Venezuela Week and Venezuelan Cuisine, La Boca, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Venezuela Week, Venezuelan Cuisine, La Boca, Pavilion
La Boca, Pavilion

Venezuelan Sounds and Flavours at La Boca

Words by Kirsten Durward
Pictures by the Yum List (Monica Tindall)
La Boca Latino Bar doesn’t lack in colour or life at almost any hour of the day or night on regular weeks, but the week of April 22nd will be extra special and full of flavour.  The unique food, dance and music of Venezuela will be celebrated all week as part of Venezuela Week.  Set menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner, together with snacks and cocktails throughout the day will showcase Venezuelan classics, using age old recipes for a truly distinctive taste. 
We enjoyed delectable tasting samples of several signature dishes, and fortunately for me I had an expert guide to explain some of the more unusual dishes to me, in the shape of our Venezuelan Yumlister, Caning Jaramillo.
Papelón is a very sweet sugar cane juice that will appeal to the Malaysian palate.  Caning explains that the sugar cane here is slightly different than in Venezuela, so the taste differs somewhat.
Venezuela Week, Venezuelan Cuisine, La Boca, Pavilion
Papelón con Limón
We’re fairly sure the yummy crisp plantain fritters have been freshly prepared.  With luscious guacamole, fresh tomato salsa and the Venezuelan special of avocado and chicken salad (reina pepiada), this treat is so good we have to secure a second helping! Don’t miss the chips and dip!
Venezuela Week, Venezuelan Cuisine, La Boca
Plantain Chips and Salsas
Pabellon Criollo is delicate shredded beef, slightly spiced and salted, served with beans and rice. Caning declares the beef good flavour, while Monica oohs over the soft black beans, and I think the combination works very satisfactorily on the whole.
Venezuela Week, Venezuelan Cuisine, La Boca, Pavilion
Pabellon Criollo – White rice, shredded beef, black beans, fried plantains
Asado Caraqueño is a whole new experience for me. Thin sliced beef coated in a sweet, sticky, dark sauce has been cooked slowly for optimum tenderness.  It’s matched with a thick golden maize concoction as a counterfoil to the intensity of the sauce. 
Venezuela Week, Venezuelan Cuisine, La Boca, Pavilion
Asado Caraqueño
Pelao Guayanes bursts with colour off the plate, fittingly matching the vibrancy of La Boca’s painted walls. The unusual and soft texture proves to be moist chicken rice with gula Melaka, olives and capers.  I learn that this dish was influenced by Trinidadian and Indian immigrants in the coastal regions of Venezuela.  It’s a sticky soft risotto-like dish with gentle flavours.

Venezuela Week, Venezuelan Cuisine, La Boca, Pavilion
Pelao Guayanes 
Fosforera is a distinctive seafood soup, the not so secret special ingredient being a type of sweet chili. Its sea faring roots hail from Venezuela’s beautiful ‘Isla Margarita. In taste it’s brothy and slightly briny, definitely hailing freshly from the ocean’s garden.
Venezuela Week, Venezuelan Cuisine, La Boca, Pavilion
Fosforera
Our meal ends with soft chewy warm ‘churros’ the Latino version of a donut. Which, I infinitely prefer to its North American cousin for it’s crisp outer and gently chewy inner.  Mmmmh – rather too more-ish! Did I mention that it comes with a cup of thick frothy chocolate?  I ask you – what’s not to like?
Venezuela Week, Venezuelan Cuisine, La Boca, Pavilion
Churros con Chocolate
It’s been a happy tasting, and we’re all grateful that the Venezuelan Embassy continues to organize these special events. Your taste buds and tummies will not be complaining should you choose to wander down the busy alleyways of Pavilion to enjoy this once a year opportunity! Accompanying your gastronomic exploration you’ll find Venezuelan Dance and Music, live music in particular from the Venezuelan Strings Duo, also performing at the Dewan Filharmonik on the 21st. (Please note since publishing this article, the Strings Duo have experienced unforeseen circumstances and so the concert is cancelled.) Shake a leg, tap a foot, taste a plate, raise a glass and toast your own good fortune!
Venezuela Week, Venezuelan Cuisine, La Boca, Pavilion
Torta de Tres Leches – Three Milk Cake
Venezuela Week runs from April 22nd to April 27th, from breakfast to late night dancing.
For more information visit: www.facebook.com/embavenezmalasia
La Boca Latino Bar
Level 3
Pavilion,
Jalan Bukit Bintang,
Kuala Lumpur,
Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia
+6 03 2148 9977

2 Comments

  1. Like the setting of La Boca.

    Greetings,
    Filip

  2. i shared your post to my man, he will eat on my behalf and drink one caipirinha for me, though it has nothing to do with Venezuela 😉 love this place very much. murphy's law hit me hard and i am not there in kl during this period.

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