Posted: June 30th, 2010 | Author: anita | Filed under: new york, review | Tags: arepa, caracas arepa bar, east village, lunch, south american food, venezuelan food | No Comments »
i am the food photographer for an online show called party in your mouth, hosted by jess hullett. the show’s been on for a little less than a year, and we produce one new episode per week, always themed around a “holiday.” jess does an amazing job researching the holidays, writing the script and creating recipes for viewers to try. among the things i enjoy about this job, in addition to jess’ fine company, is we get to eat the props. that’s definitely not true of most food shoots.
last december, she invited a special guest, her friend majo, to the show to celebrate the feast of the immaculate conception.
the dish? columbian style arepas.
it was the first time i had arepas. i liked the fineness of the white cornmeal, but there was slight tanginess to the cakes that i put me off a bit. (it’s the same flavor that i don’t love in sourdough bread.)
when i was in columbia in march, during a long, long stopover, i gave the arepas another try. i ordered one with chorizo, and cheese. same deal, except this one was even more sour. i was disappointed.
and yet it wasn’t enough to stop me from trying venezuelan arepas–i’d heard good things about caracas area bar in the east village; the menu was impossible to resist (roasted pork shoulder, with spicy mango sauce…grilled chorizo and spicy white cheese…grilled chicken AND chorizo AND avocado AND chimi-churri sauce…come on).
i was rewarded.
here’s what i got:
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 my friend 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. the sourness that i discerned in the columbian one was absent here. i looked at a few recipes online–it seems like the venezuelan version omits the lebne/sour cream/yogurt. 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
***
93 1/2 e 7th St.
212.529.2314
212.228.5062
open every day: noon to 11pm
in brooklyn:
291 grand st.
(between havemeyer st and roebling st)
718.218.6050
open every day: noon to 11pm
and this was the “swing arepa” that my friend 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. the sourness that i discerned in the columbian one was absent here. i looked at a few recipes online–it seems like the venezuelan version omits the lebne/sour cream/yogurt. 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. 
