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| - Hidden Gem
Hole in the wall
Small crappy looking shack that serves delicious grub
All three of these phrases perfectly describe Viva Las Arepas, but I like the third one the best!
Located at the end of the strip, on Las Vegas Blvd, just a few blocks past the Stratosphere Hotel, sits a small, ugly white shack in a deserted parking lot that serves up some of the tastiest little snacks in all of Las Vegas.
Viva Las Arepas serves up some of the best tasting Arepas I've ever eaten. For those of you who aren't familiar with Arepas, they're pretty much small, fried cornmeal pockets stuffed with meats, cheese, veggies, sauce, etc, etc. Viva also makes empanadas, a few hot dogs, aguas frescas, and a few sweet treats like flan and more. They also have these two amazing shack-made sauces. One is a lime green color that's mild but has an amazing flavor and the other is a spicy red sauce. Since my wife and I were going to have a big dinner the same day we visited Viva, we decided to just get a few items to try. This is what we purchased;
Lengua Arepa W/ White Cheese & Avocado Slices http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/EnCIojgP5KTr1leaysFE3A?select=8lN2NE_nQzG-VFNGfeR1hA
Ground Beef & Shredded Cheese Arepa http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/EnCIojgP5KTr1leaysFE3A?select=-dY7b8L5QpT1MPtSHG34ug
Black Bean & Cheese Empanada http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/EnCIojgP5KTr1leaysFE3A?select=D_dkKgnCHti4moXUxO85vQ
All three items were incredibly delicious. The cornmeal pockets were perfectly fried yet still had a soft center. The Lengua, which was shredded and cooked in a delicious sauce, was my fave of the two. It was savory, sweet and slightly spicy all at the same time. The ground beef Arepa reminded me of a Taco Bell Chalupa, but obviously much better. The black bean and cheese empanada was also very good.
To wash down our yummy snacks we had a large Passion Fruit aguas frescas. It was super sweet and super refreshing. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/EnCIojgP5KTr1leaysFE3A?select=Wz0vow2OgM5E5N6lMQP07Q
The prices for each Arepa are about $3 or $4 bucks a piece, which isn't too bad considering how delicious they are. The guys who were working in the shack were all friendly and got our food out to us quickly.
If you're in LV and feel like something quick, tasty and cheap, don't go to some crappy chain place like McDonald's, head on down to Viva Las Arepas and treat yourself to some phenomenal Arepas. Trust ME.
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