Jalea in St. Charles 8-23-25

I would give this restaurant a 4/5.  They are family owned and run and want to show you their food.  

This is on north Main Street in St. Charles.  It is small inside but it has been very nicely updated.  It feels clean and new even though they have the exposed brick side walls. 

Jalea served Peruvian food. 

I read all about the drinks before we arrived.  I had had a pisco sour at a different Peruvian restaurant.  Jalea has pisco sours and something called chicha sour that is made with lime (like a pisco sour) but has the addition of blue/purple corn syrup for a sweeter taste and a much more purple color.  I tried it and it was really good.

Mike played it safe and just had a couple rum and Cokes.  

For an appetizer we ordered some plantain chips with a cilantro and jalepeno dipping sauce.  It came in a tiny container, but that was good, because it was spicy and you only needed a little.  Mike didn't think he'd like plantain chips, but they were good.  They were crisp and salty and every so slightly sweeter than potato chips. 

I ordered the seafood paella.  It contained a couple scallops, several clams and mostly shrimp.  There were some vegetables (carrots and hominy) added in the rice that were a nice addition.  The dish had a slight spice to it.  

I ordered a glass of the only cabernet they had on the menu to drink with my paella.  The wine was not very good.

Mike ordered their 16 hour marinated half of a chicken.  It came with a salad and french fries.  He said the chicken was really seasoned well on the outside.  He wished he could have just ordered white or dark meat.  He ended up taking 1/2 of it home.