So tonight I came home around 7pm, trying to prepare myself for a late night. You see, tonight is the NBA Draft and I had to wait for the picks by the Knicks. I didn’t feel like fussing over dinner and Tracy found this arepas place in the hood. I had to be home at around 9:30 to wait until potentially midnight. Yeah. So, we all had dinner at this new place that opened up in Bushwick Brooklyn. We all being REALLY big fans of Caracas Arepas Bar, we were all pretty excited.
Guacuco Restaurant
44 Irving
Brooklyn, NY
The Restaurant just opened last week and was really spacious and cute. It wasn’t completely trendy or hipsterish, but it wasn’t completely divey or local, either. There was tons of light, it seemed like a family run business, and there was a good mix of diverse backgrounds there… and it’s not yet too crowded. We sat down and our host was really sweet and nice.
First of all, there was fresh juice, coconut milkshake, which I got, tamarind drink, which is what Tracy ordered, and sugarcane/molasses in lemonade, which is what Ryan ordered. They were all really good and Ryan and Tracy’s drink was tart and refreshing. Mine was creamy and delicious with lots of shaved coconut chunks. Actually, mine was quite filling. The drinks were a good size, but still pretty expensive, considering… around $3-4 dollars a cup.
Next we ordered fried plantains with Venezuelan cheese. The plantains were candied, and pretty delicious. The serving was a pretty large and the plantains were hearty with a thick fried outside. It was good, but I don’t think I would be able to finish the whole thing on my own. Definitely share. It was a great snack, though and we poured the arepas sauce that they offered over them. There was a “pink sauce,” the “house blend,” and finally a “spicy sauce.” I was a big fan of the “house blend” and the spicy sauce” together.
Tracy ordered the vegetarian arepas, filled with plantains, avocados, a chunk of delicious white cheese, and tomatoes. Ryan and I ordered the vegetarian arepas, as well, along with the ham and cheese and the shredded fish in herbs.
The vegetarian arepas was delicious. The cornbread was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I think we are still a little partial to Caracas, but this place is a great substitute. The arepas are around $6.50, which I am told is definitely more than a little cheaper than Caracas. The cheese is different.
The ham and cheese was surprisingly delicious and different than what Caracas offers. It was hearty, a little salty, and the cheese was melty. There was a lot of ham and it was a great combination.
The fish… was VERY fishy and hearty, but in a good way. Does that make sense? It was really greasy and it actually made the arepas break and fall apart. Very hearty with herbs and cilantro and very satisfying… if not a little bad for you and FILLED with grease. All in all, I was very satisfied with everything I had. Come, visit me, get some arepas, and then get a drink at Bodega.
