What I usually love about New Orleans is the intermingling of flavors, but what I love about Maïs Arepas is actually the opposite. I love the authenticity of everything. One cuisine we don’t see much of around here is Colombian. I haven’t been to Colombia nor do I claim to know the cuisine very well, but what I do know is that I want more…
The Bar.
Magarita!
Empanadas Caleñas. Colombian-style yellow cornmeal pies. Shredded beef. Sofrito & Papa criolla. Aji Valluno.
Open Sesame!
Arepa Sampler. Trio of mini Arepas: Shredded skirt steak with Hogao valluno/Pulled pork with Aji & cotija cheese/Shredded Chicken with avocado & green peppers
Maiz de la Rueda. Grilled maïs on the cob. Spicy butter. Aioli. Cotija Cheese.
Marinera Arepas. Grilled jumbo shrimp. Citrus Creole slaw. Avocado. Pink Sauce.
I am trying to find words to describe the delight in each bite I had that day and I’m at a loss for words. Honestly, the pictures say it for me…But in case it hasn’t caught your eye yet, the arepas (pronounced: a-ray-pahs) are cornmeal-based pita-like bread that is stuffed with flavorful Columbian seasoned meats like braised pork, juicy beef, or even shrimp. There’s a variety to choose from! The corn was probably THE best corn I’ve had…seasoned so well. So buttery…And lastly, the empanadas were cornmeal-crusted, which was refreshing and very similar to the arepas.
What I love about Maïs Arepas is the attention to plating, that you don’t typically see in more rustic-style foods. Normally, the food speaks for itself, but here, everything from the plating, the smells, and the flavors spoke to you.
Rating: 5/5 spoons!
