Say it with me: dátiles con tocino como hace todo el mundo. Or, if you’d rather not test your Spanish, just ask for the fritters with dates and bacon. Crispy, sweet, and rich, the fried treat is a prime reason to visit the downtown Jaleo (even if “como hace todo el mundo” means, essentially, that everyone makes them). Not everyone, of course, makes them like José Andrés at his tapas restaurant in Penn Quarter. And there’s more where that came from: calamari served with fluffy aioli, espinacas a la Catalana (sautéed spinach with pine nuts, raisins, and apples), and chorizo casero tradicional (homemade chorizo on puréed potatoes), just to name a few faves. The scene here can be just as engaging as the tapas, whether you’re eavesdropping on misbehaving boys at the bar or just watching people through the expansive windows that face the sidewalk. They’re two more reasons to keep those small plates coming.