Bethesda’s Jaleo is no more, replaced by another José Andrés effort, Spanish Diner, a breakfast-centric homage to the down-home cooking of his birthplace. The corner spot – with seating for just over 100 inside and nearly 50 more on the patio – got a cheery facelift. It now boasts a bright, bold aesthetic punctuated by bursts of yolky yellow. A series of whimsical doodles of Spanish pintxos (small snacks), created by the artist KuKuXuMuSu and echoing Joan Miro’s playful linework, cover the walls and dot the tabletops. A bounty of plant life hangs down and sprouts up everywhere. Gamers rejoice: The foosball table from Jaleo remains a fixture.
There are more serious nods to the pandemic throughout. Plexiglass screens hover between some of the tables, there are QR codes instead of menus (though you can request a physical copy), and a new air purifying system is in place.
Spanish Diner’s arrival happened somewhat by chance. The lease for Jaleo ended last year. Andrés knew he didn’t want to keep the tapas restaurant going – “I felt to have three in the area was not the smartest thing,” he says – and considered letting the space go. However, the landlord asked him to consider putting in a new concept. They would help with the build out. “At first I thought, ‘No way, José,’” Andrés says.
However, Spanish Diner’s original location in New York City was proving to be successful, so the decision was made to bring it to Bethesda, just a 10-minute drive from Andrés’ home. The kitchen is helmed by head chef Daniel Lugo, who worked at all three Jaleo locations in the D.C. area, and was the previous head chef of the Bethesda location.
Since breakfast is served all day, the menu is packed with eggs. Lots and lots of eggs. “Egg is the smartest protein in the history of mankind,” says Andrés. “No one cooks eggs like the Spanish do. The culture of eggs is huge in Spain.”
In the most straightforward preparation, guests can have two, four, or six over easy eggs atop a bed of fried potatoes ($12 and up). The idea is to pop the yolks to create a sauce of sorts and “make a mess of them,” says Lugo. A side of meat is optional, including miniature-cork-shaped bits of chistorra (a type of chorizo), morcilla (blood sausage), or fat-ribboned strips of jamón.
Another notable egg creation: tortilla de patatas chips. The classic, intensely creamy Spanish omelet enfolds caramelized onions and fried potatoes, but “We gave it a little twist,” says Lugo. Their version subs in Andrés’ olive oil fried potato chips (which are available to purchase at the host stand to take home, along with some of his other branded products and Spanish delicacies). If you want to enjoy a next-level version of the omelet, you can get it topped with a stew packed with supple honeycomb tripe and chewy rounds of chorizo.
The breakfast sandwiches are mostly large and messy enough to be a fork and knife proposition ($11-$14). The “Angel Muro se fue a Mexico!,” an homage to the 19th century Spanish cookbook author, looks like a giant panini-pressed toad in the hole. Slice into it to find ham, cheese, avocado, and egg, of course. The mollete de sobrasada y mahón can be handheld – if you don’t mind getting your fingers sticky. The light crackly bun is zigzagged with honey, a nice contrast to the richness of the paprika-reddened spreadable sausage and slightly salty cheese oozing off the edges.
For those note in the mood for lunchier or more dinner-focused options, the menu is filled out with plenty of Spanish comfort fare, including salads, stews, soups, and small plates ($10-$20), as well as platters of imported charcuterie and cheese ($12-$23).
For dessert ($8 each) there’s savory-sweet burnt style Basque cheesecake fortified with goat cheese for funk, flan based on Andrés’ mother’s recipe, and cinnamony rice pudding with a caramelized sugar crust served in a quaint terracotta bowls.
Andrés intends to go beyond the confines of Spanish cooking over time by eventually adding Central and South American dishes to the menu. He may even incorporate more playful fare, like the olive oil pancakes that appeared in his cookbook, Made in Spain: Spanish Dishes for the American Kitchen.
Though he continues to open restaurants at an impressive clip – this summer will see new ventures revealed in Chicago and New York City – he feels like he still has more work to do.
“Many people see me as a successful chef,” he says, “but I’m still falling short of some of my dreams. I still want to bring Spanish food to every corner of America.”
Spanish Diner is located at 7271 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda. Open Wednesday-Sunday 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.
