Review of Arepa Please

Venezuelan-American deli fusion serving up arepas (ground maize dough) stuffed with what naught. The arepas are GF, prepped and pressed in a GF, dedicated area/warmer. The arepas unstuffed are good enough to eat by themselves. At $3.50 each, a few of these and a tea would make a decent meal. They slice them and butter the inside so if not into milk ask about the butter. There are a lot of arepa GF “stuffing” options: The Queen, a kind of chicken salad with avocado, and The La Catina with shredded chicken and cheese. There’s a Jax Blond with shredded beef, a Just Cheese with… just cheese, and perfect that way. The staff seem well aware of their ingredients and importance of conscientious preparation: they gave us a heads up that they won’t serve us plantains ‘cause they are fried in a mixed fryer, and when I tried to order a cachapa, described innocently enough on the menu as “sweet corn pancake with fried cheese in the middle”, they said it wouldn’t work because the pancake is 75% corn and 25% regular flour. That kind of awareness put us at ease that we were being properly guided. They also let us know that they have bread in the kitchen. You can take a topping from one of the wraps or “items from the grill”, like the Philly cheesesteak, and substitute an Arepa for the tasty looking but forbidden soft but crisp roasted wheat-based sub roll. With the deli angle there are things for kids: fries, burgers, a few others. The staff are warm and welcoming and couldn’t be more pleasant. Looking forward to trying more.

How confident are you that this establishment takes safety precautions against cross-contact?

— Somewhat

Safety Feature Ratings

• Dedicated gluten-free space in the kitchen
• Staff is knowledgeable and can answer questions
• Staff will clean kitchen space or change gloves if asked

Is there a gluten-free menu?

— No gluten-free information on the menu

How much of the menu is available gluten-free?

— Most/All

How would you rate the taste and quality of the gluten-free food you tried?

— Excellent

Other Characteristics

• Good for dinner
• Good for kids
• Good for lunch
• Good for takeout