Mil Jugos Arepas: The hamburger of Venezuela

Norah Briceño, a Venezuelan native has brought a taste of modest home cooking to Mil Jugos in Santa Ana.  Since 2003, this small eatery has prized itself on a lean and fat free menu and has fast earned a reputation for serving up the best Venezuelan hamburger or Arepa in town.  The Mil Jugos menu also features other traditional meals like Cachapas a sweet, corn pancake.

Mil Jugos’ grilled Arepas or flattened bread are made out of imported cornmeal and are offered plain or stuffed with various fillings like white cheese, black beans and assorted seasoned, shredded meats. Briceño prefers to replicate the menu from a similar restaurant she operated while in Venezuela and chooses to import the same Venezuelan cornmeal for an authentic taste.  The bread is gluten free and reminiscent of a breakfast muffin in shape and size.  A plain arepera averages one hundred calories and is traditionally eaten with soups.

There are ten varieties of Arepas offered to satisfy the eclectic palates of Santa Ana patrons.  Available choices like shredded beef with black beans or finely shredded chicken breast drizzled in garlic and cooked with onions and tomatoes can be accentuated with accompanying sauces called Perejil and Guasacaca.  The Perejil or parsley sauce is a mild, aromatic fusion of parsley and garlic while the Guasacaca is a zesty and hot combination of Jalapeno peppers, cilantro, sweet peppers and parsley in an oil and vinegar base.  The service is warm, relaxed and guest requests for a vegetarian Arepa is surprisingly accommodated regardless of its absence on the menu!

The restaurant has a light and fresh ambiance and the healthy meals are modestly priced. For returning customers Rosemary and Chris Foreman, the restaurant is a quick pit stop to satisfy a craving en route to their new home in California. It is the only place which carries the Arepa and Cachapas she discovered on her frequent trips from Texas.  Arepa is a daily and common meal in most Venezuelan homes and per Briceño, “it is what hamburger is to Americans”.  True to her motto, Norah Briceño is well on her way in ensuring customers that Mil Jugos is the best Venezuelan restaurant in town.

 Mil Jugos is located in downtown Santa Ana at 318 W. 5^th St. catering is offered.