Restaurant Round-Up: Arepa City

We've decided to slightly tweak the format of Restaurant Round-Up. With so many great events coming up, the Spotobe team realized that we might want to start running more blog posts, and that those blog posts should probably be a little bit shorter. The change is going to be reflected in Restaurant Round-Up first. Instead of doing three restaurants every week, we're going to put up one-review Round-Ups on a semi-regular basis (crazy with the hyphens). We'll see how it goes. Starting things off, Dave B. submits a glowing review after a trip to one of Harrisburg's newest restaurants, Arepa City.

Arepa City
Name: Dave B.
When: Opening day at lunchtime.
Been Before: No, first time.
Ordered: A variety of arepas*, both grilled and fried. We ordered a scrambled eggs version, a Picadillo (ground beef and olives; Cuban-style), one with just cheese (mozzarella and butter), one with beans and another one that was a complete meal inside an arepa. We also had some very good coffee and some homemade flan and cheesecake.
The Food: Easily a 10-out-of-10. No joke! The place is very, very authentic. This is real-deal Latin food, and the chef is exceptionally knowledgeable when it comes to this type of cuisine.
The Ambiance: Latin-American. It’s small (sits about 20-25) and very hospitable. The music really captures the spirit of South American culture. The people and the menu give the place a very warm and natural family appeal.
Company: Two other friends/co-workers. We were all first-timers, but were salivating at the thought of trying something entirely new on 2nd Street.
Did Others Like Their Meals: We all went back to our individual departments and offered very encouraging remarks.
Cost: If we would have had any sense of self-control, we could have easily dined there for $5 or $6. But, because we wanted to indulge in a variety of arepas, the three of us ordered five different meals to share, two desserts, two coffees and an appetizer.  All for $30. So, for this particular trip, everything came to about $10 a head, but that’s only because we totally overdid it. Not that any of us regretted it.
The Service: Our server acted as a tour guide, and helped us navigate the menu. As she was getting to know the menu herself, she was helpful in the sense that she recommended her personal favorites, and gave us some idea about the food’s ingredients, size, and flavor.
Notes: Arepa City nails it. Nails it in terms of cultural diversity, flavor, price and location. This is an excellent resource for friends, quick bites and small, intimate meetings. As an active employee of the Harrisburg downtown area, I personally welcome Arepa City into the neighborhood, and hope fellow residents will support this (and other) new business. Eateries such as this help keep the money downtown, and are a catalyst in influencing and developing our culture. 
Recommendation: Yes, without a doubt.

* The arepa is a flat, unleavened patty made of cornmeal which can be grilled, baked, or fried. The characteristics of the arepa vary from region to region: It may vary by color, flavor, size, thickness, garniture, and also the food may be stuffed.