Dining

Venezuelan food is a blend of European, local, and African cuisines. Much of Venezuelan cuisine is made of cumin and saffron, but the unique and delicate seasoning comes from the use of local roots and vegetables. Venezuelan food is delicious and ingredients such as sweet peppers, garlic, onions and coriander are used for flavoring the dishes. A number of good local beers, gin and fine quality rum are available in Venezuela. ‘Arepas', one of the traditional specialties, is native bread made out of primitive ground corn, water and salt. Many of the locals eat fried or baked Arepas (corn pancakes) either plain or with an accompaniment. You can also try the distinctive, Venezuelan cheese (white, mozzarella-type), the ‘carne asada' along with friend chicken. Other native specialties are Pabellón criollo made with shredded meat and offered with cooked plantains and black beans on rice and Cachapa, a kind of sweet corn pancake served with cheese. Cooked and grilled fish such as baby shark (cazon), trout, red snapper, and shellfish such as oysters, prawns and clams are eternal favorites of the locals. Meats such as beef and chicken are the staple daily menu in most Venezuelan homes, although goat meat is preferred in some areas and pork is eaten generally during Christmas. You must try, ‘bienmesabe', a soft sponge cake soaked in a sweet coconut cream sauce. The fresh fruit drinks or batidos are also quite famous. These are made from whatever ripe tropical fruits are available at a certain period of the year.

Many restaurants serve Hallaca, which is cornmeal mixed with beef, pork, ham and green peppers, covered in individual pieces of banana leaves and cooked in boiling water. This dish is usually eaten at Christmas and New Year. You can also eat Parrilla criolla, which is beef marinated and roasted over a charcoal grill. Hervido is one of Venezuela's traditional soups prepared with beef, chicken or fish and local vegetables or roots. Venezuelan national drinks include Merengada, which is a mix of fruit pulp, ice, milk and sugar and Pousse-café, which is usually served post-dinner. Venezuelan cuisine has a lot of Caribbean influence in its tastes and cooking practices. Fruits such as plantains are served with almost all meals. Vegetarians may have a hard time in Venezuela and it is advisable that they try to coordinate thier meals in advance with hotels and tour agencies.

A. Top Restaurants

Restaurant Entrepueblos

Address

Avenida 2 Bolívar,

(Casa 8-115,)

La Parroquia

5115

Mérida

Telephone No.: 0274/271-0483

This restaurant is set inside a colonial style building and offers its customers a wide selection of menu choices. The food served here is typically inventive and highlights both local and international cuisines. Despite the fact that Entrepueblos is situated in a suburban area, far from the downtown region, it is one of the most premier restaurants in Mérida. This restaurant is open on Monday to Friday from noon to 10.30pm, Friday and Saturday from noon to11pm and Sunday from noon to 6pm. It is advisable to reserve a table in advance. An approximate price of a mean is around US $ 4 to US $ 7. The credit cards accepted are American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa.

Sake House

Address

Centro Comercial Ciudad

Tamanaco,

Nivel Planta Baja,

Caracas

Telephone No.:(582) 959-5404

This restaurant serves exceptional Japanese cuisine to the accompaniment of great music. Sake House also boasts an excellent sushi and karaoke bar.

Sushito

Address

Calle Sucre, Casa N° 6, Local A

El Hatillo (Hatillo Church)

Caracas, D.C 1083

Telephone No.: 212-9631878

This restaurant serves Japanese and Thai cuisine. It is open from Monday to Thursday from noon to 10:00 pm and Friday to Sunday, from noon to midnight. It is a small place that serves freshly prepared sushi. The service is extremely good and the food is reasonably priced.

Mr. Ribs

Address

Avenida Valle Arriba,

entre Calles Orinoco y California,

Quinta Linda,

Las Mercedes,

Caracas,

Venezuela

This is one of the oldest restaurants in Las Mercedes' and appears like a Texan farm from both outside and inside. It is decked with the Stars and Stripes flags. The interior is made mostly of wood and the opening hours and ambience at play depend on the time and the day of the week. Tex-Mex food is the hot favorite here. The place serves Ribs (with or without barbecue sauce), T-bone steaks, big and delicious hamburgers, choice of red meat and chicken dishes, salads and home-baked bread. There is live music (rock and pop music and ballads) from Wednesdays to Sundays, 10pm onwards.

Restaurante Club Venitalia

Address

Avenida 3,

(entre calles 25 y 26),

Merida,

Venezuela

Located only two blocks from the Plaza Bolívar, this restaurant is in the old part of the city, and preserves the flavor of the old times. It features conventional facilities and furnishings, and the service and food are a tribute to the old European style. This restaurant serves Italian, regional, and international cuisine. It is open from noon to 2am.

El Cocuy

Located in Barquisimeto, this is a tropical bar with a beautiful setting overlooking the pool, El Valle del Turbio, attached to the bar and offers hors d'oeuvres, international drinks and cocktails. The specialty of the restaurant is El Cocuy, a native drink.

Tramonto

Tramonto, situated in Barquisimeto, opposite Valle del Turbio, is an international restaurant with a Mediterranean taste offering buffet, A la Carte menus and pizzas. It is open from Monday to Sunday.

Cocody Restaurant

Address

Porlamar,

Margarita Island,

Venezuela

Cocody is a lovely French restaurant situated on Avenida Raul Leoni. The steak in orange sauce and sole with lemon sauce served here are excellent. The mixed kababs, and the French onion soup are also delicious. This restaurant is expensive in comparison to other local restaurants but when compared to North American standards, the rates are moderate. The cost of a meal is around US $8 to US $15. The chef's special, which consists of a selection of appetizer, entree, dessert and glass of wine, costs about US $17, exclusive of 10% service charge. A meal for two at this restaurant usually costs about US $ 30 with drinks and service charges included.