If there is something I can’t resist when I travel is the lure of Venezuelan food. No matter where I go, if I see arepas or tequeños featured in the menu I can’t stop myself from ordering them. After all, these are the flavours I grew up with and they never fail to bring back sweet memories.
With the increasing number of Venezuelans emigrating abroad in search for better opportunities, there are more and more Venezuelan entrepreneurs diving into the food industry. Last time I was in Montreal, I had the pleasure of tasting some of my favourite treats at these three spots.
1. Tequeños at Bocadillo
For those of you not familiar with Venezuelan cuisine, tequeños are a sort of bread stick filled with delicious cheese. If you’ve attended a Venezuelan wedding, you’d surely came across this delicious treat. They are one of the most popular snack food served at parties. The tequeños at Bocadillo are done just right, I couldn’t get enough. Also worth trying is the passion fruit pulled pork sandwich. With several locations scattered around Montreal and a catering option, this is a place you shouldn’t miss!
2. Cachitos at Cachitos
Shaped like a croissant, cachitos are a typical Venezuelan bread filled with cheese and/or ham. While growing up, I remember that having a ham cachito with chocolate milk was one of my favourite breakfast options in the world, as weird as it sounds! Before visiting Cachitos in Montreal’s Latin Quarter it had been years since I had one and it was as good as I remember. Highly recommended!
3. La Pelúa at Arepera du Plateau
Arepas — one of Venezuela’s most popular food dishes — are kind of like bread but made with cornmeal and can be filled with whatever makes you happy. They are easy to make and there are so many different kinds that’s hard to get bored with eating them. These are the specialty of Arepera du Plateau, where you can order any of their meat varieties or opt for vegetarian/vegan options. My favourite was La Pelúa, a tasty mix of beef, cheese and avocado sauce. Yum!
It was pretty nice to find all these delicious treats during my time in Montreal. The only thing I missed was eating cachapas, a typical Venezuelan dish that looks like a thick pancake but it’s made of corn and filled with melted cheese. Oh well, maybe next time!
Which is your favourite Venezuelan dish? Do you know of any other Venezuelan food places in Montreal that you’d like to recommend? Leave me a comment, I’d love to know!
“Ceviches” in the plateau is venezuelan and has the best tequenos in Montreal, also tostons and torta de leshe