Comments on: Caraquena

By: Kristi

Kristi — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:44:44 +0000

I love this place! Michelle’s food is flavored perfectly, not too spicy but still savory and unique. The arepas are like a cornmeal “sandwich” filled with different meats depending on the day. Michelle is always gracious and fun. I have never been charged more than $6.50 a plate and have plenty leftover. Have no idea what the previous poster is talking about!!!! The imported sodas are $1.50 maybe the last woman got a drink along with her meal? Regardless if you’ve never tried Venezuelan food you’ve GOT TO DO IT!! Like Cuban but MEJOR!

By: Makila

Makila — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:13:26 +0000

I just tried this cart for the first time today. I was somewhat disappointed. I had the plate of the day which was one arepa, one empanada, coleslaw, white rice, and black beans. It was $8!!!! I wish I would have asked how much it was before ordering it (the prices were not listed on the board).

The bacon-something empanada was delicious although the size of a potsticker. The maple pork arepa was amazing and slightly bigger than the empanada. The scoop of coleslaw was bland and the rice and beans that filled half the plate were, well, rice and beans (I only ate a couple bites).

$8 should fill my belly but it didn’t and I’m not a huge eater. I feel like a sucker having paid that much for so little but at least I can say I tried a new (to me) cart.

By: Maija

Maija — Thu, 28 May 2009 20:54:39 +0000

Oh, so good! I had:

*2 arepas – one w/beans and one w/the special for today – chicken pineapple
*plaintains – which were not squashed flat like the photo, but more like little cubes of bananas with cheese crumbled over
*beet salad
*Michelle also gave me a lovely little plate of red beans & rice to tide me over as I had to wait for a little while (there was a mad rush all at once!).

The beet salad was more like a cabbage slaw with little slivers of beets and peas (?), I think. Slightly sweet, crunchy, and a refreshing touch after the hefty arepas. Everything was flavored just right – not too bland or too salty, for my taste. The arepas (new to me) were really enjoyable – they were more crunchy than I expected and a nice change from the usual bread.

I also liked that she served my food with a paper plate w/foil on top. I love eating at the carts, but I always feel bad tossing the giant plastic take-out containers afterwards.

I will be back there soon! Just be patient, as she is the main cook, so don’t be in a rush.

By: maggie

maggie — Thu, 14 May 2009 21:46:53 +0000

oh my, I am really excited for this one. I love arepas so much and usually only get them when I visit new york. too bad I just had lunch!

By: C.J.

C.J. — Thu, 07 May 2009 18:56:17 +0000

I’ve already eaten here twice! Everything I’ve had has been fantastic, and Michelle is the best- not only does she make amazing Venezuelan food to order, she also found and returned my wallet that I had dropped near her cart.

Highly recommended!

By: Todd

Todd — Thu, 07 May 2009 06:09:39 +0000

I happened across this cart today as well, after passing it by but never seeing it open for a week or more. I was so glad I stopped to read the menu.

I had the empanadas special, and for $6, got more food than I could handle. The empanadas were freshly made and fried, and that perfect combination of light and crispy. I had the cumin chicken one and the “domino” — black beans and a light, white cheese — though I preferred the chicken (“mechada”?). A side of white rice topped with more of that cheese, plus a side of fried plantains with two tasty sauces (one of which she described as a “horseradish aioli”) rounded out the meal.

Not the lightest or healthiest fare, but really good, and very unique, to my taste. I definitely need to go back and try the arepas.

Michelle is a great cook (she previously worked at the nearby, rarely open Golden Saigon cart on 5th) and very nice to talk to. She was a little slow today, but I think she’s still working out the process, and for food that fresh, it was worth the wait.

By: Cuisine Bonne Femme

Cuisine Bonne Femme — Thu, 07 May 2009 00:41:24 +0000

Stoked. Excited to try this cart and am so happy with the proliferation of new amazing carts in Portland. This city keeps getting better and better on the food front.

Thanks for the write-up!