Restaurant Review: Ávila Arepa
ÁVILA AREPA 10760 82nd Avenue ~ avila-arepa.com Instagram: @avilaarepa ~ Twitter: @AvilaArepa Co-Diner: Tim Golem
Today we will be chatting about the arepa and where to get one in Edmonton! An arepa is a type of latin sandwich from Venezuela and Colombia. The word "arepa" refers to the flat and round corn flour patty that is used as the bun. It's a little bit like a tortilla except fatter and puffier. When Ávila Arepa opened a few years ago in Strathcona they were the first Venezuelan restaurant in the city and they've been dishing out arepas aplenty ever since. In fact, in 2018 VUE Weekly gave them just about every award possible; #1 Best Appetizers 2018, #1 Best Soups 2018, #1 Best Salads 2018, #1 Best Spanish 2018, #1 Best Mexican/Latin American 2018, #1 Best Sandwiches 2018, #1 Best Hidden Gem 2018, #1 Best Bargain 2018. Ávila Arepa has been one of the hottest places in town ever since. A self-proclaimed "urban Venezuelan kitchen," Ávila Arepa was opened by an actual Venezuelan immigrant who is bringing latin vibes, homemade flavours, and traditional food with a twist. You feel it the minute that you enter the restaurant and are met with bright colours and latin music. It feels like taking a little vacation! I especially loved the mural in the front entrance that wraps around the walls and down across the floor. You'll see a lot of distressed wood, from the counters to the tabletops, that gives a hip tropical feeling to the space. I loved the comfortable and boisterous atmosphere. The friendly gentleman at the cash was happy to take my order and was very helpful. I was excited (as usual) to find some interesting beverages on the drink menu and immediately went for the Maltín Polar ($3.00).
I loved this drink! It was very unique and different. The malt flavour really comes through and the carbonation and colour makes it feel a little bit like a coke. I liked this a lot especially since I've always enjoyed malt in various forms. There are two sections on the menu that seem the same but different; Sidekicks and Yums. Both are full of things that I would love to try. The Yuca Frita ($6.00) were an absolute must for me because I rarely come across them and I love them very much!
Yuca is the root of the cassava plant and it looks a lot like a sweet potato or yam. I don't know what it is about these things, but I love the flavour and texture of them. These ones were wonderful and fried to a golden perfection. A totally different mouthfeel compared to french fries, yuca is much starchier and really captures the crispiness in a magical way. The Venezuelan mojito dip on the side was oily, garlicy, and herbaceous - nothing even close to ketchup (and I say this in the most approving way possible). I also couldn't ignore the Cochino Frito ($9.00) because the only option for them had to be "delicious."
Little bites of amazingness and possibly the perfect snack. These small chunks of pork have an intense deep-fry on them, creating something quite similar to well-done, yet still chewy bacon. You could just keep popping these into your mouth and not even realize that you'd eaten the whole thing - they've got that addictive quality about them. The guasacaca - the Venezuelan answer to guacamole - was especially creamy and wonderful, with a bright, tangy flavour. You could put that stuff on anything/everything. I didn't even get around to the Tequeños (Venezuelan cheese sticks), Patacones (Venezuelan nachos made with fried plantain instead of chips??), or the Empanadas. Needless to say, I must return. OK. It's arepa time. Ávila Arepa has two sections for them on their menu; Classic and Signature. Combined there are 22 different versions available which provides a ton of choice and endless options. The first one on the Signature list is the Ávila ($14.50) and I figured that since it was my first visit I should probably try the self-titled arepa. I also added fried plantain ($2.00) because it could only make things even more amazing. Additionally, I took the "add salad" option and requested the Venezuelan coleslaw ($1.00) on the side.
As soon as I got my hands on this thing I would tell that it was literally bursting with flavour. I could barely wait to sink my teeth into this erupting corn bun of dreams. The meat was impossibly tender and juicy, melting away in my mouth. The pork is really special and I want it on every arepa that I eat from now on. The cheese provided a wonderful melty tang, I mean, you can never go wrong with cheese. The tomato and arugula were both bright and fresh, adding the ideal freshness to the other heavier flavours. Adding the fried plantain was the absolute correct choice and I loved the fried sweetness that they added, and especially the spicy-sweet combo that was created with the glorious aurora sauce, of which everything was soaked in. And the arepa itself, the corn bun, was lovely. Just the right density, it totally held up to the huge amount of contents but wasn't too "bready" either. This sandwich basically had everything; spice, sweetness, smokiness. It really was like a party in my mouth with everyone invited. Unfortunately my Venezuelan coleslaw seemed to be forgotten about completely, as I never received it. Lastly, I had to do dessert because they make one of my favourites, Tres Leches Cake ($7.00).
I absolutely loved this version! It tasted like if rice pudding and a cake had a baby. The cake itself was absolutely soaking in the creamy milk mixture and I loved the way that the cinnamon created a pronounced flavour. Every bite was a delight. Ávila Arepa was wonderful and I can't say enough about it. Interestingly, almost all of their dishes are gluten-free, making it a food-friendly place for practically anyone. They also serve Criollo Brunch, which I would absolutely love to try. I am so glad that Venezuela has landed in Edmonton because the flavours are massive and this place is doing an incredible job of honouring these delicious dishes.
Comments