Empanadas and South American Ices is what Empanadas Cafe specializes in. Most come for the empanadas and for good reason. The menu is extensive and can be overwhelming for those venturing here for the first time. Three types of flour can be chosen along with a variety of fillings, with about 30 empanadas to choose from.
The three flours consist of:
- Corn Flour = Probably my favorite of the bunch, it's a smooth and crispy texture. It does not try to overwhelm the ingredients inside, making for the perfect compliment to any filling.
- Organic Flour = At first looks, these appear healthy in its textured dark brown, rough and nutty exterior. It's no where as crispy as the corn flour, and I did find this shell to be somewhat overpowering the ingredients inside, so much so that I really tried to enjoy the organic aspect of this shell but it was just too much for my palate.
- White Flour = The empanadas in this group are the largest of the bunch, approximately 20% larger. The exterior looks like a deep-fried wonton, with the bubbly/crater shell. But to my surprise, it wasn't greasy, but actually somewhat crumbly with a pastry-like texture.
As for the empanadas that I tried:
- White Flour - Pavo Con Queso - Ground Turkey & Cheese ($1.75) - If you notice closely, the work TURKEY is stamped along the edge of the empanada. This empanada was moist, flavorful, and you can really taste the freshness of the turkey as opposed to the processed flavor I was expecting.
- Corn Flour - Carne y Queso - Ground Beef & Cheese ($1.50) - Good flavors from the beef, not too cheesy. A satisfying empanada worth trying.
- Organic Flour - Chorizo - Spicy Sausage & Potato ($2.00) - Bits of slightly spicy chorizo are mixed with a creamy puree-like mashed potato. I really wanted to like this one, but the organic flour somewhat overpowered the chorizo and potato making it dull and bordering on flavorless.
- Corn Flour - Carne - Shredded Beef ($1.50) - The meat was slightly pulley, though not as stringy as pulled pork. The beef was tender, but it could have used a bit more flavor, such as a richer sauce.
- White Flour - Hawaiiana - Ham, Pineapple, & Cheese ($1.75) - I wouldn't go so far as ordering this one out of curiosity. You really have to have the urge and liking for the ham and pineapple combination in order to like this one. The sweetness of the pineapple contrasted perfectly against the subtle saltiness of the thin-sliced deli ham. I am probably one of the few who can appreciate this combination.
- Corn Flour - Pollo - Shredded Chicken ($2.00) - Yum! The creaminess of the corn paired nicely with the shredded chicken. It was very enjoyable and far from salty.
- Organic Flour - Carne - Ground Beef & Mixed Vegetables ($2.00) - The ground beef was moist, but all I really really taste from this was the chopped bell peppers that completely dominated any other ingredient. Then came the bland organic flour which made this one of my least favorite empanadas.
- Corn Flour - Camarones - Shrimp ($2.00) - I didn't know what to expect from this one. What I got was a paste-like texture mixed with mashed potatoes and bits of shrimp. After all that protein from the meat, you could really taste the shrimp flavor of this one. Some butter could have a nice addition with two ingredients that scream for butter all on its own.
Then comes the little containers of green sauce, one for every 2 empanadas. Additional sauce can be ordered for $0.25 each. This cilantro, avocado and oil concoction was a great compliment to the empanadas. It's a bit difficult trying to dip an empanada into these containers so I found myself happily pouring the green sauce right into the empanadas. Truly addictive and it made all the empanadas several time better.
If you're in the area and considering it, make the trip out to try Empanadas Cafe. It's cheap, it's portable and easy to eat, and it's filling. The large crowds will clearly show how popular this establishment is. Since these are made to order, I recommend calling in advance for pick-up. And don't forget to bring cash as credit cards are not accepted. read more