Caracas Arepa Bar

The first thing I noticed was the smells. Not in an overwhelming, affronting way, but in that warm tendril of scent that creeps around your nose way. Bright colors and a cozy setting added to the tantalizing aroma, and I had to restrain myself from tackling the waitress and stealing the food from her tray.

To my taste buds’ delight, the food tasted even better than it smelled. With a menu composed of traditional Venezuelan Arepas, I devoured delicious (gluten-free!!) corn tortilla sandwiches stuffed with things like grilled leeks, sundried tomatoes, caramelized onions, and guayanés cheese.  Sweet plantains stuffed in a cinnamon plantain batter with white cheese tasted like bread pudding, and the guacamole was perfect.

(Leek Jardinera)

To top it off, the cocktail entitled Michelada put a new twist on a refreshing beer.  Caracas Arepa Bar blends raw sugar cane with habeneros, lemon, and a salted rim glass that goes perfectly with the Pacifico beer that you pour in yourself. It may not have been Mexican, but this Cinco de Mayo meal couldn’t have been better.

(Michelada)

Caracas Arepa Bar can be found at 93 ½ E 7^th St, NY, NY 10009 (212) 529-2314, www.caracasarepabar.com/manhattan