Arepera Guacuco

Arepera Guacuco is a Venezuelan restaurant in Bushwick, Brooklyn. “Arepera” Means “a place that sells arepas, ” and Guacuco is the name of a beach in Venezuela where owner Leonardo Molina was born. His mother Carmen is cooking the food at this restaurant, and her arepas are delicious. Arepas are lightly-fried corn patties that are split open and filled with cheese, vegetables or meat. Carmens secret is that she makes her arepas super fresh: When she sees a customer walk in the door, she starts making the patties from cornmeal, salt and water. She pats them into shape, fries them on a griddle with a bit of oil, and finishes them in the oven. Theres beer and wine on this menu, but a more memorable drink is the papelón con límon, a traditional Venezuelan limeade spiked with molasses. Arepera Guacuco is at 44 Irving Avenue at Troutman Street in Bushwick.