Day Nine: Guasa's Venezuelan

This review will be a little different. I was lucky to try Guasa when it was catered en masse at the place we’re staying, so I won’t have much to say about the service. But the food itself, which is the important part, was amazing. I didn’t realize how much I missed South American food until I took a bite of their beans and rice. When I first tried Arepas a while back, handmade by my brother's wonderful Venezuelan roommate, I didn’t enjoy the corn flour dough quite as much as I thought I would. But after this meal I find myself craving the texture of the buns and the seasoned meat regularly. It was the perfect filling meal at the end of a long day.

Rating:

Food: 7.5/10

Price: $$

Accessibility: NA

Service: NA

Food:

Normally I would be complaining about the price right about now, but I didn’t order it so I’m blissfully ignorant. The food however was very good. While it definitely tastes better warm (I came to dinner late and the beginning of my meal was definitely better than the end) it was all around a very positive experience. The fried plantains were a little tough but the bun was really good and soft, and the beans and rice were hearty and filling. I would definitely go back.

Accessibility:

Who needs to worry about stairs when someone else can climb them for you? I'd rate this a 10/10 (assuming you also get Uber Eats).

Service:

I’m sure the staff is lovely, but I didn’t get the pleasure. Maybe next time.

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A Brief History of Arepas:

Popular in South America, Arepas is a maize dough stuffed with meat or/and filling. Some of these fillings include: cheeses, beans, tomatoes, and avocados. Arepas itself is a very old dish, dating back to the pre-Columbian age. While the birthplace of Arepas is hard to pin down, many feel it is synonymous with the agrarian cultivation of corn in the area around Colombia about 3000 years ago. While Arepas are uncommon in mainstream American and British cuisine, there are about 40 variations in Latin American countries, not to mention other similar dishes spread across the South American continent. While maize was originally ground at home, in the 1950s, precooked arepa flour was invented by Dr. Luis Caballero Mejías, a Venezuelan engineer, and became an instant success (according to Daddy Wikipedia). The flour is mixed with water, salt, and occasionally oil, butter, eggs, and/or milk. Because the flour is already cooked, this blend easily forms into patties which are then pan-fried.