Arepas on the Go, a casual eatery serving up Venezuelan street food--not to be confused with fast food--has been serving the Twin Cities for 2 years and opened a brick-and-mortar location earlier this year in Brooklyn Park.
The location is easily accessible, with ample parking available. Arepas on the Go offers counter-style service, available for dine-in or takeout. The staff is pleasant and amicable. The interior decor is a love letter to Venezuela's beauty. As a family-owned and operated business, selling authentic Venezuelan comfort meals, they cook all food to order. Depending on your order, the wait time may vary while greatness is prepared. I appreciate this approach to cooking because, for this type of cuisine, reheating wouldn't be authentic or tasty. Made-to-order is the way to go for this cuisine, so if you're in a rush, I'd advise visiting when you can spare the time to wait while your meal is prepared the way it's meant to be enjoyed.
I will admit I came across a problem. I did not know what to choose. The menu is vast with SO many good options: Arepas, Empanadas, Cachapas, Sandwiches de Patacon, to name a few. After debating back and forth and compromising with returning a second time to try what I didn't during this visit, I ordered:
- Build [my] Own Arepa: Fried or Baked, I chose a baked arepa. This resulted in a crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, warm white corn masa, which I filled with chicken, carne asada (grilled steak), black beans, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, and grated white cheese. I appreciated the seasoning in all of the proteins. Speaking of proteins, I'd also like to applaud the quality and home-cooked taste of the black beans. My friends, NO canned beans touch this greatness. And as if the arepa wasn't delicious on its own, I added their house garlic cilantro "tartar" (sauce) to the arepa filling; BANGER! This dish was hearty, layered in flavors, and incredibly filling. They offer many variations of arepas, so if you're undecided like me, you won't regret starting here.
- Empanadas: I ate a trio of all the empanadas, taking advantage of a 6 for $12.99 empanada special. As soon as the empanadas were delivered to my table, I immediately picked up on the smell of the sweet, fried corn dough. A nostalgic smell and taste. All of the empanadas were fried perfectly. The sweetness of the empanada shell balanced well with all the savory fillings, though some were better than others. The cheese empanada was the least of my favorites. Unfortunately, as soon as I bit into the empanada, all the cheese would come in one bite, leaving the rest of the empanada shell empty. This was exclusive to the cheese ones. The chicken option was good. My absolute favorite I'd order again were the beef empanadas. Tender, shredded beef packed with robust Creole seasonings --I could've easily eaten 20 of these beef empanadas.
- Cachapa: a pancake-style dish, stuffed with Venezuelan cheese and cooked on the griddle, this sweet and savory combination was another smash hit. Served with a silky fresh crema, this layered empanada-like "stuffed pancake" had a multitude of tasty yet straightforward flavors. Other options include pork, chicken, or steak, but I was told Cheese was the original and best way to go if trying for the first time :)
- CepiFruit: A sweet ending to a filling meal, this strawberry and condensed milk blended drink was layered with mango and strawberries. It was a unique drink and would be appreciated most by true sweet-tooth fanatics. This could be enjoyed as a treat on its own, but for me, it was too much to finish along with everything else I sampled.
Overall, my visit to Arepas on the Go was a total success. From sampling their version of a familiar favorite Arepa to trying the new-to-me Cachapa, I'm thrilled to happily recommend Arepas on the Go to anyone who asks me about my experience. I personally can't wait to go back and sample the Patacón Burger made with fried green plantains, and their version of the famous Salchipapas. read more