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| - For arepas (corn flour sandwiches), Viva Las Arepas is definitely one of the best places in town. I came here the third day it was open, when it was still called I Love Arepas and when signage wasn't as visible and impressive. I met Felix, the owner. He really prides himself on his recipe for his corn masa bread. He has the bread ready and preps everyday. He has trays of the bread and when you order, he heats up the bread for you right in front of you for you to see. What you might not know is that his back is aching just so you can see what he is doing because he set the grill up lower, so whenever he cooks, he really has to bend over and strain his neck for you to see how he's cooking everything in the trailer.
The trailer is where all the business and eating is done. His storage is right next to Dino's Neighborhood Bar. If you ever ask him, he might show you. His storage is filled with Corn Flour. His arepas are Venezuelan. Arepas are also really popular in Colombia. Anyway, he uses the freshest ingredients. His aguas (juices) are from concentrate and blended with filtered water. He has guanabana (soursop), guayaba (guava), parchita (passion fruit) and mango (mango, lol).
My favorite sandwich is the
Reina Pepiada: Fresh chicken with avocado cream sauce, great textures and came out piping hot, so it was really delicious.
I have tried many of the other sandwiches. They're all really delicious. The empanadas are filled with fresh meats. Their dessert, quesillo, was really delicious. Even though Felix doesn't like it being compared with a cheese flan, I felt that would be how I would describe quesillo to anyone.
This might look like a fast food joint to you, but he really takes the time to care about and cook his food. He enjoys telling people about the process of making his food. I enjoy listening to chefs talk about how they make their food.
I had a great experience all five times that I went to this place. I think that everybody in town should try to hit up this spot at least once. It's really a gem.
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