If you are interested in heading to Disney Springs, go on an empty stomach because they have so many great restaurants to choose from. We went to Jaleo by Jose Andres, a Spanish restaurant that offers unique dishes from Spain.
Ordering a pitcher of Sangria is a must. They have several options to select from, we just went with the traditional red. It had a hint of spice to it.
All the dishes come out tapas style, so it’s easy to share around the table.
The Croquetas de Pollo came out first. These had chicken that was puréed until creamy and mixed with creamy mashed potatoes. They were delicious. I could not get over how creamy they were. They were just like the ones I enjoyed in Barcelona.
The Plato de Queso Manchego was sliced Manchego cheese, which is sheep’s milk cheese. It is creamy and has a tangy flavor. It paired perfectly with the Cinco Jotas, which is acorn fed Iberico ham.
This special ham is aged 45 days. The presentation is amazing. They bring the meat over to your table and carve it in front of you. This Iberico ham just melts in your mouth. The fat that was on this ham was like butter.
While the previous items were shared around the table, I ordered the Gazpacho estilo Algeciras which was difficult to share. This was a chilled soup made with puréed tomatoes, cucumbers, green bell peppers. It was a light soup which was the perfect appetizer.
The Pimentos Piquillos de Queso Cabra is another class Spanish dish. It was seared piquillo peppers and they were filled with goat cheese. The peppers were sweet and had no real heat. The tangy cheese was an excellent complement.
The Espinacas a la Catalana was sautéed spinach, peanuts, raisins, and apples. It was a unique combination that resembled a side dish. This is something that I would want to try to replicate at home for dinner. All the ingredients worked well together with the cooked spinach.
Then it was time for the main dishes to start arriving.
Chorizo Casero con Pure de Patatas al aceite de Olivia is a dish consisting of house made chorizo sausage served with mashed potatoes. The sausage had nice heat. It was tender and full of flavor. The mashed potatoes were creamy. There was a little sauce poured on top that acted like gravy for the potatoes.
Pollo con pisto Manchego is grilled chicken thighs with a traditional vegetable stew. The chicken was moist and full of flavor from the spices. The stew acted like a sauce.
Gambas al Ajillo is a simple but elegant dish. It is sautéed shrimp and garlic butter sauce. There were huge pieces of garlic that added so much flavor. There was bread on the side to help soak up the butter. The shrimp were large in size plus they were tender.
The Tortilla Espanola is an omelet made of eggs, onions, and potatoes. This was a great dish that was perfect for dinner with the savory flavor. It did not feel like a breakfast dish even though it was an omelet.
Even with all the food we enjoyed, it was time for dessert.
Flan al ostllo tradicional de mama Marisa con espuma de crema Catalana is a classic Spanish custard with “aspuma” Catalan cream and oranges. It was creamy. It was the best flan I have ever tasted.
Pan con Chocolate is a chocolate custard with caramelized bread, olive oil, and brioche ice cream. The presentation of this dessert was beautiful.
The chocolate custard was extremely rich and sweet. I was only able to eat a few bites. The brioche ice cream was delicious. It was creamy and sweet with a subtle unique taste. The best way to eat this dish was to combine the custard and the ice cream on your spoon. It blends the two flavors together.
Just in time for dessert, we were able to enjoy the Flamenco dancers, and the band that started performing around the restaurant. It was the perfect conclusion to our amazing meal.
If you are in Disney Springs looking for a great place to eat, check out Jaleo by Jose Andres. Visit their website at www.jaleo.com
Enjoy!
T
