Recently, I went to La Casa De Pedro at 343 Arsenal St. in Watertown to celebrate my nephew's birthday. I had never been there before and was not sure I would like Venezuelan food but I was assured it was wonderful.

The restaurant offers Tappas (appetizers), Cuban sandwiches, enormous salads and both Venezuelan and Mexican entrees that usually come with fried yuca and plantain or black beans and rice on the side.

Our lunch started with Arepas, a surprisingly light grilled corn cake filled with - in this case - chicken and avocados. These little cakes which actually look more like mini pies were so good we could have made a meal out of them alone. The Pollo en Brasa was as the menu stated "the best roast chicken in the state." Whatever seasonings and spices they used were flavorful but not over done allowing the flavor and quality of the chicken to come through. The Pollo de la Selva is an excellent dish for those who enjoy the sweet and savory taste of chicken with apricots and mango sauce and the Isla de Margarita was perhaps the most succulent cod dish I've have experienced with it's roasted tomato and onion-garlic sauce. The Quesedilla de Carne Asada was my favorite with it's freshly made flour tortilla, juicy steak and melted cheese topped with sour cream and served with crunchy yuca an sweet plantain on the side. There were eight of us all together, each person ordering a different entree and not one of them was anything less than amazing! 

Casa de Pedro's atmosphere is bright and tropical with splashy colors on the walls, palm trees decked out with strings of little white lights and a large tank with stripped and speckled fish happily swimming around. All the cocktails - and their are many - are made with freshly squeezed juices and it won't be long before you feel you are on vacation!

I highly recommend that the next time you are in the mood to try something different or just get away for a little while that you try Casa de Pedro. You won't be disappointed!