Arepa: [a’ray pa] A grilled dough made of corn flour and water. Originating from the northern region of South America notably in Colombian and Venezuelan cuisine.
Now that we know what an arepa is, we can now discuss how delicious they are. There has been a long debate between Colombia and Venezuela on who originated the arepa but lucky for us, Tasty Arepa brings the flavors of both of these culinary siblings. Tasty Arepa is taking an arepa to a new level. These are massive stuffed sandwiches packed with flavor inside of a split arepa with choices of shredded meats, cheeses and accoutrements. You are guaranteed for a flavorful experience but there is one particular item on the menu that will change your world.
At Tasty Arepas, you can find an array of arepa sandwiches, empanadas, classic arepas and snacks to choose from. While this their food is great at any time of day, there is something that is special about enjoying this street food after a few drinks. The Pabellon arepa sandwich is a classic. They take their large split arepa and stuff it generously with shredded beef, black beans, sweet plantains and white cheese. That tender juicy shredded beef is complemented by the sweetness of the plantains and the white cheese comes back with a salty kick to round out the flavor profile. It is almost perfect as is but when you pour over their garlic cream sauce and salsa rosada (ketchup and mayo) make the sandwich a work of art. With a name like Tasty Arepa, I was expecting delicious hot arepas but they had another item that really stole the show. At the bottom of their menu stands an item that on paper sounds absurd but when that order comes out, it will light up your sense and send your taste buds into overdrive. The Tasty Burger comes stacked with a thick beef patty that is topped with caramelized onions, thick slab of tomato, some crisp green lettuce because we’re watching our figure, savory ham, sizzling bacon, shoestring potato chips and a hefty layer of mozzarella cheese. Just as you think this cholesterol bomb couldn’t get any better it is asphyxiated with a cornucopia of condiments including pineapple sauce, raspberry sauce, salsa rosada, ketchup, mayo and mustard all layered between two hot arepas. Let’s be honest, this isn’t a meal for the health conscience crowd. This burger comes in at almost two pounds and trying to open your mouth wide enough to take the first bite is a challenge in and of itself. It is so hard to describe the flavors because there is so much going on yet so unison like some experimental jazz freestyle where it seems like each musician is playing a different song yet it all comes together to make a perfect masterpiece. The beef is very prominent and seasoned just right to be present but not be overpowered by the saltiness from the ham and bacon. The lettuce and tomato seem to almost cleanse the palate meanwhile the shoestring potato chips seem lost in translation. With all of the savory goodness going on you are floored with a flood of creamy sweet and savory sauces that seem like a stoners dream meal. The Tasty Burger is a beautiful disaster, not only because it is a messy dish that you will need a roll of paper towels to clean up with afterwards but because it seems like something that shouldn’t work, works so perfectly. If you’re looking for a cheat meal, this is the one.
Tasty Arepa might be my new favorite food truck after this experience. The Tasty Burger still comes to me in my dreams and I can’t wait be with it once again. To be honest, this is Colombian/Venezuelan burger is one to envy and may have ruined me for other burgers in the future. I recommend you seek out Tasty Arepa when you see them posted up. Be sure to follow them of their social media platforms to see where they are parked daily and if you see me running on the trails extra hard you’ll know why. Click here to check them out.
