Cariaco, 211 W Wilson Ave Unit #1/2, Glendale, CA 91203
Cute hole in the wall Venezuelan café and bodega in downtown Glendale. The menu includes starters (all fried, I think), arepas ($13.75), empanadas ($7.80), plates, and patacon (fried green plantains). They also have some Venezuelan sodas. Order at the counter.
While they had 18 kinds of empanadas on the menu, they only had three available during my visit. Also, the empanadas are large so two would be too many but one isn’t enough for a meal. It’s more like a hearty snack. The only sides are the fried starters.
Chicken & cheddar cheese empanada ($7.80): The empanada seemed deep fried. The shell was thin, crispy, and surprisingly sweet; it’s made with corn meal. The filling was shredded chicken in sauce and cheddar cheese. The spicy orange sauce and the cilantro sauce were creamy and flavorful. The empanada was a tad greasy but delicious.
They were nice enough to make a side salad for me even though there wasn’t one on the menu. The salad was spinach with tomatoes and their house cilantro sauce. Super simple but fresh and tasty.
It’s set up for takeout with no seating inside and two small tables outside. They also sell some Venezulan groceries – including frozen food, candy, cookies, drinks, corn meal, etc.
3.5 out of 5 stars
By Lolia S.
