“What’s an arepa?” That’s one of the first questions business owner Rosemary Rojas gets when new customers see her food truck, Arianna’s Arepas.

“Arepas are from Venezuela; they’re made of corn flour and are gluten free,” Rojas says. “They’re very easy to make — once the dough is made, you put it on a flat grill and cook it on both sides so it’s crispy. Meanwhile, the middle stays fluffy and hot. It’s like a pita pocket, and you stuff it with whatever you want. It’s like a corn tortilla, in a way, but they’re very thick. A lot of people don’t know what it is, but when they try it, they love it.

“I’m actually the only one on island that sells this kind of food right now,” she adds.

Rojas, originally from Venezuela, moved to Hawaii about a year ago. “I love cooking, and all my friends always told me, ‘You should open your own restaurant,’ so I’ve been looking at food trucks,” she says. “Once I found this truck, I named it after my daughter, Arianna. She helps me during the weekends; you’ll see her at the cash register.”

Popular menu items include are-pa pabellon ($12) — shredded beef, cheese, black beans and a fried plantain — and domino empanadas ($6), which come with black beans and cheese.

“Arepa pabellon is based off our main plate in Venezuela called the pabellon plate — rice, beans, shredded beef and fried plantains,” Rojas says.

“That’s our main dish there, and we turned it into an arepa. This empanada is called ‘Domino’ because it’s made with black beans and cheese, so black and white.”

The biz is currently open at its Hopaka Street location from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays, but follow the biz on social media (@arepas_ hawaii) for updates.

“I take orders in person, but if people add me on Instagram, I can also take orders there,” she says. “You can message me and let me know you’re on your way, so I can get the order on the grill.Arepas do take around 15 minutes to cook, while the empanadas cook really fast because they’re fried.”

Arianna’s Arepas

1235 Hopaka St., Honolulu
Instagram: @arepas_hawaii
How to order: In person
How to pay: Cash or credit cards accepted