So after moving to my brand new place, I decided to scope my surroundings to see what the Universal Studios outskirts had to offer in terms of cuisine. There was a bbq place I planned on visiting but the epic traffic jam occurring deterred me from the idea. So then I settled on a small plaza that had a place I had already reviewed and this other Hispanic restaurant I had not noticed before. I decided to give this random place a shot.
Inside was probably the best Hispanic cuisine experience I’ve had in Central Florida in quite some time.
Arepas El Cacao is absolutely incredible. Its menu is definitely smaller than that of another Venezuelan place close to Sea World, but what it lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality. This place has a food truck-like menu (turns out it’s because the small Central Florida franchise started out as a food truck) which consists of mainly arepas (ground corn dough or flour being made into delicious bread, which can then be stuffed or topped with a variety of different toppings. Arepas themselves can be broiled, baked, or fried) and cachapas (massive sweet corn cake).
At $6 you can order an arepa with up to 5 toppings. Their toppings include meats, cheeses, salads, etc. My comrade ordered one with chicken, shrimp, and yellow cheese. I order one with handmade cheese and shrimp. We both also ordered some pineapple juice to keep the lunch affair purely Hispanic. These arepas are the biggest I have ever witnessed in Florida. They weren’t just massive, they were full of heat as if it literally just came out of the grill. The toppings were then overflowing off of the bread and all over the tray. This is what dreams are made of….
My handmade cheese was this massive hunk of excellence that took up the entire top end of the inner portion in the arepa. And the rest was nothing but pure, fresh, cold shrimp that was swimming in all types of spices and oils. There was at least 20 shrimp in my bread, which usually constitutes a $20 dish in any fancy institution. It was heavy, delightful, and purely satisfying from the first bite to the last. The peppers and bread itself contributed to the heat, while the cheese and shrimp became the cooling factor that attacked each taste bud.
Adding to the mayhem was the four different sauces to choose from (went with the classic cool white garlic sauce that is a requirement in every food truck) and an entire bowl of chimichurri topping. This place was made for me, I swear. The chumichurri is the absolute perfect complement to the cold shrimp, as it’s a mix of all types of peppers and spices and has the texture of a relish, but has the authentic Hispanic flavor that can improve any food out there. Any food. Any day. The pineapple juice is more like a soft smoothie as its fresh, and jam-packed with fruity flavor that never feels watered-down.
This place is open early in the morning and then stays open until 4 a.m., which basically means I am going to become quite fat. After the wonderful experience I felt like there was only one thing left to do…
…come back later that night. And yes, my second arepa was just as good.
Bottom Line: Venezuela has a wonderful hidden presence in the Central Florida food scene. And with Arepas El Cacao, this might be the best example of them all. Great prices, excellent portions, fresh food, great drinks, nice laid-back ambiance, and best of all a closing time north of ridiculous. There is very little wrong with this place, and I will definitely be getting my arepas fix from here for as long as I am living in the area and maybe beyond. Simple, yet sinfully delicious, you must visit here at least once and get a taste of some excellent Venezuelan cuisine.
Final Verdict: Strongly Recommend
Arepas El Cacao
5389 S Kirkman Rd
Orlando, FL 32819
