Ingredient appreciation — what makes Arepa special

What sets Arepa apart is the handling of chicharrón pork rinds. In lesser versions this is treated as a background note. Here it's central and the richly textured result shows it. I've started buying it to cook with at home after this experience.

Colombian cuisine varies dramatically between the coastal Caribbean, Andean, and Amazonian regions. The an Antioquia bandeja paisa restaurant atmosphere was right for this kind of food. I had agua panela sugarcane drink as recommended and it matched well. If you want to understand what makes this cuisine distinctive, Arepa is the place to start.