It was buttery-tender - a great combination with the almost crumpet-like texture of the bread.Īpparently, in Venezuela, the pepeada is one of the most popular arepas around. The maize-wich, made of corn flour, arrived stuffed with some of the best pulled pork. With its enticing sweet, corn bread-like flavor, it’s easy to see why this is the most popular dish on the menu. The cachapa is a sight to behold - a large, soft, griddled corn pancake folded over like a crescent moon, barely able to contain its filling of shredded beef, black beans, sweet plaintains and Monterey Jack. As my dining companion Candace so aptly nailed it: “It’s like ethnic chili.” Or the best Sloppy Joe you can imagine. It’s a stick-to-your-ribs blend of ground beef and pork with dark beer and chicharrones. It’s a soup you want whether you’re fighting a fever or feeling totally hardy.Ĭhile Negro is pure yum. This hearty vegetable soup has chunks of chicken, corn on the cob, potatoes and avocado in it. The chupa ($5 for a small) is always on the menu. I was only going to take a couple of sips, but I downed it in no time with a great big smile. It has the body of coconut water, a burst of citrus and a slight creaminess. If you’ve jumped on the current bandwagon over coconut water, wait till you taste this instead. The former is the sunny tropics in a glass, while the latter is positively addicting. ![]() But don’t pass up the signature Passion Fruit or Coconut Lemonade. There’s beer on tap, sangria, and wine to help put the fire out. Alongside were a rainbow of dipping sauces ($1 each), including Venezuelan guacamole made with Worcestershire sauce and honey a sweet-spicy ketchup a sweet-tangy tamarind one and pica’ pun, made with fiery habanero and mustard that’s pretty hard to stop eating even as your tongue starts a tingling. We nibbled on an assortment of sides ($3.99 each) that included crisp yuca fries, tajadas (sweet, soft plaintains with queso fresco) and tostones (fried green plaintains). Among the staples are pulled pork with tomatoes, avocado and aioli shredded beef with sweet plaintains, black beans and queso fresco and guiso - a stew of beef, chicken and pork. Eight are offered regularly, plus daily specials. Take your pick of arepa ($7.99), a grilled white corn flour cake cachapa ($8.99), a pancake made of sweet yellow corn or a maize’wich ($7.99), which has the shape of an arepa and the sweet corn flavor of the cachapa. While there are salads, soups and sides, the heart of the menu revolves around breads - all made from corn flour. “Pica pica” means “a little bit of this, a little bit of that” and that’s exactly what you’ll want when you see the tempting offerings available as you scan the wall menu, then order at the counter. ![]() A year ago, they opened their first San Francisco outpost in the Mission District, which is the one I visited when I was invited in to try the menu recently. "I don’t know what that might be, but I do believe there’s something special that could manifest in new ways in the future.Pica Pica Maize Kitchen, which serves up lusty Venezuelan food, is an ideal place for celiacs, as the menu is entirely gluten-free.īut more than that, it’s a must-stop place for anyone who just loves the soulful flavors of corn, yuca, plaintains, avocado, black beans, chiles and long-cooked, tender meats.Īdriana Lopez Vermut opened the first Pica Pica Maize three years ago in Napa’s Oxbow Public Market, with her father, Leopoldo Lopez Gil, who owns several restaurants in Caracas. "My mind and heart remain open to new possibilities," López Vermut wrote. However, it's possible that the brand could return in some fashion post-pandemic. "I am so proud of them and so sad to let them down.” "We have an incredible group of hard-working, honest, dedicated people who became family," she said. In her email, she said that the closure will affect 14 employees, with an average tenure of four and a half years at Pica Pica. López Vermut had been active in the community since the beginning of the pandemic, providing 30,000 free meals to doctors, nurses, at-risk communities and the homeless over the course of three months. Last year, industry publication Restaurant Hospitality placed Pica Pica on its "Best Sandwiches in America" list, awarding the title of " best beef sandwich" to its pabellón arepa. Specializing in Venezuelan comfort food like arepas (grilled corn pockets stuffed with various fillings), Pica Pica appeared on Guy Fieri's Food Network show "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" in 2013. ![]() "We are grateful for so many things and for all of the people that entered our lives through Pica Pica,” she wrote. Owner Adriana López Vermut announced the closure in an email to customers. After 14 years in business, Pica Pica Arepa Kitchen is closing at 401 Valencia St.
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