Jenny L.
Yelp
I had a great food adventure this morning when I decided to check out a new Venezuelan restaurant near the Airbnb where I'm staying in Uptown, next to UTEP. The last time I had Venezuelan food in El Paso was at Casabe, but I found it a bit greasy and lacking in seasoning. So, I was really excited to give this new place a try!
I arrived at around 10:00.am and waited since they were a little late in opening up. When I walked in, I was greeted by a cute little spot with plenty of seating. The only thing is, they didn't have physical menus. Instead, they had a QR code you could scan to see the menu. But beware, the download can take a while, so you might want to check out the menu I uploaded on Google Maps/Yelp.
As I walked in, I realized that the lady who welcomed me only spoke Spanish. I tried using my translator app on my phone, but then a gentleman came in who spoke a bit more English. Phew! With his help, I was able to place my order. I asked him for the most popular dish, and he said everything was good. In the end, I decided to go for the PICADA (for 2), which came with chicken, steak, cheese, chorizo, 4 small arepas, tostones, and yucca. I also ordered 4 tequenos (fried breaded cheese sticks), 3 HUGE TequeYoyos (slices of ripe bananas, cheese, and smoked ham wrapped in flour and fried), and 2 empanadas (1 meat and 1 cheese).
I was particularly curious about the TequeYoyos because I loved Venezuelan food when I was in LA. However, they were invented after I left, so I hadn't had a chance to try them yet. I wondered how the combination of sweet and salty flavors wrapped in cheese and fried dough would taste. Let me tell you, it was amazing! It's like the ultimate snack or Hot Pocket. I could honestly eat it every day. It's so delicious, but I have to admit, it's definitely a calorie bomb. However, it hits that sweet and salty spot so well, with different textures. The slight stickiness and gumminess of the banana, the chewiness of the cheese, the salty smokiness of the ham, and the crunchy, doughy cover--it's heaven!
Not only were the TequeYoyos fantastic, but the meat was perfectly cooked, and the chorizo and chicken were tasty too. The chicken wasn't dry at all. I actually bought some for my in-laws, who had never tried Venezuelan food before, and they were pleasantly surprised by how much they enjoyed it. I had a feeling they would like it because it shares many similarities with Puerto Rican cuisine. It has a very Caribbean vibe with the tostones, yucca, and a flavor profile that's creamy, herbaceous, and not too spicy.
I'm really excited to go back and try more items from their menu. The best part is that even though most of the items are fried, nothing tasted greasy or oily. Venezuelan food has a unique touch of sweetness, especially in their empanadas, which adds a lot of flavor and makes it even more enjoyable to eat. I also want to try their soups and lunch specials, but they start serving those at 11:45 a.m.
This place is definitely a hidden gem in El Paso, and I highly recommend you give it a try as soon as possible. The food is really good, and the people working there are extremely nice. You can find them at Bien Me Sabe Bistro, 5360 N Mesa St, El Paso, TX 79912. Bon appétit! -TODOELPASO