Dennis C.
Yelp
Pa'l Carajo Arepa Lounge is an authentic Venezuelan restaurant that opened in March of 2018 in Thoroughgood Commons off Pleasure House Road. It is directly across The Rustic Spoon.
It earned the distinction of being ranked #20 in Yelp's "The Top 50 Places To Eat In Coastal Virginia 2020."
It was conceived by five Venezuelan emigrants who came to America to escape from conditions in their native country. The name of their restaurant is explained in their menu.
A "Carajo" was the name for the crow's nest of a Spanish Galleon, which was the lookout basket at its highest point.
When sailors became disorderly, the captain would often order them to the crow's nest for punishment, where they could not be found, with the colorful expression: "Pa'l Carajo!"
A quote from their menu:
"WE WENT PA'L CARAJO. Due to the dire events in our country, to save ourselves, we went to 'the crow's nest', where we could not be found or disturbed--our nowhere. NOWHERE IS NOW SOMEWHERE."
The rest is history as they met and pooled their resources to transform their "nowhere" to "somewhere", making landfall in Virginia Beach.
As I entered with each visit, a beautiful section of hand crafted colorful mosaic tile flooring struck my eyes. A bar section is to the left, and there are four tables to the right.
Their ordering counter is in the rear, and a wooden spiral staircase leads to additional dining space upstairs with a lookout window.
The arepa is one of their specialties, which is Venezuela's most famous street food. It originated from the northern region of South America during the pre-Columbian era.
Made from a precooked corn flour known as masarepa, their arepas are served as stuffed griddle-cooked sandwiches, either grilled or fried.
Their food is made from scratch in their kitchen, where I could hear my food sizzling as it cooked. Nothing here is frozen or refried.
I tried the following during four lunch time visits:
AREPA DE PABELLON: Pabellon is Venezuela's national dish, a slow cooked beef stew that is seasoned with chilies, cilantro, scallions, and garlic. The beef is shredded and stuffed inside with black beans, cheese, and sweet plantains.
This was my first attempt to eat an arepa, and my efforts were a bit clumsy. I tried to pry it open wide enough to capture the plantains hiding in the back for my photo. It fell apart, and I wound up eating most of it with my knife and fork.
The ingredients were hot and flavorful. A few bites of the shredded beef were a bit dry for my tastes. My Rating: 4 Stars.
PABELLON MEAL: I substituted Shredded Chicken for the Pabellon, resulting in a dish that could be called PLATO DE POLLO. It came with White Rice, Black Beans topped with Cheese, and Sweet Plantains.
The chicken was cooked and seasoned with the same herbs and spices as their pabellon to a moist and delicious result. The black beans with cheese, rice, and sweet plantains were well executed and full of flavor. My Rating: 5 Stars.
AREPA DE REINA PEPIEDA: This is a classic Venezuelan arepa that is filled here with their house made Chicken Avocado Salad.
I had a much easier time with this one, and it did not fall apart. The Chicken Avocado Salad was cool, creamy, and delicious. My Rating: 5 Stars.
AREPA LLANERA: Grilled Steak with Chimichurri, Hand Made Cheese (Queso De Mano), Avocado, and Tomato.
This is their newest arepa and was recently shown on Instagram. After seeing it, I could not resist a return visit.
For my tastes, this is their best one yet. Each bite of the grilled steak with chimichurri elicited a yum reaction. The avocado and tomato sparkled with color and flavor.
My photo was unable to capture the hand made cheese, which was stuffed in the back of the arepa as a large and tender slab. It oozed with warmth and flavor.
I ordered it with a side of their Yucca Fries, which were hot and hearty, along with their special hot sauce that delivered the heat. My Rating: 5 Stars.
EMPANADA DE PABELLON: A Corn Dough Deep Fried Turnover stuffed with Shredded Pabellon Beef, Black Beans, Cheese, and Sweet Plantains.
Served with a golden brown exterior, it came to life as as I cut into it, releasing the steaming hot goodness of its ingredients.
Its flavors came through well, and the shredded beef was juicier this time around. The ingredients could have been packed a bit more tightly. My Rating: 4.5 Stars.
SOURSOP: Ordered from their list of Tropical Juices, this one is derived from a fruit that is native to the tropical regions of the Caribbean.
Its taste has been compared with a variety of fruits. For me it tasted a lot like pear juice and was cool, refreshing, and flavorful. My Rating: 5 Stars.
COCONUT FLAN: I can't remember enjoying a better tasting flan. It was rich, dense, and decadently delicious. My Rating: 5 Stars.
My final rating comes out to a very decisive 5 stars. With their authentic cuisine and friendly service, this restaurant is most deserving of our local love and support.
