Joselito Casa de Comidas—we’ll keep that to Joselito from here on out—is set to debut in its Eastern Market location in Capitol Hill on January 9th. Here’s a first look of what you’ll find from the new Spanish joint from the team behind Ballston’s SER.
Joselito is dedicated to family and tradition. Proprietor Javier Candon named the restaurant after his late father Jose, whose childhood nickname was Joselito. There’s more to it than the name though. Traditional family recipes are used across the menu, and the walls are adorned with family photos, tightly packed together in that signature Spanish fashion which—along with a white marble bar top, bright gold and silver accents, and oversized mirrors—instantly calls to mind a centuries old, family run restaurant tucked away off a back street somewhere in Madrid.
Candon’s family hails from southern Spain, a town called Huelva in Andalusia, and the cuisine pulls both from that local region as well as the rest of the country. Along with those traditional recipes, executive chef David Sierra—who worked with Candon at SER, after previous stints at Fiola Mare and Taberna del Alabardero—has added a modern spin to many other dishes.
The menu is divided simply between a cold and hot section. Rather than offering different small plates and entrees, each dish on the menu is available in one of three sizes, as a tapa, a media ración or a ración, essentially equivalent to a serving for one, two or four. Highlights range from chicken consomme with chorizo and raw quail egg—touted as a hangover cure as well—to wagyu bavette with chimichurri, and of course, plates of jamon iberico and a special one year aged Manchego.
To drink, expect an all-Spanish wine list, with a diverse and handpicked assortment. Matching that theme, there are also half a dozen sherries available, along with a large selection of Spanish vermouths, plus several house-infused brandies to sample as well. Join them for happy hour—redubbed Hemingway Hour, and you know I like that—daily from 4 to 7pm for 20% off the entire menu.
Joselito is located at 660 Pennsylvania Avenue SE. They’ll be hosting a soft opening from January 9th-15th, during which all guests will receive a 20% discount on their food. Visit them online at JoselitoDC.com.
