Description:

Unless you are the lucky sort who gets to the Andes Mountains on a regular basis, racking up frequent flier miles, you may never have been around a bowl of Colombian potato soup, ajiaco.   Central American mainstay ingredients corn and potatoes combine with chicken and a garnish of avocado and crema to combine into sophisticated, modern comfort food that will warm you up on a cold day like a bowl of New Orleans gumbo.

Oh wait, if you’re at Mais Arepas at 1200 Carondelet St. in Central City, you ARE in New Orleans.

Although this chic, elegant little wood-paneled and light-filled corner restaurant wouldn’t be out of place on Magazine Street, it’s nestled right near the I-10 overpass in a somewhat out-of-the-way spot.   The restaurant is named after the most important food in that part of the world, “mais,” or corn-but that’s also the main ingredient of “arepas,” the grilled corn-cake that is the base for most of the menu at Mais Arepas. Something like a tortilla or a flattened-out piece of cornbread, arepas can be topped with shrimp, or grilled skirt steak, and served with a choice of salsas; it’s more than a snack at Mais Arepas.

If you’re interested in something refreshing to drink, the tropical fruit juices are really a treat.   There’s a full bar if you want a margarita or a glass of Sangria. Start with plantain fritters, or the grilled corn on the cob, end with a dish of flan, and be prepared to visit the tropics.