Ida and her friend Lauren came up through New York on Ida's recent Northeastern tour this weekend. I met up with them on Friday evening, and with everyone in agreement on their hunger levels, we headed to East Village (yes, I should really move there) to check out a spot called Punjabi Grocery & Deli, which apparently is a hipster favorite, serving Indian food from what looks like a convenience store. The food looked great, but they had no seating, so I suggested Venezuelan as a possible ethnic alternative.
It was time for some more Caracas Arepas.
The sit-down storefront of Caracas Arepas had at least six couples waiting to eat already, which meant minimum hour wait, so we went to their To-Go section and lucked out with some seats at the bar. I really would recommend everyone to do this.
Ida selected La Surena (see pics from our previous visit), Lauren got the La Mulata (grilled white cheese with jalapeños, sautéed red peppers, fried sweet plantains and black beans) and I got Los Muchachos (grilled chorizo, spicy white cheese with jalapeños and sauteed peppers) because not only does it have a buncha chorizo (I love!), it also has a fun name.
I also decided to mix it up and get this awesome looking drink that I saw previous customers order:
Lauren and Ida also enjoyed their first arepas also. Lauren stated she doesn't even really like red peppers, but their red peppers were really good. I might have to try hers next time. Plaintains inside an arepa? Sign me up!
After, we ended up eating dessert from the Wafels & Dinges truck at West 4th.
I tried the Liege this time (the chewy wafel), since I had the Brussels previously and loooved it, and the Liege came at the recommendation of the lovely Greeshma.
I ordered the dulce de leche + whipped cream but somehow ended up with a massive amount of chocolate fudge and cream. I decided to eat it anyway:
Ida really liked her wafel and stated the strawberries were awesome. I thought mine was good, but I still prefer the Brussels, because I'm just a crispy kind of girl. (I still feel Party pizzas are the best kind of homebaked pizza, even if it does have a bunch of trans fats.)
And that was our night !
It was time for some more Caracas Arepas.
The sit-down storefront of Caracas Arepas had at least six couples waiting to eat already, which meant minimum hour wait, so we went to their To-Go section and lucked out with some seats at the bar. I really would recommend everyone to do this.
Ida selected La Surena (see pics from our previous visit), Lauren got the La Mulata (grilled white cheese with jalapeños, sautéed red peppers, fried sweet plantains and black beans) and I got Los Muchachos (grilled chorizo, spicy white cheese with jalapeños and sauteed peppers) because not only does it have a buncha chorizo (I love!), it also has a fun name.
I also decided to mix it up and get this awesome looking drink that I saw previous customers order:
The cocada is a coconut milkshake with a touch of cinnamon
The drink was a fantastic blend with lots of fresh coconut. The cinnamon was a great accent. I shared the drink with both Lauren and Ida, and we unanimously agreed it was amazingly delicious. I am now obsessed with Latin American beverages and have been eyeing horchatas ever since. Brooklyn Flea today, mayhaps?
Los Muchachos. As great as I had imagined. The spicy white cheese was grilled or toasted as you can see from behind the pieces of chorizo. It was so delicious. And the fresh jalapenos added a lovely level of spiciness. The freshly made arepa was crispy and almost painfully hot, but absolutely perfect.
After, we ended up eating dessert from the Wafels & Dinges truck at West 4th.
I tried the Liege this time (the chewy wafel), since I had the Brussels previously and loooved it, and the Liege came at the recommendation of the lovely Greeshma.
I ordered the dulce de leche + whipped cream but somehow ended up with a massive amount of chocolate fudge and cream. I decided to eat it anyway:
I heart whipped cream so much.
Oozy chocolate.
Ida's strawberries + nutella + liege wafel
Ida and Lauren eating wafels on the nearby church steps
And that was our night !
91 East 7th Street
New York, NY 10009
(212) 529-2314
Friday nights, West 4th by Grom
i looooooooooove horchatas!! and also that cheese looks SO GOOD and like something i would want to eat every day of my life... crispy and delicious!!
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