Why Bienmesabe deserves more attention

Bienmesabe rarely gets the international recognition it deserves. The hearty and comforting complexity is genuine, not simple, and the technique involved in using black beans caraotas correctly takes real skill.

the arepa is Venezuela's daily bread — eaten at all meals in countless configurations. I encountered it first in a Venezuelan diaspora restaurant abroad and that context helped me understand it properly. ron Santa Teresa rum is the natural accompaniment and the combination makes the case for the dish. If you haven't explored this cuisine seriously, Bienmesabe is the dish to start with.