El Cocotero could be described as off-the-beaten track. You could walk down West 18th Street over and over and easily walk by it. This small Venezuelan café (Spanish for “The Coconut”) is laid back, with a friendly, upbeat atmosphere. Latin pop music, palm trees, blue and yellow colored walls provide a setting that speaks more tropical vacation than it does an urban Chelsea locale. Of course, starting with a passion fruit rum cocktail called a Guarapita may have enhanced the mood.

El Cocotero’s food is very typical Venezuelan cuisine with a nod to roadside food. Arepas, baked corn flour pocket sandwiches, are offered with a large selection of fillings. The Reina Pepiada is one of the most popular arepa dishes in Venezuela: a combination of shredded chicken, avocado, and cilantro stuffed into a grilled cornmeal arepa . El Cocotero offers this dish in a pocket made of crispy green plantains, a Patacón Maracucho. Two words: so good.

They also serve baby shark empanadas and Chivo En Coco, young goat stewed in red and green pepper coconut sauce served with rice, black beans, and green plantains. An enormous helping for just $16.95, though a tad chewy, the rich dark meat is covered in a rich almost mole-like red and green pepper sauce.

The Torta Tres Leches (three milk cake) is soaked in three kinds of milk: evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream. The results is a dessert that is very moist, rich with an almost caramel flavor.

For El Cocotero’s owner Luis Quintero recommendations, read more here.