I always dream about the day I’ll visit South America. The culture, the language, the people, the landscape…it’s all good. My only concern is the food, which tends to be pretty red meat-heavy. I think I will just have to subsist on water, pasta and vegetarian/chicken empanadas, and if they’re anything like the ones at the Hell’s Kitchen eatery, Empanada Mama, I’ll be more than just fine.
The tiny restaurant, which is always packed, does empanadas better than anywhere else I’ve had in the city (i.e. Yuca Bar, El Cocotero). Their flaky shells have the delicacy of a baked treat and their fillings are so warm and gooey that it creates such a great balance of hard and soft. Besides really fun fillings (cheeseburger, pizza and Hawaiian), I love the names for some of their empanadas: Viagra (seafood stew with shrimps, scallops and crab meat), Reggaeton (Caribbean style roast pork with sofrito seasoned yellow rice and peas) and Mambo Italiano (roasted italian sweet sausage with red and green peppers, onions, mozzarella cheese and a touch of tomato sauce).
What’s in it for you: Cheese, spinach & cheese, mushroom and vegetable empanadas; zapiekanka (sauteed mushrooms and onions, salt and pepper, over a baguette topped with brie cheese and parsley); mozzarella arepa
What’s in it for them: Chicken, pork, beef and seafood empanadas in a variety of flavors; cheesesteak arepa, tamales with pork or chicken
We started out with a guacamole that we ordered way too spicy, thinking they wouldn’t know spice like I do. Many cups of water later, I stood corrected.
Guacamole with plantain chips
My mushroom and two spinach & cheese empanadas
I’m such a mushroom lover, but the spinach and cheese ones are, in my mind, way better. If you need some convincing, take a look at this:
Ooey gooey spinach and cheese empanada
The cool part about their menu is that they have some baked as well as whole wheat flour empanada options. Of course the fried corn flour ones taste better, but it’s nice to have the option. On my next visit, I need to save room for their fruit shakes, which look divine.
Empanada Mama
763 9th Ave. (near 51st St.)
212.698.9008
C, E to 50th St.
N, R, W to 49th St.