For The Love of Food

There are some foods that are embedded in our minds and hearts, because they trigger memories of carefree childhoods and family gatherings. The memories are triggered through the sounds and smells of a dish - the flavor that was once delicious and comforting, has become loaded with countless meanings. All this to say that authentic Venezuelan food takes me back to my grandmother's kitchen, watching her unwrap hallacas, and slice through thick fudge-like dulce de leche. Thankfully I don't have to travel all the way to Venezuela to get a taste of the past, since a Venezuelan restaurant just happened to pop up on my corner in December. I was so excited to see that the long abandoned space was finally getting a makeover, and completely floored to find that the menu posted in its front window was chock full of Venezuelan treats from my childhood! Guayoyo has everything you could ever want from an authentic Venezuelan culinary experience: fresh tasty homemade food, excellent music, affordable prices, and a helpful waitstaff willing to enlighten and educate even the most timid patron. This place is for real. After my first bite I knew I was home... or at least around the corner.

Pictured above the carne mechada and camarones arepas from Guayoyo; photography by Natalia Moena.