EL AREPÓN
VENEZUELA FOOD
Hoppen Hierarchy:★★★
District: Bellevue
Venezuelan cuisine
Perfect For: Lunch; Casual Dining; Takeout
Standout Dishes: Reine Pepeada Arepa; Llanera Arepa; Cuban Sandwich; Chicken Empanada
If you ask most Omahans what an arepa is, you’re just as likely to be met with a shrug and a quizzical look than the correct answer. It’s hard to blame them, though—with so few places serving this traditional South American sandwich, they rarely encounter the delicacy.
Fortunately, there are places like El Arepón to help enlighten us.
A cornerstone of Venezuelan cuisine, arepas are ground corn flour patties that are cut into pockets and stuffed with meats, cheeses, and veggies. El Arepón serves several varieties of the dish, as well as empanadas and patacones, sandwiches made with buns of twice deep-fried plantains.
And it’s clear that the more Omahans get a taste of the arepa, the more they want. Owner Richard Mendoza, who moved to Omaha from Venezuela in 2000, wanted to introduce his new neighbors to a new, delicious style of food.
That passion led to him to open a food truck in 2017. The business quickly grew, and in 2020 he moved into a bay in the Switch Beer and Food Hall. In 2022, El Arepón’s brick and mortar was established in Bellevue. In five years, El Arepón graduated from concept to full-blown success.
The star of the show at El Arepón are the Arepas, which start with a delicious base. The masa pocket holds together very well, managing to maintain the heaping portion of ingredients stuffed inside. The texture is pleasantly chewy—think of a pita crossed with cornmeal. It can easily and cleanly be eaten with one hand (obviously very useful if being consumed on the road).
Here are my personal favorites:
- Reine Pepeada: What this combination of chicken and avocado salad (lettuce, cilantro, onions, mashed avocados, and mayo) lacks in visual appeal, it makes up for in astounding flavor. The creaminess of the salad works very well with the chew of the dough, and the onions add a bite.
- Llanera: The steak is brilliant, tender and perfectly seasoned. It’s accented by a fresh tomato salsa, and the queso fresco melts nicely to give the sandwich a tangy, salty flavor.
Pabellón: The shredded beef is tender and has just a touch of sweetness, which works well with the fried plantains. A fried egg adds a perfect finishing touch, and cheese oozes out of seemingly every available crevice.
Honey Garlic Shrimp: Neither the sweetness or garlic take control of the dish; rather, they work in tandem to achieve a great balance. And the shrimp, while small, are well-cooked and plentiful.
The arepas are all good-sized, and one could potentially serve as a meal, particularly a lunch. If you’re hungry, however, I definitely recommend two.
It’s not all about arepas at El Arepón, however. There are several other Latin American delicacies to sample, such as the Cuban Sandwich. El Arepón stays very close to the sandwich’s origins, featuring brilliantly crispy pressed bread, melted Swiss, and a mustard that truly brings the zing. Bites of this sandwich are a bit Russian roulette, however, because of the marinated pork. The pork itself is delicious, juicy with just a touch of sweetness. But there are fatty, chewy bites throughout that make the experience a bit hit or miss.
The Tostones are an excellent appetizer, as smashed, twice-fried plantains provide a delicious, starchy base for zesty chicken and cheese (though the latter should be melted).
Craving something deep fried? An empanada is right up your alley. These deep-fried half-moons are a touch greasy, but they’re packed with flavor. The shell is fried to a perfect consistency—it maintains its integrity but bends and tears when ripped apart. It’s tender and flaky and sufficiently protects the insides from being affecting by oil.
I highly recommend the Chicken Empanada. The shredded chicken is flavored wonderfully with just a hint of spice, and I’d eat a bowl of it simply on its own.
You’re not going to find many restaurants in Omaha serving authentic Venezuelan food, especially by a chef who hails from the country. If you’re looking to give your tastebuds a new experience, make the drive to Bellevue, say hi to the tirelessly friendly Mendoza, and sink your teeth into South American sandwich bliss.