Roll With It: Arianna’s Arepas

We hit a pot of Venezuelan gold when we finally tried this food truck, now parked at Pearlridge.

January 18, 2024

Gregg Hoshida,

Ariannas Beef With Guasacaca. Photo: Gregg Hoshida

Oftentimes, finding a particular food truck I want to try is like chasing a rainbow. I see it and know generally where it stops, but when I get there, it’s gone until who knows when. Such was the case with Arianna’s Arepas. Open since last summer, I spotted it but didn’t have a chance to try it. Since then, there have been several missed opportunities, until recently. With a new, semi-permanent location at Pearlridge, in the old Sears parking lot, I finally reached the end of the rainbow and hit a pot of Venezuelan gold.

Owner Rose Rojas in her truck. Photo: Gregg Hoshida

The Menu

For the uninitiated, like me, an arepa is South American street food at its best. It’s a grilled corn meal patty stuffed with various fillings. A savory Venezuelan version typically includes seasoned meats and cheese. There are also ones with beans, rice, eggs or veggies, often accompanied by fresh guasacaca or avocado salsa.

Preparing arepa. Photo: Gregg Hoshida

Owner and operator Rose Rojas named her truck after her daughter, Arianna, and her food reflects the flavors she grew up with. She offers a fairly extensive menu with six types of arepas, including scrambled eggs, shredded chicken, beef and pork. Priced at $20, a single arepa weighs more than a pound and a half, and to me, was well worth the price. For those wanting something lighter, there are also a variety of empanadas available at $7 each. With Rojas making each arepa to order, there’s a 20- to 30-minute wait, but this too is worth it.

We recommend:

Arepa de Pernil. Photo: Gregg Hoshida

The Arepa de Pernil ($20), filled with slow-roasted, marinated pork, is juicy and succulent from start to finish. My favorite part was munching on the crunchy, burnt bits of corn meal patty that melded perfectly with the shredded pork and melting cheese.

The Arepa Pabellon ($20)—stuffed with well-seasoned shredded beef, black beans and fried plantains, then topped with shredded cheese—is the most complex item on the menu. After an initial bite of beef and cheese, you’ll hit the black beans and sweet plantains, further enhancing the flavors. It’s a dish that felt like an adventure as I indulged further.

Do not skip the Guasacaca Sauce ($3), commonly referred to as avocado salsa. Packed with flavor, this fresh and herbal condiment is the perfect counterpoint to the fats of the proteins and the richness of the cornmeal patty. I recommend ordering two per arepa.

Photo: Gregg Hoshida

How It Rolls

Where: Arianna’s Arepas, Pearlridge Center parking lot (where Sears used to be), 98-1005 Moanalua Road
When: Tuesday through Friday 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m; Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m
Payment: Credit card accepted
Follow: @arepas_hawaii