Don’t forget: every Venezuelan eats arepas, but depending on the state or region, the taste can change. In Los Andes (mountain region) the arepa it’s actually sweet, take notice of it or people will find out you’re a tourist if you ask why.
--Jonás Cabrera
10
Don’t say in Maracaibo that the food in Caracas it’s better, they will actually hold a grudge against you for it (even the people of Caracas recognize Maracaibo superiority).
In case you want to eat bananas, just call them “cambures” not many people calls them bananas, trust me, it's fine.
--Jonás Cabrera
10
Don’t say the arepa it’s from Colombia (it’s a cultural thing and we get serious about it).
--Jonás Cabrera
10
In the same topic, don’t say the hallacas are also from Colombia (hallacas being known as one of our oldest foods and part of our traditions).
--Jonás Cabrera
10
Be extremely clear when you’re buying a hot dog, we tend to use too much sauce and it’s almost art to eat one without getting a drop on your clothes, so, tell them if you want a lot or not.
--Jonás Cabrera
00
Talking on the table it’s good, talking with your mouth full… only for short stuff, trust me, we don’t do that, just to say like “I’m listening, I get it, I have a word about it”.
--Jonás Cabrera
00
If want pabellon, think about it very well, it’s a really strong dish, and think about what you can’t eat, there’s a variety of it, and after all that’s the national dish.
--Jonás Cabrera
00
Whenever you’re visiting, take notice of the season, in some cases, there might be one when specifics fruits are cheaper than ever (on mango season, people almost use them as a gift and you’ll find a lot of trees and people knocking them down, feel free to join, but ask first).
--Jonás Cabrera
00
When visiting a town, let’s say… “la colonia Tovar” (a little german town in Aragua) be careful to buy everything you’re going to eat early. Towns in Venezuela generally close their stores early, and you’ll see no night life since 7 p.m (or 8 p.m in some cases).
--Jonás Cabrera
00
Only exception to use a knife and fork when eating an arepa it’s with the arepa cabimera, with every other one… use your hands (unless there’s a teeth problem and even with that people will ask you why, don’t worry about it).
--Jonás Cabrera
00
In some cases, families serve caraotas (black beans) with sugar, it’s a personal choice to accept or not.
Maracaibo is the state to go if you want to eat good and big.
--Jonás Cabrera
10
In Venezuela, the beer preference varies from the place you are, but no one will bother you for type of rum you want, Venezuelans are very proud of it.
--Jonás Cabrera
10
One example of the difference it is that the fried arepa it’s named “tumbarrancho” and the way they make it varies a little, using eggs at one part to give it a more crunchy texture.
--Jonás Cabrera
00
Another one it’s the “arepa cabimera” which varies from the normal one and the “tumbarrancho” because all that goes inside (cheese, jam, mayo, beef) goes outside. To eat it you will use knife and fork as you do with another plate.
--Jonás Cabrera
00
The hot dog places will offer you a lot of sauce depending on the state; feel free to try the custom ones if you are a fan of new things.
In the hot dog topic, we mostly use grated yellow cheese, papitas (grated potato chips) and little to none onion and tomato.
--Jonás Cabrera
00
In Maracaibo the hot dog doesn’t use onion and tomato but they use a mix of grated cabbage and grated carrot, they (people of Maracaibo) are different from the rest in almost everything, so street food it’s no difference.
--Jonás Cabrera
00
In Maracaibo the hot dog doesn’t use onion and tomato but they use a mix of grated cabbage and grated carrot, they (people of Maracaibo) are different from the rest in almost everything, so street food it’s no difference.
--Jonás Cabrera
00
Chinese rice it’s different in Venezuela; even for the rest of Latin-America, ours it’s different one because it’s Cantonese, but made in order to please us, so if you visit, try it at least once.
--Jonás Cabrera
00
In that way, they are many Chinese restaurants, they’re mostly frequented to have a beer (because of the cheap prices), in that way “lumpias” are used as a snack there (here, lumpias are associated with Chinese restaurants).
--Jonás Cabrera
00
Try to eat every type of arepa (be careful and don't try it if you're allergic to some ingredients).
Ask for a malta on breakfast.
If you are here in December: Try some hallacas, they are different depending on the side or house you stay in, so you're in for surprises.
--Jonás Cabrera
