Something that I say all the time is I am from two countries. Being from two different countries was a blessing because I grew up full of culture, appreciation for my roots, and most importantly: amazing food.
When I moved to the United States, finding a place with the same food seasoning as my home country was tremendously hard, but I’m not saying it was impossible. The moment I found this local restaurant, I was tremendously excited. Because of this, I want to share some of my joy by recommending this Venezuelan restaurant where you can enjoy delicious empanadas, cachapas, tequeños, and more.
Located in the DMV area, ArepaZone has seven local restaurants, with most of them in Washington D.C. and its newest one located in College Park, Maryland. ArepaZone serves from stuffed food like arepas to sweet desserts like marquesa and quesillo.
In the first place, what are arepas? Arepas are the signature dishes of Venezuela. An arepa is a type of flatbread made of ground maize dough that can be stuffed with a filling like beef, black beans, avocado, chicken, cheese, ham, and more. Its simplicity and easy way to be cooked make it a daily meal in most households in Venezuela. Even in this country, my mom makes arepas for me, and sometimes I do it by myself. Cooking arepas is something that made me feel in my country just for a few moments. Moreover, its adaptability made them be served as breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
If I’m being honest, I cannot fully recommend the arepas from this local, not because they taste bad, but actually for a reason that is very important for Venezuelan people.
The reason why I cannot fully recommend the arepas from ArepaZone is that they truly taste better when they are homemade. Millions of Venezuelans have a different way to prepare the flour, a different way of kneading the dough, and even shaping arepas. Every single arepa is unique, and its taste can vary from one family to another.
Something I can definitely recommend without a doubt are the empanadas. Venezuelan empanadas are crispy, crescent-shaped cornmeal turnovers, and as same as arepas, they can be filled with savory fillings like cheese, ground beef, or shredded chicken. They are also made with the same corn flour as arepas are made.
My favorite one is Pabellón Empanada. I already explained what an empanada is. Now, let me explain what pabellón is.
Pabellón is the Venezuelan national dish. This dish consists of carne mechada (shredded beef), black beans, cheese, and tajadas (fried sweet plantains). Empanadas filled with pabellón are just the perfect combination of Venezuelan typical flavors. In addition to that, empanadas are accompanied by a delicious sauce named guasacaca. Guasacaca is a creamy sauce made with avocado, cilantro, parsley, onion, garlic, green bell pepper, oil, and vinegar. This sauce can be served not only with empanadas but also with arepas and grilled meats. 
Most of my memories are filled with trips to the beach where my family and I stopped by just to eat together some fresh empanadas straight out of the pot, always accompanied by the delicious guasacaca and an iced malta. Malta is a non-alcoholic, very sweet drink made from malted barley that resembles a soda but is less carbonated. This Malta is deeply etched in the memories of millions of Venezuelans.
Besides typical and salty food, ArepaZone also sells typical candies and everyday supplies. Every time I go there, I have to take with me some of their candies, especially the TOOPS cereals, which remind me of a great part of my childhood and life in Venezuela.
ArepaZone also takes catering orders for special occasions. People who order the catering option can request arepas, and other Venezuelan appetizers, but in smaller sizes, which is very convenient for big reunions.
More than a place where I can eat food, Arepazone is where I can still be rooted to my culture and remember a great part of who I used to be before arriving in America. Even though I can still make some arepas on my own, I will always want a place where I can find that typical Venezuelan accent and create more memories in a foreign country.
