A few days ago, while visiting the Pearl Street Market, I walked past a small building with a little front porch and a makeshift sign that said "Venezuelan Grill," and I had one thought: AREPA!! Two summers ago, our restaurant had a Venezuelan line cook - a tall, handsome and willowy guy, albeit endlessly chatty - who forever won my respect for 1. taking a Greyhound to New York and showing up at the back door to work 2 days - unpaid - at NOBU, and 2. making me some arepas, to taste his native food. I have thought of them frequently since, but never knew where to get any. Until this past Friday.
What is an arepa? (ah-RAY-pah) you might ask? Well, it is a little cake made from Harina de Maiz, lime-soaked white cornmeal, that is mixed with water and then cooked, rather like polenta (or mush). The cake is grilled or deep fried, and then cut open and stuffed with all manner of things. At dinner, it is frequently served alongside the main dish, uncut. Think of it as a roll, that one might eat alone or made into a sandwich. Arepas at El Arepazo can be stuffed with black beans, beef, chicken or tuna ($4-$5).
Two beef & cheese arepas along with black beans and rice:
Finally, last Friday, I made it to El Arepazo, and returned yesterday. I'm already thinking about my next visit. El Arepazo started out as a side project for owners Carlos Gutierrez and Eliezer Molina, who cooked up arepas and other Venezuelan fare at the Festival Latino every summer. Six weeks ago, they finally opened up their little Arepera (shop in which to purchase arepas) on Pearl Street.
El Arepazo makes everything from scratch, and it shows; I had a similar feeling when I went to Turkish Cuisine - the staff is excited for you to try their products because they know you might never have tasted it before, and they worked hard to bring it to you.
A good place to start here is with the Venezuelan platter ($6.99): black beans and rice with shredded beef, fried plantains, and and arepita (silver-dollar sized version of arepa, with no filling). The shredded beef is full of dark and sweet spices; the plantains benefit from frying - the sugars caramelize to a soft and chewy sweetness.
Venezuelan Platter:
If you are less adventurous, you could begin with a standard burrito ($5.00) or Cuban wrap ($5.25), which includes beef, beans & rice, and fried plantains.
Empanadas ($3.50 - $3.75) are made with the same Harina mixture as the arepas, but here are thinner and deep-fried. The empanada is cut open after frying and then filled with black beans & cheese, shredded beef or shredded chicken.
Black Bean Empanada:
Very soon I will also try the Tres Leces (a cake soaked in caramelized sweetened cream, $2.50), and Patacon ($4.00 - $6.00), a whole plantain which is flattened and fried, and then topped with shredded meat or cheese. The problem with plantains is that you eat a few one day, and then you are thinking about them for weeks to come; they're like a mysterious person in a bar that you see only fleetingly, never knowing when they'll be back. Actually, that isn't entirely true, as I could go to El Arepazo every day and get fried plantains . . . but I digress.
I am about to confess something that my friends all know, but I have never discussed here: I hate cilantro. I really, really hate it. I don't know if I have a true allergy to it, but I can always tell when someone is chopping it in the kitchen at work because my throat begins to close. The fact that I could drink El Arepazo's house hot cilantro sauce is a testament to their balance of flavors, and goes far to confirm my long-held theory that Americans simply do not know how to use cilantro. And yes, my throat feels a little tight after eating their sauce, but as long as there's no anaphylaxis, I feel like I'm okay.
I do have one complaint: no pork! I love any Latin treatment of pork, which usually takes some sort of mediocre cut and reduces it to a succulent and tear-inducing tenderness rivaling the best confit. Maybe soon: El Arepazo promises to expand their cuisine to include that of El Salvador and Costa Rica (my sister spent a lot of time in Costa Rica growing up and claimed all they ate were beans and rice. And bananas.)
My suggestion is this: take a little walk from wherever your office is, or drive over to Gay street and get frustrated that the meters charge you a nickel for every minute, and go to El Arepazo. It is so worth the divergence from whatever you normally have at the office, I know you'll appreciate it. The staff is funny and knowledgeable, and very bilingual, although they are happy to help you with your Spanish if you ask! They are happy to describe each dish in detail if you have never had their cuisine before. Go tomorrow. Don't wait. I really think you will want to go at least twice a week.
Info: El Arepazo Latin Grill 47 North Pearl Street (park on Gay - it's between Gay and Broad streets) Columbus, OH 614.228.4830
