Larissa G.
Yelp
In the last few years, Pittsburgh has gained a handful of Venezuelan restaurants, including Cilantro & Ajo. And not only is this little eatery one of our most unique spots, but it's also one of the most delicious spots in the city.
Cilantro & Ajo aims to make authentic and traditional Venezuelan dishes, with handmade arepas being my favorite specialty of theirs. Arepas, in case you haven't had one yet, are corn meal pockets. They're pretty fantastic and can be filled with any number of ingredients - think meat, vegetables, sauces, cheeses, etc. They're also gluten free, according to Cilantro & Ajo's website!
When ordering arepas here, you have the option of 1) making your own custom ones, 2) ordering a variety of traditional arepas, and 3) enjoying some modern concoctions as well. Since there are so many different ways to combine ingredients in an arepa, it's very easy to put something together that your particular taste buds will go wild for.
If you can't tell, I'm guilty of mostly getting arepas here. Once I picked up a roasted pork tostadita, but since their tostaditas are deep-fried arepas, well...that wasn't exactly rocking the boat! That said, the tostadita was one of the best things I've ever eaten; not only was the pork cooked perfectly, but it included a BBQ-like sauce that balanced out the sweetness of the rest of the dish. One word: YUM.
Needless to say, I love this place. I'm not in the South Side very often, especially in 2020; but when I am, I try to find a reason to stop by and pick up some chow here. I will definitely be back - and I'll definitely have to branch out and enjoy some other dishes ASAP. (Note to self: next time, order cachapas!)