The Lunch Break Chronicles

ABOVE: A Venezuelan-syle pernil arepa from Valencia Luncheria.

172 MAIN STREET, NORWALK

2/1/2010

The pernil roast pork shoulder at Valencia Luncheria approaches perfection.

In an arepa, a corncake that is fried and split, it’s both crispy and tender in a sublimely ideal ratio.

It’s seasoned traditionally, yet delicately, so that the flavor of the pork is absolutely dominant.

Yeah, you can put sauce on it – Valencia provides both a chipotle sauce and a green salsa – but the unadulterated pernil is ridiculously good.

And it’s $3.75.

–CP