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Venezuelan Restaurant Arepera Guacuco to Expand With Bed-Stuy Location

By Camille Bautista | January 18, 2017 7:50pm
 Arepera Guacuco, a Venezuelan restaurant, is bringing its arepas and empanadas to Bedford-Stuyvesant this spring, according to owner Leonardo Molina.
Arepera Guacuco, a Venezuelan restaurant, is bringing its arepas and empanadas to Bedford-Stuyvesant this spring, according to owner Leonardo Molina.
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Facebook/Arepera Guacuco

BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — A family-run Venezuelan restaurant is taking its arepas from Bushwick to Bedford-Stuyvesant with a planned outpost on Throop Avenue.

Arepera Guacuco is slated to open its third location at 360 Throop Ave. between Kosciuszko Street and DeKalb Avenue this spring, according to owner Leonardo Molina. 

The 1,500-square-foot space will serve the popular fried corn patties filled with meat, cheese or vegetables, made by Molina’s mother, Carmen Cabello.

Customer favorites include the pabellon arepa, made with shredded beef, cheese, sweet plantains and black beans, or the vegetarian version served with avocados, Venezuelan Guayanés cheese, tomato and sweet plantains.

Other dishes offered are seafood soup, grilled fish and freshly-made empanadas, Molina said. 

The Ridgewood resident and his family already operate two spots in Bushwick — Arepera Guacuco on Irving Avenue near Troutman Street and Guacuco Hot Dog on Starr Street near Wyckoff Avenue.

“People love the food, people love the ambience, we’re very sure we’re making the right decision by expanding to Bed-Stuy,” Molina added.

“We have a very neighborhood vibe, very laid back, nothing pretentious. It’s a very warm and tropical feeling, with love all around.”

Guacuco takes its name after a beach in Venezuela’s Margarita Island, where Molina was born.

The new Throop Avenue location is twice as large as the Irving Avenue one and will seat up to 50 people, he said.

The owner is looking to have a full bar to serve margaritas, mojitos and other cocktails.

After the restaurant is up and running by June, Molina hopes to use a large back space at the new location to host community events.

“We’re going to put all our love and passion, the same way we did to Bushwick, into our new neighborhood. We’re giving it our all,” he said.