When it comes to Latin food in South Jersey, Mexican restaurants still dominate the scene, but with our monthly Uncommon Dining feature, we like to take a look at offerings from cuisines and cultures that are a little less prevalent in the region.
Papelon Latin Kitchen restaurant fits that bill in two ways, serving up Latin dishes that trace their styles to South America and the Caribbean instead of Mexico, and doing it in a place more known for pizza, french fries and salt water taffy.
Located near 24th Street, just into the North Wildwood side of the famous oceanfront boardwalk, Papelon is described as a Venezuelan-Caribbean restaurant, where they serve dishes originating from many Latin cultures, including Columbia, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
We’ve personally been visiting the spot for years, going back to its previous incarnation as Giovanna’s, where we’d typically stop by their take-out window to grab some of their empanadas for a quick bite on the go.
During our recent visit, just before Memorial Day Weekend, we opted to sit inside for a relaxed pre-holiday rush lunch.
We had a lovely chat with Dayana, one of the owners at Papelon, who said they’re now going into their fourth season running the restaurant.
We ordered a variety of items from their extensive menu, and everything we tried was delicious and well prepared. The service was fast and friendly, and the food was affordable and plentiful, and we had lots to take home for leftovers.
Some of our favorites were the Pabellon Criollo – the national dish of Venezuela – a platter including white rice, black beans, shredded beef and fried plantains; an Arepa (corn meal flatbread) stuffed with pernil (pulled pork); and of course those empanadas!
If you find yourself visiting the Wildwoods this holiday, and you’re looking for something a little different from the usual boardwalk fare, Papelon could be just what you’re looking for!
Leave a Reply