Foodie Focus: Jaleo by Jose Andres

If you’re looking for a great meal in Disney Springs, consider Jaleo by Chef Jose Andres. Serving Spanish tapas for lunch and dinner, guests can feast on a variety of paellas cooked over a wood-fired pit, cheeses, fresh salads, and other traditional specialties. If you’ve never experienced tapas-style dining, guests usually order multiple plates for each course so that everyone at the table can sample a wide variety of food. While each plate is enough to share, the portions are smaller than a full meal – giving you the opportunity to enjoy several courses.

I visited Jaleo during Magical Dining Month. If you’re unfamiliar with fundraising initiative, every year in late August through September or early October select restaurants offer pre-fixe menus (featuring regular menu offerings) for a special price. For every meal purchased at this promotional price, the restaurant donates $1 to the featured charity. Jaleo offered five courses for $35.

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My first course was a gazpacho made with tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. The server brought out  my soup bowl with the vegetables inside and then poured the broth over it right before I was ready to eat.

Up next, piquillo peppers stuffed with mushrooms and goat cheese followed by a staff recommendation. Our server told us that one of their favorite items on the menu was the gambas al aijillo or shrimp sautéed with garlic. It sounds like a simple dish, but it was absolutely delicious. Of course, the shrimp is served with two breadsticks so you can fully enjoy that delicious olive oil mixture!

My heaviest course of the evening was a chicken and mushroom paella. It was served with a creamy sauce that brightened up the super savory flavors.

And finally, it was time for dessert. My entire table selected to enjoy traditional Spanish flan served with an “espuma” (kind of like a very light sauce) of Catalan cream and oranges.

Not only was my food delicious, but Jaleo features a vibrant color scheme and beautiful dining areas. There’s an open kitchen so you can watch your food being prepared; and if you’re lucky enough to sit towards the rear windows, you’ll have a beautiful view of the Disney Springs lake area.