Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Ask Eating LA: Where can I get arepa?


Martha asks, "Where can I get arepas?" Unlike in San Francisco and New York, these fluffy cornmeal discs are not as popular in L.A. as their cousin the pupusa. I happen to know that Martha works near my office on Wilshire, so I think for her the best bet could be Coupa Cafe, a Venezuelan coffeehouse in Beverly Hills.
Other possibilities: Cafe Bolivar in Santa Monica (18th and Ocean Park).
El Chile in Highland Park (looks like a taco stand, but owned by a Venezuelan, Figueuroa & Ave 40).
Does anyone else know who has the best arepas in town?

4 comments:

Doran said...

I learned about arepas for the first time last Sunday during Bobby Flay's Throwdown on the Food Network. I've been craving them since and am now on a mission to find them in the East SFV or Northwest SGV. I'll let you know if I'm successful.

mattatouille said...

woah, I can't believe I haven't seen Coopa Cafe, considering I work in the Triangle. I must go there. maybe today for lunch, or tomorrow. Thank you for the find!

Anonymous said...

I found Coupa Cafe horrifically over priced and terrible. Perhaps the actual arepa, sans stuffing, was good, but I was just extremely disappointed. It lacked flavor and imagination.


The coffee was ok, but nothing spectacular.

Anonymous said...

Hi, Pats.

I'm going to try to track down my former client, and genius pianist, Victor, who's, IIRC, from Caracas, and see if he knows an arepas place. It CAN't be the case that the only places are west of Fairfax!

r goud-saltman