I Tried Food From Other Cultures: Arepa House and Oceano Review

I feel like every time I make a post to the food category it comes after a long break. Maybe it’s all in my head but it’s time to make up for lost time. I’ll be sharing my thoughts on two restaurants in Kingston I recently tried food from. Here’s my Arepa house and Oceano review.

First on the list is Arepa House. An arepa is a stuffed cornmeal cake featuring a crispy exterior and a fluffy interior. Arepa’s are widely popular in Columbia and Venezuela  but can also be found in other South American countries. 

Arepa House

Arepa House is a new kid on the block. It only opened its doors last October. Thank goodness for food influencers. I learnt of this South American dish through my favourite Instagram food bloggers. The weekend I decided to try them out Gustazos had a deal and my husband and I opted to try the signature arepas. I had the chicken option and he had the beef.

The chicken arepa I had was chock full of all the taco toppings. Lettuce, cheese and even jalapenos. The taste was new for me. I liked the taco fillings but there was something about the cornmealish taste of the arepa shell that I wasn’t in love with. It left a slight bitter taste in my mouth. The sauce that comes with the arepa was the perfect complementary condiment that balanced the strange flavour of the arepa.

Related: The Best Vegan Eateries In Kingston

Although the arepa shell didn’t live up to my expectations, I like Arepa House  because the dishes are customizable and I’m looking forward to giving their pabellon bowl a try.

Oceano Jamaica

According to the Oceano instagram page, Oceano Jamaica promises to be a Japanese  influenced, multi-sensory dining experience. I have to say that I’d agree with that claim. The taste was unlike anything I’ve ever had before. 

I’ve only ever had sushi once before and I instantly regretted it. Why did I think it was a good idea to try sushi for the first time at my birthday dinner? It’s safe to say I didn’t learn my lesson because I did the same when I dined at Oceano for my most recent birthday. However, this time I chose cooked sushi since my knowledge of sushi has in fact improved since the previous experience some years ago. As an even safer bet I also picked one of my favourite kinds of fish, salmon. And it was amazing! Flavourful!  

As my appetizer I had some of the best spring rolls I’ve ever tasted. I’m not usually this dramatic but it was honestly that good. Even the drinks were spot on. As it relates to the food, 10/10 would recommend.

The ambiance on the other hand was not the best. The dining space is beautiful but small and on the night in question it was dark. Unfortunately because the dining space is small the seating arrangement felt uncomfortable. Our table was so close to the next that we could hear the conversation. despite making our reservation it still felt like our table was an afterthought and we were seated in the middle of what seemed to be an aisle. I’ll give them a pass on the seating because it was a busy night and try them again another time to allow for a fair review.

All in all if you’re a sushi lover with a love for fine dining, Oceano Jamaica is one of the best.

Related: Brunch at Chez Maria

For 2022, I plan to try a few other new restaurants/chill spots in Kingston. So far my bucket list has 4 new restaurants I’m considering.

1. The Coppers
2. District 5
3. Trio
4. Holy Smokes

Subscribe so you don’t miss those reviews throughout the year. Trying new food and experiences can be hit or miss but I think for this Arepa house and Oceano review the food was mostly a hit.

Get Social With Me:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simplycandinicole/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_7R4xfZN5g050EI7f7UlYg