Caicara de Orinoco Restaurants

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Venezuelan food is one of the country's best kept secrets. There are many very unique dishes, particularly in the "fast food" category, that one would think should spread world-wide for their variety. In Caicara, there is easy acces to fresh fruits, cheezes, meats, fish, and many other agricultural products. For me, a perfect breakfast is either a cachapa with grated cheeze or as is shown here, a couple arepas with any number of things stuffed into them: meats, cheezes (typically white, crumbly and salty), onions, and tomatoes. With that, I like a doble maron (double latte) and a tall batido of, ideally parchita juice. If parchita juice isn't available, I'll take fresh mango, papaya, melon, or if nothing else, orange. We found this place along the boulevard in Caicara on our way out of town. Everything was prepared exactly as it should be. This food was very cheap, but a luxury for any American or European.

Favorite Dish: Arepas are made from a special pre-cooked corn meal processed only in Venezuela. The Arapa is reminiscent of polenta, but the corn texture is both finer and firmer. The batido is a blended ice and fresh fruit drink. Parchita is my favorite, although many people don't like it at first. It's an acquired taste, but once acquired, the best fresh orange juice doesn't even compare for sophistication in terms of complex natural acids and sugars.