Rica Arepa LAKEVIEW | Venezuelan Restaurant — Restaurant in Lake View Township

It was my first time coming to this restaurant and it exceeded my expectations. We went there last night and when we got there the place was empty at the front I was a bit worried because there were only two people behind the counter and no dining customers. They greeted us with smiles and told us we can sit anywhere we want or we could go to patio at the back. I was so relieved to see half the patio filled and my worries melted away.

There were so many food choices to choose from and we started with appetizers (Rica Mix Sampler) that were an assortment of small bites. I had the Punta trasera & queso de mano, the portion was okay. It won't fill you up if you are famished but will be enough if you are moderately hungry. The others had Pabellon Criollo and Criollo Brunch, the shredded beef was a bit too salty but the rice and beans were a bit plain so it evens out.

I also tried the Chicha Venezolana (it is like a horchata with milk, it is very thick and filling)  and Papelon Con Limon (not my favorite probably because I'm not a big fan of lemonade).

The service was great, the food portion is decent and the prices were also reasonable ($10-$20/per meal). I really enjoyed it and would definitely go back again. If you like Venezuelan food or are in the mood to try for thr first time then this is the place for you, you won't be...

Very good venezuelan food. My very 1st time trying this food. This restaurant have appetizers, entries & dessert.

Unfortunately, I got super full with 1 Arepa & I couldn't try the desserts but they sure looked good 😋😋😋 .

I did it a really big Arepa, it's called Parrillada. It has 3 meats, beef, chicken & chorizo with cheese & guacamole sauce.

I tried it with a garlic sauce, that was delicious. I also tried it with a red sauce that I didn't like. The red sauce tasted like the Louisiana bottle sauce that people use for chips.

So the restaurant it's called Rica Arepa because that's their main dish. They have like 20 different ways of making them.

For the Mexicans, Arepa is just like a "Gordita" that's prepare venezuelan style.

Do be prepared cause it is expensive. My one Arepa "Parrillada" cost $16!😱 This restaurant is in the North side so maybe for the community is normal pricing.

They have a nice patio in front of the restaurant. About 3 or 4 tables with umbrellas & lights for the night. Very pretty.

But they also have a back patio! 😱. I just saw it from where I was sitting. It looked super nice, it had some kind of ceiling that will protect you from the sun but it still had the outside looks & fresh breeze. This back patio was way bigger & spacious. Would love to come back & sit in the back patio...

Overall Thoughts: I was excited to try this spot as it had a lot of good reviews. Unfortunately, the pabellon arepa I ordered was a miss. I’m still keeping it at 4 stars because the vibes were good and I’d be open to coming back to try the diverse selection of other items on the menu. The restaurant interior is cute and had a good amount of seating inside. The service was also quick and friendly. The prices seemed a little high for the portion size, but reasonable overall.

Food I tried: Pabellon Arepa (3.6/5): This is their most popular arepa, but it fell short for me. It was difficult to eat it as a handheld because the arepa was too brittle and crispy, so everything kept falling out. The meat was a little tough and I wish the cheese was more melted. Otherwise, the plantains were good and everything was flavorful.

Cachapa (4.2/5): I also tried some bites of my the cachaca, which was pretty good. It was sweet, dense, and piled high with cheese. —

Price (relative to peers): 4.2/5 Food: 3.7/5 Ambience: 5/5 Service: 4.8/5 Overall...