By 
Isabel Carmona is the founder and owner of VZLA, a Venezuelan food pop-up. Despite the prevalence of Latin American cuisines in LA, Venezuelan food isn’t as widely represented. Before visiting VZLA, I had never tried an arepa, which is why I’m so happy to share with you what Isabel is doing by representing her homeland in the City of Angels.
The week I tried her arepas, Isabel happened to be hosting a four-day pop-up at Melody Wine Bar in East Hollywood.
I had heard about Melody Wine Bar before, but I had never been there. This wine bar is in a revamped Craftsman house, where food vendors are allowed to use the whole space on certain days of the week.
I immediately fell in love with the cozy atmosphere and the open-air space. It was so nice to enjoy my meal on this lovely patio. There were a few other solo diners, so don’t be intimidated to go alone.
VZLA doesn’t have a brick-and-mortar location, but in addition to VZLA’s frequent pop-ups at Melody Wine Bar, Isabel does pop-up appearances all over LA. For example, the week after her pop-up at Melody Wine Bar, Isabel was doing another pop-up at the Monkish Brewing Co in Torrance. Make sure to check her Instagram!
Here’s what I tried:
Market Salad
Complimentary*
I’m not the type of person who likes fruit on a salad, but this was another level of deliciousness. The savory notes of the vinaigrette, combined with the sweetness of the Ambrosia cantaloupe and the subtle kick of cilantro, took me on a journey. I had to slow down to savor the luscious produce. These bursts of flavor, coupled with the striking combination of colors, screamed summer. Isabel sources the fruit from Gomez Munak Ranch, a local farm located in Paso Robles, California.
Isabel offers four types of arepas: chicken, spicy beef, pork belly and vegan. Depending on the day, she may sell a new type of arepa, but not always. When she did a pop-up at the Monkish Brewing Co in Torrance, she announced her new Pernil Arepa would only be available that day.
I encourage you to look into the history of arepas! Although they are a staple in Venezuelan cuisine, they’re also a cornerstone of South American gastronomy in neighboring countries like Panama and Colombia. The first arepas date back to pre-Columbian times, before Europeans came to the New World. The word “arepa” is believed to derive from the Indigenous word “erepa,” meaning corn.
After looking up arepas online and familiarizing myself with their appearance, what stood out to me about Isabel’s creations was the delicate arrangement of the ingredients. Just look at how beautiful they are! Every menu item of hers is flawlessly executed with outstanding presentation.
Even though I grew up in Spain eating my mom’s Dominican food, I’m not really familiar with other Latin American dishes. Since I wanted something on the lighter side, I opted for the chicken arepa.
What immediately struck me about my first bite was how different the texture was from that of a tortilla! They may look similar, but they’re very different. The most important ingredient of the arepa is corn. Arepas are often made with Harina P.A.N., a popular brand of precooked cornmeal used to prepare the dough.
The chicken was lean and tender, and all the ingredients melded together seamlessly. The tanginess of the pickled onions added a faint sweetness to the arepa. The ultra-fresh microgreens, silky slice of avocado, and thin, crispy shell made my first experience with Venezuelan food an exciting one.
The servers will give you utensils, but I highly recommend wrapping your arepa in napkins and eating it like a sandwich for a greater flavor payoff.
If you want to take your arepa up a notch, don’t forget to add one of Isabel’s delectable homemade sauces for that extra oomph. There are mint sauce, chipotle crema, pickled onions, and mango chutney. I added a tiny bit of the chipotle crema and…wow! The flavor was vibrant with a hint of spiciness that completely elevated my arepa to a different level.
I didn’t feel the need to use much sauce because the arepa was excellent on its own, but that sauce was definitely worth a try! When Isabel replied to the questions I had DMed her, she wrote back saying the chipotle cream sauce was indeed the best sauce to pair with the chicken arepa.
Isabel is constantly adding new items to her menu, so you should definitely order something else besides the arepa!
Venezuelan empanadas filled with ground beef and in every bite you have to add guasacaca. She will be joining the little VZLA team for a bit so some og arepas coming your way!
While I was enjoying my meal, Isabel briefly stepped out of the kitchen to greet me. After my tasting, we talked about her background, the story behind VZLA, and her move from Venezuela to LA five years ago.
What part of Venezuela are you from? Why did you move to LA?
I’m from Valencia, I moved here looking for new opportunities due to the declining situation in my country 💔. I never wanted to leave Venezuela but my parents encouraged me and now I’m thankful they did.
Why did you start VZLA?
I used to work in a corporate environment. I always knew I wanted to do something related to food and something that connected me with Venezuela. It took a while to take the jump, but last year during quarantine I decided it was the right time.
What do you want people to think when they eat your arepas?
I always say that I want people to feel like they are eating at my house. I try to be very welcoming with my food and show people how I eat myself. My food is a reflection of my lifestyle.
What’s your favorite arepa? Is the pork arepa super spicy?
None of them are super spicy. The fresnos (chiles) are pickled so they’re not overly spicy. I would say the spiciest one is the Chipotle Beef, but it has mango salad so it helps tone it down. My favorite one is the vegan arepa. It’s so different from the usual vegan arepa.
How does the delivery service work? Do you deliver in Central LA only? Is it you doing the deliveries?
Deliveries are every Thursday (#ArepaThursday). We put together an “Arepa Kit” with instructions and you can create your own at home. Personally, I think it’s a very fun and interactive dinner (perfect for date nights) and I do the deliveries with the help of 2 other people. We each take an area and sometimes it gets crazy, but we try to cover as many areas as possible.
Unfortunately, I recently had to put deliveries on hold. It’s been a crazy busy summer with pop ups and catering and my team is too small to cover everything. Working on re-launching the deliveries as soon as time allows.
What are your earliest arepa memories?
That’s a tough one. I’ve been eating arepas since I can remember. Definitely, something that comes to my mind when I think of Arepas as a kid, is the memory of my great grandma giving us arepas in a bowl with warm milk and butter melting in the milk. She would cut the arepa in pieces and we would eat it. It sounds weird but it was very comforting.
I see your dessert, Mom’s Quesillo, is a crowd-pleaser and always sells out at your pop-ups.
Mom’s quesillo is literally the quesillo I grew up eating. It’s simple and goes straight to my childhood. In Venezuela, at every birthday party there’s cake, jello and quesillo. Quesillo was always my favorite.
Which sauce pairs best with the chicken arepa?
For the chicken arepa, I like the chipotle crema better. I think it complements the umami of the chicken while the mint one overpowers it a little — although everyone loves the mint sauce. My favorite combo is vegan arepa/mint sauce (the mint sauce was actually created in my mind to only go with the vegan arepa).
What do you like about living in LA?
What I like the most about living in LA is the many many options the city has to offer. You have the beach, the mountains, the city life, the nice restaurants, the hole-in-the wall restaurants… It definitely has something to offer for whatever your mood is. Also, here I don’t feel like an outsider because there’s so many people, all different. I love that.
What are your favorite restaurants in LA?
I live on the Westside, so I definitely need to explore a lot more. But my go-tos are Gjelina, Scopa and Gjusta. When I’m feeling like cocktails, definitely Dama in the Fashion District. I’m a big fan of Ayara Thai and Kanpai Sushi as well. Although I’ve been trying to support other pop ups and going to other sides of town. I love what Melody Wine Bar is doing, and Malli and Sanditas are definitely a must try!
What about your favorite places?
The beach (Manhattan beach), any place that has good food and good wine, The Broad Museum, the Hollywood bowl… but overall anything close to the water. 💙
Do you plan to open a permanent location for VZLA?
Yes! Hopefully! I’m working on it. 😉
Follow @VZLA on Instagram to stay in the loop about her future pop-ups!
