JALAPEÑOS | 85 Forest Plaza Drive, Annapolis | 410-266-7580 | jalapenosonline.com DINING REVIEW
All Systems Go for a Prized Friend
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By Rita Calvert Photography by Stephen Buchanan
or the past year and a half, many of us felt adrift without our favorite Spanish tapas to share and savor with good company. Now, with COVID-social distancing lifted, we are absolutely delighted for the communal activity of partaking tapas, for which Jalapeños is famous. Spirited with lively conversation and laughter, this favorite spot is where everyone can come together and grab a good bite that is exotically foreign. The atmosphere is comfortably grand yet unstuffy and dress code is casual, yet nice. On this weekday early evening Jalapeños was filled with a congenial mix: family with young baby, millennials, elderly couples, and friends celebrating or just dining together. Both dining rooms (plus the bar) were filled, so you know what to do about reservations!
Because true Spanish food is unusual, I wax eloquent about it, but there is abundant Mexican food and a smattering of Cuban. Start with chips and salsa then move on to tacos, tostados, burritos, enchiladas as the menu makes the segue nicely to each culture. Instead, we ordered a plethora of incredible Spanish Tapas as our meal.
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What’s Up? Annapolis | September 2021 | whatsupmag.com
Service was courteous although the restaurant was very busy and from our chat we learned our server, Obed, is part of a family tree with the original chef, Obed Serrano. Owner Uncle Alberto welcomes at the front of the house and circulates to check in on how your meal is going. That graciousness goes a long way. If the going gets dicy, Alberto may even take your order as he did for us. My dinner guest enjoyed a crisp white wine, the house Alberino, from the north Atlantic coast of Spain, which turned out to be a light companion with the abundant flavors of our tapas. Wines by the glass are limited,
but a wine list offers full bottles. Sangria, the fitting fruit and wine combo, can be ordered with red wine, white, or even champagne. To ensure room for our dinner of tapas, we ordered a small cup of Gazpacho. It was a beautiful thick creamy, pink/orange color, with a tangy flavor and hints of cucumber and mild vegetables. Though we were anticipating a fiery kick, the flavor was mild and ever so fresh. A server brought a tray of bite-size toppings that she spooned as we desired on the soup: croutons, diced cucumbers, minced onion, and chopped tomato. Our only regret was not ordering the bowl size, it was that delicious.
