About a month or so ago I spotted La Puna Empanadas truck and stopped to give the food a try and…read moresupport a small, women owned and operated, business.
Really enjoyed the first experience and so when I saw the truck again today after an early morning walk in Descanso Gardens, I stopped again to get their empanadas.
This visit confirmed my initial impression which was/is that the empanadas from La Puna are "fantastic"!!
I ordered four empanadas, the corn and spinach, as well as their chicken. Also ordered one called the Arabe.
All four were superb!! The corn empanada was a combination of sweet, salty, and creamy. This was the result of using good quality corn and a combination of both cream and either jack or cotija cheese.
The spinach empanada was equally delicious. It had a unique taste profile prompted by the really smart use of a hint of nutmeg. The combination of spinach and the nutmeg, along with whatever they included, have the final product a
"wow" factor.
Chicken empanada was slightly smokey and very flavorful, and the "Arabe" was a wonderful combination of ground beef, onion, red bell peppers, with spices that offered a distinctly Moroccan taste. Really outstanding.
The thing that tied all these different empanadas together was the dough they use to make them. It was firm while still light and flaky with a mouth feel that was soft but not mushy. It was the perfect compliment to the filling. Like eating a really,really good pie where the filling and the crust are harmonious.
The food offered by La Puna Empanadas reflects attention to detail, the use of really good product, and most importantly pride in their Argentinian culture and it's food.
If you enjoy empanadas or are curious about them, I encourage you to try those offered by La Puna for all the reasons I've outlined here.
One final note, the women who own and run the truck are very nice people whose passion for what they do is evident in every bite of their food.
!!!