Hello Hive foodies. Today for lunch a couple of my co-workers and I decided to hit up some Venezuelan cuisine. There was one other co-worker that arrived late (Phillip) and is not pictured. Pictured starting from the left is Carlos and Bryce.
There has been some changes to the interior of the restaurant since I was last there about a month ago.The only changes are the photos on the wall pictured above. It gives it a smidge better appearance in my opinion.
So this is my third time eating here and the second with my co-worker Carlos. Carlos was born and raised in Venezuela so his presence and his suggestions go a long way. Today I seen all different kind of foods in this cuisine for the first time except for one of the appetizers.
Pictured above is Papas Rellenas. It's mashed potatoes stuffed with ground beef than battered up and fried. Crunchy on the outside while creamy once bitten into. They are super delicious probably a good thing there were only four, making it one per person. We also got some Tequeños (not pictured) which is fried bread sticks stuffed with cheese. Super yummy as well but I have had them each time I have been here.
After finishing our appetizers our food was quickly served. The plate size to me was very large. Let me show you each of our lunch plates.
First up, was my selection which was Pepito with French fries. This is a Venezuelan street food that is served on the city outskirts at hotdog stands. It's a good sized bun filled with a sliced frank, fresh cabbage,bacon, potato sticks and ground beef. All that and topped with 6 different sauces. Very delicious and can be eaten like sandwich.The bite was very satisfying and the ingredients and the sauces tasted very well together.
Next up was Carlos, he choice the Pabellón which is the Venezuelan National Dish. The first thing I thought when I saw his plate was I'm getting that the next time I come here, haha. The Pabellón dish consist of shredded beef, rice, black beans, fried plantains and cheese. He wasted no time at all mixing it all up and savoring it.
Here we have our late for lunch Phillip's Choice of Pasticho,a Venezuelan lasagne. His food arrived with ours because Carlos put it in for him. He was already arranging it and took a bite or two before I could even take a picture, haha. So this dish is layered alternately with tomato-based meat sauce, bechamel sauce, different cheeses and smoked ham. Served with black beans, bread, and a house salad. He said it was absolutely delicious and tastes a little sweeter than the American Lasagne we are use to here.
The last plate to show is Bryce's choice of Venezuelan Asado. It's a round roast dish cooked to perfection in a wine broth. This dish was served with steam rice, black beans, and a house salad. His first words uttered was that the meat is so tender and good. This plate is definitely on my radar for a future visit.
Everyone needed to go boxes except for Carlos. He nearly polished his plate. The rest of us probably ate around half of our plates. I loved the food here why else would it be my third visit. The plates were between $13 -$17. Appetizers were $8
So I thought I would feed the sweet tooth for later. So I bought 5 churros for $8 to go. I have liked everything here so far but I felt ripped off on this purchase. The quantity seemed too small and they weren't all that beefy to be honest. The taste was ok,I have had fast food churros that were better and a lot less expensive. Hey restaurants have the good and the bad. Will I go for another desert option at another time? Probably not because I usually don't get them anyways.
If you have come this far I hope you enjoyed the foods I've shared with you. This place has become a favorite of mine even though I was disappointed with the churros. Take care, be safe, and enjoy the weekend ahead. 🍽️
