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El Gran Cafe Melbourne

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139 Lonsdale St
MELBOURNE, VIC, 3000
mobile 0425 802 ... mobile 0425 802 518

fax 0496 821 ... fax 0496 821 133
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The Exotique Flavors of South america. Try our Arepas, Empanadas, Rice Dishes, Gourmet Breakfast, Delicious drinks and more... something you have never tasted before.

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Dionbul Newbie 1 review
Going into EL GRAN CAF today, I was greeted warmly by the staff. The atmosphere was cosy and delightful with the rich aroma of coffee filling the air. On first look, this looked like any other cafe with a display filled with an assortment of foccacias, pastries and cakes. However, we were surprised to uncover South-American specialities like Arepas and Empanadas being served alongside the traditional fare.

Arepas are considered the national food of Venezuela. Resembling buns, they are made from corn flour instead of wheat. They are usually filled with cheese, black beans, chicken, chicken salad and avocado, tuna or roasted pork.

Empanadas resemble pastry puffs and are can be described as deep fried meat pies. Also made from corn flour, they come in a choice of beef, cheese and chicken fillings.

I couldnt go without trying out something new so I ordered myself a La Pelua Arepa and a chicken Empanada. Both dishes had an exotic mix of flavours and were absolutely delicious! The Empanada pastry was sweet & crunchy, unlike that of the meat pie and the Arepa was firm and crispy on the outside, soft & tasty on in the inside. It was like an array of flavours just burst into this aroma of goodness.

I've never had Venezuelan food before, so I have no idea how authentic these things are, or how they compare to other places that might serve them, but the owners sure seemed venezolanos (well, they spoke Spanish, at least)!

The cafe was decorated with beautiful photos of South American culture and also retail items; Grab some corn flour if you want to try your hand at making Arepas at home, or pre-cooked Arepas ready to warm up and eat for that quick snack. You can also try other South American dishes, like Argentinean Empanadas (oven cooked), Colombian Ajiaco Bogotano - a very tasty chicken soup with potatoes, corn, avocado, capers and cream; and The Argentinean Matahambre (which translates to hunger killer).

The menu consists of all time breakfast delights as well as authentic South American fare. They even have an Arepa named La Aussie!

Definitely a place to try out!
2 years ago
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