Get a taste of old-world Spain at new Capitol Hill eatery

Joselito Casa de Comidas is a Spanish restaurant near Eastern Market. It is on the 2019 Bib Gourmand list from Michelin. (Rey Lopez/Courtesy Joselito Casa de Comidas) — Joselito Casa de Comidas is a new Spanish restaurant near Eastern Market. Owner Javier Candon opened SER in Arlington a year and a half ago. (Rey Lopez/Courtesy Joselito Casa de Comidas)

The black-and-white floors and marble-top tables give the restaurant a feeling of old-world Spain.聽 (Rey Lopez/Courtesy Joselito Casa de Comidas)

While the decor at may invoke a classic Spanish cafeteria, the food is anything but traditional. Expected tapas such as papas bravas, tortilla Espanola and gambas al ajillo are absent from the menu, and more contemporary dishes (chicken consomm茅 with chorizo, spearmint and raw egg, and Wagyu bavette with roasted potato and chimichurri) take their place.聽 (Rey Lopez/Courtesy Joselito Casa de Comidas)

Limited kitchen space prevents Candon from hosting a happy hour with a separate menu for food and drink. Instead, Joselito鈥檚鈥淗emingway Hour,鈥� offers everything on the menu at a 20 percent discount.聽 (Rey Lopez/Courtesy Joselito Casa de Comidas)

Javier Candon wasn鈥檛 looking to launch a new restaurant this year 鈥� it鈥檚 only been a year and a half since his traditional Spanish eatery, , opened in Arlington, Virginia 鈥� but an article in the paper caught his attention. He read that the cheese- and wine-focused Sona Creamery closed its location on Pennsylvania Avenue near Eastern Market 鈥� and he鈥檇 always been fond of the Capitol Hill neighborhood. 聽 (Rey Lopez/Courtesy Joselito Casa de Comidas)

The menu isn鈥檛 divided into appetizers and entrees. Most items can be ordered in three different portion sizes: tapas, half-racion (entree) and racion (family-style).聽 (Rey Lopez/Courtesy Joselito Casa de Comidas)

The menu at Joselito Casa de Comidas has six cocktails, a number of sangrias, cervezas and wines.聽 (Rey Lopez/Courtesy Joselito Casa de Comidas)

Expected tapas such as papas bravas, tortilla Espanola and gambas al ajillo are absent from the menu, and more contemporary dishes (chicken consomm茅 with chorizo, spearmint and raw egg, and Wagyu bavette with roasted potato and chimichurri) take their place. 鈥淚 wanted to do something different in terms of food,鈥� Candon said.聽(Rey Lopez/Courtesy Joselito Casa de Comidas)
(Rey Lopez)

Joselito Casa de Comidas is a personal project for Candon. It鈥檚 named after his father, who died the week Candon opened SER. Many of the recipes used in the restaurant come straight from his father鈥檚 side of the family.聽 (Rey Lopez/Courtesy Joselito Casa de Comidas)

Joselito Casa de Comidas is located at 660 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. It鈥檚 open 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11:30 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.聽(Rey Lopez/Courtesy Joselito Casa de Comidas)
(Rey Lopez)

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WASHINGTON 鈥� Javier Candon wasn鈥檛 looking to launch a new restaurant this year 鈥� it鈥檚 only been a year and a half since his traditional Spanish eatery, , opened in Arlington, Virginia 鈥� but an article in the paper caught his attention.

He read that the cheese- and wine-focused Sona Creamery closed its location on Pennsylvania Avenue near Eastern Market 鈥� and he鈥檇 always been fond of the Capitol Hill neighborhood. 聽

鈥淚 think every restaurateur that is in this area, the dream is to open a restaurant in Washington, D.C.,鈥� Candon said.

It didn鈥檛 hurt that the location already had the groundwork needed to operate a restaurant, including a kitchen, plumbing and electrical. A new tile floor, a few personal touches and furniture imported from Spain was all it needed.

鈥淚mmediately I felt this about this concept as old-fashioned Spain,鈥� Candon said.

While the decor at may invoke a classic Spanish cafeteria, the food is anything but traditional. Expected tapas such as papas bravas, tortilla Espanola and gambas al ajillo are absent from the menu, and more contemporary dishes (chicken consomm茅 with chorizo, spearmint and raw egg, and Wagyu bavette with roasted potato and chimichurri) take their place.

鈥淚 wanted to do something different in terms of food,鈥� Candon said.

Another noticeable difference is the the menu鈥檚 organization. It isn鈥檛 divided into appetizers and entrees. Most items can be ordered in three different portion sizes: tapas, half-racion (entree) and racion (family-style).

鈥淏ecause that鈥檚 the way we eat in Spain, not necessarily in a fine-dining restaurant 鈥� but in most of the bars in Spain almost all of the dishes are served in tapa, half-racion and racion,鈥� Candon said. 聽

Joselito Casa de Comidas is a personal project for Candon. It鈥檚 named after his father, who died the week Candon opened SER. Many of the recipes used in the restaurant come straight from his father鈥檚 side of the family.

鈥淗e didn鈥檛 cook, but it was the food that his mother used to prepare for him and my mother used to prepare for him,鈥� said Candon about the Southern Spain offerings.

Limited kitchen space prevents Candon from hosting a happy hour with a separate menu for food and drink. Instead, Joselito鈥檚鈥淗emingway Hour,鈥� offers everything on the menu at a 20-percent discount.

Candon says the restaurant is working on expanding its dessert menu, children’s聽menu and daily specials, so stay tuned.

Joselito Casa de Comidas is located at 660 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. It’s open 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11:30 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday.聽