Craving something different than the usual pub grub, slice of ’za, or submarine sandwich in the Queen and Spadina neighbourhood? You’re in luck.
Arepa turns out South American specialties in casual but decidedly funky, unpretentious digs. And although it’s not exactly set up for Bugaboos and babes with Bjorns, preschoolers and kinder kids will find the space welcoming and the menu manageable.
Arepas are a kind of bread made from corn, thicker than tortillas and with a consistency not unlike dense English muffins. Popular with Venezuelans and Columbians, they’re often sliced and stuffed, like a sandwich, with any manner of fillings. Twelve set assemblies line the menu here.
Recommended by the server/cashier, the roasted pork and onion selection ($6.50) brings an arepa filled with succulent swine slices and sweet, yielding caramelized onions. Despite the juiciness of the fillings, on the whole, it’s a teeny bit dry; a few smears of freshly smushed avocado spread from the small silver ramekin does the trick.
Pickled octopus arepa ($7), otherwise known as the pulpo, sates seafood lovers with its generous, toothsome filling of diced octopus tentacles and mantles, well marinated in citrus and coriander and tumbling out from between the halves of arepa. Our only quip is that the octopus could have self-pickled a while longer for a more tender consistency.
The daintiest serving of uber-fresh grated coleslaw of carrot, onion, celery and cabbage—refreshing and flavourful—accompanies both.
Those looking for something more than just a sandwich opt for one of three platters. Pabellon Caraqueño ($10.50) steals the show, with a prettily plated assembly of greaseless fried plantain, basic grilled arepa, soft, cooked black beans (and I mean black!) under a grating of queso blanco, a molded puck of white rice, and the most palate-pleasing serving of savoury and sweet pulled flank steak meat stewed in tomatoes and spices. The cheese is somewhat dry, having been grated much earlier, and the rice is not a hot as it should be, but despite these shortcomings, we are thrilled with the dish.
The most likely favourite for little ’uns comes in the form of tequeños: freshly baked, airy pastry tubes wrapped around melting white cheese. Avocado dip accompanies the four thumb-sized pieces, but a simple side of salsa cruda (homemade salsa) would have proved a better partner.
High ceilings, blond wood tables, a wall of windows and well-placed lighting make this a bright, open, happy place, while exposed brick walls and original tin ceiling add authenticity. Rows of bright yellow packages of harina decorate one sizeable shelf, their colour echoing the sunny yellow walls in other places. Chefs prepare arepas behind a glass counter as ordered, successfully distracting short attention spans while they wait for orders.
Mill Street organic beer tempts ale quaffers. And interesting, healthy and freshly prepared juices, like mango and cantaloupe-melon, make good choices to their pint-sized partners—but at a price ($4.50). A glass of lemonade (just $2), a perfect balance of raw sugar cane and fresh lemon juice and topped with mint leaf, promises to be a regular’s favourite.
Stroller accessible, but bathrooms downstairs. No high chairs.
Arepa Café, 490 Queen St. West, 416.362.4111
Kelly Jones is a freelance writer and editor of articles, reviews, websites, novels and board games. She teaches Food Writing at George Brown College.