Arepas, Dessert, New Boots, Oh My!
Last Monday I was off from work and I had a wonderful day of dinner in one borough and dessert in another, all while wearing my new over-the-knee boots from Shoedazzle! This is what happens on a spontaneous day in the city when you have new shoes to wear!
Browsing through Groupon for more deals, I came across a deal for Arepas Grill in Astoria, Queens. The pictures looked great, the prices were awesome, but what sold me was the video of the owner talking about his food. I decided not to get the Groupon deal and go anyway because I wanted a lot of other amazing looking choices from the menu! Walking in, there's a huge Venezuelan flag hanging in the window with beautiful lights. The decor was simple but I loved the relaxing vibes.
We got there in time for happy hour so Joanna got a passion fruit red sangria for $4, and I ordered the Playa Azul for $8. Both drinks were delicious and for those awesome prices, we couldn't complain!
Time for the main attraction! The food! We ordered the Mini Platter for $12 which was a great deal because we got to try cachapas, fried yuca, empanadas, and tequeños. For the arepas, Joanna ordered the Bomba (shredded chicken, avocado mixed with mayonnaise, guayanes cheese) and I ordered the Arepa Pabellón Pernil (roasted pulled pork, black beans, white tropical cheese and fried sweet plantains). The mini platter was definitely my favorite because I like picking at a bunch of different appetizers at once. The chachapas were nice and sweet and the cheese was a perfect touch. But I mean, the whole plate is fried so how can anyone go wrong? The arepas were delicious as well and Joanna actually said these were the best arepas she's ever had. Mine was a little difficult to eat because of all the fillings, but it had plantains so I wasn't too mad about that. The arepa Pabellón was hot and the Bomba arepa was served cold because it's actually a cold chicken salad.
Arepas Grill is located at 21-19 Broadway, Astoria, NY.
After I had all of that fried goodness I was still hungry!
Yes, I needed dessert desperately and I knew exactly what I wanted: Chocolate Hazelnut Bread Pudding from Corneila Street Cafe. This dessert has been on my mind for weeks and I needed to bring Joanna here to taste this. I was also craving a coffee so I got a nice hot cup of their decaf blend. Let me tell you about this chocolate hazelnut bread pudding...
It is warm, gooey, chocolately, but not too sweet perfection. It is also the perfect size because of it's richness. It has hazelnuts on top for a bit of crunch and it is served with whipped cream. This dessert gives me life and it's probably one of my favorite desserts, which is a BOLD statement because I've had plenty of dessert in my life...
After tasting this magical bread pudding, Joanna ended up ordering a dessert of her own and she got the Walnut & Cranberry Upside Down cake. The cake was so fluffy, buttery, and served warm with praline ice cream.
I really hope I can go back in the near future and you all should check this place out too because it is a culinary & cultural landmark on 29 Cornelia Street.
Now I can talk about something I love just as much as food: SHOES! This was my very first time using Shoedazzle and I have to admit, I didn't know what to expect. I got the VIP membership pricing which means my first pair was just $9.99. My boots didn't look like the picture, but for just $9.99 I got a great deal.
I paired my suede, over-the-knee boots with a high-low sweater from New York & Company and my favorite Old Navy jeans. For a pop of color I added a blue stone necklace from New York & Company as well.
The boots are super comfortable and I am glad they actually go over my knees, even when I sit!
What a spontaneous Monday in New York City! I hope you check out Arepas Grill in Queens, Cornelia Street Cafe in the village, and give Shoedazzle a try!