and it's true, i didn't love it. but it was one arepa. and i had it at a cafe. in the airport. i wasn't about to judge (or disparage) a staple of an entire country's culinary heritage based on that. and in any case, caracas arepa bar is venezuelan. i had a feeling there might be a difference, if only slight.
caracas arepa bar is a place that i would happily return to. and i can already think of at least 6 ladies that i'm related to that would want to go (one sister + two cousins + three aunts). the food is satisfying and wonderfully kind to the budget. it's a happy room full of curios and color, and today, SUNLIGHT.
hooray! i mean, arriba!
tostones mochimeros are fried green plantains, topped with mojito mayo, white cheese and lemon. these might be my favorite way to enjoy tostones--rich and creamy, without the severe garlic breath. don't get me wrong, i LOVE garlic, but that dip that so many restaurants serve with the tostones makes me want to flee face-to-face contact for days...
the la silvestre salad. arugula (which i love but find a bit unwieldy with its long stems), orange, a bit of radish, sunflower seeds, and roasted corn. looks healthy and delicious, yes? it's proof that with the proper combination of really fresh ingredients, you don't need to dress a salad with more than a bit of olive oil and lemon. it was generous enough for us to share.
bits of white cheese, like you see here, on this arepa "de pabellon," are never really photogenic, but this is good food. shredded beef, black beans, cheese--with the first bite i thought, this is a chili sandwich. but then your palate discovers the slice of plantain. it is a combination that veers toward sweet--so it's not for everyone. but i enjoyed it.
and this was the "swing arepa" that z and i decided to split. "la del gato." (of the cat?) anyway, there is guayanes cheese, avocado, and ...even though it may look like pork belly or fried fatty bacon, don't be fooled, those are slices of plantain. this arepa is also sweet, very mild and creamy. some might argue this doesn't have enough zing. you can try adding the fruity sauce (mango?) that's on the table. but what i liked is it still managed to feel light. and it allowed me to really taste the arepa itself. it turns out i like the arepa--this venezuelan kind--very much. the sourness that i discerned in the columbian one was absent here. this was crisp on the outside, with a soft, white corn interior seeming on the verge of underbaked, it was so nicely moist and smooth. i had my eye on a yummy and rummy looking cocktail--i'll definitely have one or two of those next time. and i will save room for dessert. it looks like they serve a variation of the alfajores that i swooned for in argentina.
all photos © anita aguilar
