This past Saturday I had the pleasure of trying Made in Venezuela, a food truck that I had never had before. In addition, it also gave me the chance to try a genre of food I had never had- Venezuelan! How exciting for the Ferry, right? As soon as I noticed they were coming, I was beaming with excitement. I had no idea what to expect. The Crooked Lotus has consistently hosted a myriad of food trucks lately and I, for one, am very delighted about it. If you read my last post about Jasmine Tasty Thai, you know they’ve been there several times and they quickly became a fav of mine.
Made in Venezuela food truck has been open for three months, according to its owner Miguel, whom I had the pleasure of meeting. A bright and enthusiastic young man, he was more than happy to explain their menu and was so friendly. I asked him how many arepas he normally eats, because I was ordering for my husband and wanted to make sure I got him enough. He told me two, and I was very grateful.
But WAIT, What are Arepas?!
An arepa is a type of food made of ground maize dough, originating from the northern region of South America in pre-Colombian times, and is notable primarily in the cuisines of Colombia and Venezuela. Both countries claim to be the place of origin of the. I saw these were the main menu item, and had no clue what they were, so we are learning about them together.
One of the Best Bites Ever!
Okay, you guys..the flavor in these is so unique and unmatched. I could already tell by the pics of them they would more than likely be delicious but oh my goodness! The corn ‘shell’ is obviously handmade, slightly crisp, and melts in your mouth. If you’re a lover of corn tortillas like I am, as far as street tacos, there’s no way you won’t love these. Here are the fillings they offer:
- Ground Beef
- Shredded Chicken
- Tuna Salad
- Shredded Beef
- Domino
- Venezuelan Sampler
They also serve tequenos (cheese sticks), empanadas, and tres leches cake.
What Leah Loved:
- I chose ground beef and shredded chicken. I loved it ALL! They layer the most delicious pico de gallo I’ve ever had, homemade guacamole, and cheese on top of your protein of choice. The meat is seasoned to perfection.
- Here’s the twist: even though I ordered the chicken, we were actually given tuna. I’m not a huge fan of tuna, just never have been. But guess what? I. Loved. This. Tuna. It was lean, pink, juicy, and so fresh!! So, try the tuna!
- The ground beef empanadas are to die for as well. Served with a green sauce, as are the arepas, they are perfect for dipping and so savory and crispy. The inside is tender and you won’t be able to eat just one!
My 2nd visit to Made in Venezuela food truck:
- Update: I visited them again for the first second time tonight and it was EVEN better than the first experience! I got ground beef and shredded chicken. What makes these so mouth watering and addicting is how FRESH the ingredients are: chopped red onion, piccolo, the guacamole, the cheese…it all works together when you bite into the homemade corn maize crust. It’s crispy and tender after you bite into it. The chicken was so bright and juicy.
- Homemade sauces: tonight it came with an additional sauce alongside the green sauce it had before. It was yellow and I LOVED it. I reached out to Made In Venezuela to clarify what they are and was told the green is garlic and the yellow is a corn sauce.
Wanna try?! Made in Venezuela can be tracked via their social media profiles:
Forks up, Food down!
Eat Pray Leah
Don’t miss the other Food articles by Leah Norman!