‘Something different’

SOMOS AREPAS OFFERS VENEZUELAN FAST-CASUAL FARE

Born to Venezuelan parents in the U.S., brothers Andres and Alejandro Cordido grew up eating arepas and other dishes from their family's homeland. They'd share the cuisine with American friends visiting their home, who also ended up loving the corn dough pockets stuffed with meats, cheeses and vegetables.

In June 2020, the Cordido brothers opened their first restaurant, Somos Arepas in New Haven. Their goal was to position Venezuelan food as another fastcasual option, with arepas, cachapas and bowls with choice of toppings.

“Everyone's kind of used to the same stuff, Mexican food or sandwiches around here,” said Andres Cordido. “So having this kind of food, people have been like, ‘Oh wow, here's something different.”

The New Haven Somos proved successful, even with the uncertainty of COVID-19, because

the menu was set up well for takeout, Andres said. The brothers opened a second location in Shelton in April, and their longterm goal is to turn it into a chain.

“We want to spread arepas to

the world,” Andres said.

The food

The arepas at Somos are formed with a corn masa dough and baked, then stuffed with

customers' choice of fillings. Proteins include pulled chicken, pork carnitas, carne mechada (shredded beef ) or avocado chicken salad, and a plant-based tofu sofrito is also available.

Other fillings include beans, sweet plantains, avocado, pickled onions, tomatoes, jalapeños and lettuce, and choices of cheese, like queso fresco, queso a mano (a Venezuelan soft white cheese) and a vegan option.

Somos also makes seven different sauces in house, including a garlic crema, an avocado-based guasacaca, sweet pina and chipotle mayo.

The fillings, toppings and sauces are also available for cachapas, or traditional semi-sweet pancakes (Somos describes them as “the upgraded quesadilla”) and bowls, crafted with a base of rice, sweet corn or lettuce.

Snacks include Venezuelan tequeños, or dough-wrapped cheese sticks (Andres Cordido said Somos' version is baked, rather than fried) and empanadas with a corn dough, filled with beef, chicken or cheese. Everything on the menu, except the dough for tequeños, is gluten-free, he said.

Eat in or take out?

Seating is available at both locations, and Somos offers takeout and delivery.

Elizabeth Grant / Courtesy of Somos Arepas Plated arepas and other Venezuelan food from Somos Handcrafted Arepas. They have two locations in New Haven and Shelton.

Somos Arepas offers bowls, crafted with a base of rice, sweet corn or lettuce, and choice of proteins and toppings.

An arepa with pork carnitas, sweet plantains, jalapeños, and queso de mano with salsa rosada from Somos Arepas.