherries.

Jaleo has three locations to serve you:

Penn Quarter
Reserve now
480 7th Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
(202) 628-7949

Bethesda
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7271 Woodmont Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 913-0003

Crystal City
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2250 Crystal Drive
Arlington, VA 22202
(703) 413-8181

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