Empanadas Gourmet

This place is no longer open. I was disappointed because I traveled a long ways to try this place per the excellent reviews. It is too bad I didnt have a chance. Now I have to drive even further to L.A. for my empanadas!

I absolutely love this place. I come here as often as I can. It’s nice, quiet and calm.
The food is fantastic! The selection of the empanadas is fantastic. They don’t over-​season the filling so as to leave you feeling heavy.
My mom makes empanadas at home (she’s from Paraguay) and she’s set the bar pretty high with her cooking. I have to say that this place hasn’t let me down.

Didn’t know what to eat on a Friday nite and hubby couldn’t get a reservation at our usual spots (Akasaka, Babita) so I suggested Empanadas Gourmet. I’d been wanting to try this place for a while so the hubby and I hopped into the car and embarked on our food adventure. GPS took us to a blocked street (street was closed for the Fri nite Farmers Market) so we parked in a Free Parking structure and tried to GPS the rest of the way on foot. We finally arrived and opted to sit indoors as it was still pretty hot outside.
We perused the menu and decided on the 2 empanadas with the Buenos Aires salad combo. I opted for a glass of sangria and the hubby had some malbec. Wine was pretty good… my sangria was missing something (I couldn’t figure out and still haven’t). As we waited for our food the waitress brought us some bread and chimichurri sauce. Yum and yum… the bread was good but the chimichurri sauce was really good.
I ordered a beef empananada and a Tango. Hubby had a beef and the ratatouille. The beef was really good and the ratatouille was a lot better than I had expected. The salad was another unexpected delight. No super special ingredients. It was just really fresh! It was romaine lettuce, chopped ham, sliced black olives, sliced green olives and some sort of cheese.
All in all… a nice spot for a good dinner. I would come back again and order the pizza next time. Saw some other reviews that said the pizza was good.

As promised, I returned with the same group of friends (plus one other we dragged along with us to better divide the dozen empanadas). Our experience was much the same – restaurant was still nearly empty, waitress was still a little slow, food was still really good.
We tried the corn, vegetable, and chicken empanadas this time. Corn was tasty, but the chicken, like the beef, was dry. Vegetable tasted a little funny, but I think that’s because I don’t like olives.
I knew we should have repeated our order to the waitress when we ended up with an extra spinach empanada instead of our precious ratatouille. The waitress never apologized for the foible but gave us an extra ratatouille on the house. Plus, she takes pretty good pictures, so everything was fine in the end.

Wonderful hidden secret away from the main stretch of downtown Monrovia. Cute and breezy outdoor patio was perfect for a wonderful brunch with friends. Ordered just two empanadas, the ratatouille and the basil. Liked the ratatouille more. Both were crammed with plenty of fresh veggies. The ratatouille empanada had much more cheese. I liked that they were baked. Didn’t feel too greasy at all. The sauce that went alone with it was delightful!
You can also buy empanadas to go and bake them at home. Perfect!

Empanadas are filled with huge chunks of onions and very bland tasting. The garlic dipping sauce is god though.
This place is extremely overpriced and there is no atmosphere at the restaurant.
Skip

GOOD: Ratatouille empanada and thin crust pizzas!
BAD: Soda from a can, no refills :-(
EHHH: Penne primavera needed a little more flavor. Pasta was overcooked.
While I enjoyed the meal, I must be honest in grading: a large part of the 5 star comes from the environment. This restaurant is situated in Old Town Monrovia where brick and mortar buildings line the streets, cars toot by slowly and mismatched flower pots populate window sills. This place is forever encapsulated in the 1950’s. As we were eating our lunch, there was a little boy sitting on the shaded sidewalk with his dog waiting for his dad to finish up at the barber’s shop. And if you peer into the barber shop, you can spot a tableau of men getting trimmed and shavened like they did when times were much more simple. I’d definitely come back to this quarter of town to try out other shops and restaurants.

This is a small, friendly café setting with pictures of bombillas on the wall. That’s what told me this was Argentinean before I even looked at the menu. I was skeptical about the beef and raisin empanada at first, but I really loved it. The raisin adds just a slight sweetness to the savory ground beef, rather like sauteed onions do. Two of these would be enough for a satisfying lunch; three if you’re really hungry. I found the chicken empanada to be a bit dry inside, so I ‘d probably stick with the beef.
There are lots of other Argentinian specialties on the menu that I ‘d love to try. We’ll have to go back.

What I really liked was the many meatless empanadas available. Broccoli, rataoullie, eggplant, etc. And even a veggie with no cheese. I don’t have a lot of options for empanadas so this is good for me. The chimichurri is not as good as Gaucho’s Grill, but its still good.
I usually get a variety of emps to go. They make a nice meal at home with a big salad and a bottle of wine and a few DVDs to watch. That’s a nice evening.

We went to Empanadas Gourmet (& Pizza) for a payday dinner on Thursday night. At 6 PM, we were the only people inside the restaurant. There were a couple of customers sitting at one of the sidewalk tables, but it looked like they had finished their meal long before we arrived. The waitress seemed very nice, but a little slow on the uptake. It took her awhile to direct us to a table, but otherwise the service was okay.
The restaurant is small, clean and bright. They have Spaten Oktoberfest beer on the menu, which was a nice surprise. The beer was frosty cold and served with a chilled glass – I likey. Both my lady and I ordered the two empanadas and green salad. We mixed and matched the empanandas, which is nice for sampling several at one meal. I had the tango and the artichoke flavors. She had the tango and the beef.
The salad was fresh and well-​prepared and the vinaigrette dressing tasted homemade. The presentation looked nice on the plate. The empanadas were beautifully brown and flaky. The filling inside was tasty and delicious. My lady very much enjoyed her beef empanada and remarked that it was one of the best she has ever had.
We got the dulce de leche flan for dessert. I thought the caramel topping was a little too much. I like flan light and creamy. This was just a tad heavy. Still, it was a decent finish to the meal.
I’d have to say that although the food was good and the service was adequate, there’s not really anything very special about Empanadas Gourmet. With prices hitting that higher than average range, I’d like a little more bang for the buck. Maybe it was just a slow night, but the vibe was a little… I don’t know, slothful. I don’t know how to explain it, you’d have to see for yourself.
Anyway, I recommend for a nice meal after a movie. The theater is right around the corner.

What a cool place! Staff was so friendly and damn those empanadas were good! I tried the Spicy, Beef, and Spinach empanadas and each was unique and delicious. I can’t wait to come back and try more flavors!

Meh, I went here because I came about an hour early for a job interview right down the street today. I looked on the navi and saw this place and said sure, why not. I’ve had the philipino empandas from Red Ribbon Bakery in West Covina and those were damn good so I thought this place would be good as well.
Unforunately, it didn’t do it for me. I ordered the chicken and the tango empanadas as the lunch special with salad. The chicken empanada (chicken, onions, and olives) was dry. I mean, it was really dry. The Tango was cheese, tomatoes, and potatoes and that was better but not so special. I don’t know, I wasn’t raised on this stuff so I’m no expert but the multiple times I’ve had empanadas at Red Ribbon was moist and effing delicious. Maybe I just prefer philipino style empandas over spanish? Is there supposed to be a difference?
I’ll most likely not come back for the empanadas. If I get that job I interviewed for today, I’ll probably try their sandwiches and other stuff instead. Damn, now I think I have to go back to get me some of those empanadas I like at Red Ribbon… MmMMmm

Finally, I made it!!!
The first atempt to try some empanadas I was welcomed by a closed door. My fault, should ‘ve checked the opening hours before making my way to Monrovia.
I was excitted to see that not only the door was open this time, but I was the only costumer. So I ordered a dozen; 3 Tango, 2 Criolla, 2 Chicken, 2 Pascualina, 2 Garlic Lovers, and 1 Four Cheese.
They were delicious, the cool thing is that the order comes with a little pamflet, showing how an empanada looks. The chimichurri sauce was also a pleasant suprice.
Next time I will take some more home, but buy them not baked, so I can prepare them at the house and enjoy them again.

A really cute place in old town Monrovia. This place has been here forever. The first time I went there for dinner, I had the spinach and cheese empanada, and the beef and raisin empanada — I fell in love with it. Both were amazing, but then I went back again a couple of weeks later, only to be sadly disappointed. I don’t know if they were having an off day, of if they hired a new chef — but the food wasn’t nearly as good the second time around.
On a side note, if your new to this area. Monrovia has a cute little farmers market on Friday nights. So, if your looking for some fun. This is a great street to hit up on a Friday. We tend to hit up a movie at the Krikorian Theater around the corner, wander around the farmers market, and grab some dinner afterwards. That’s how we found this cute little café.

I’ve come to the realization that I’m not a fan of empanadas. Didn’t even know what an empanada was until I found this place on Unilocal this morning and scoped it out for lunch. The ratings and reviews were good, so I thought, «why not give it a try?»
I ordered the Ratatouille and the Beef empanadas a la carte, to go.
You know, I just didn’t like them that much. The Ratatouille, I was told by the cashier, is very garlic-​y, but I couldn’t taste a hint of garlic at all. The melted cheese inside didn’t really work with the vegetables they stuffed into it either.
The beef empanada wasn’t salty enough to my liking and didn’t really have much flavor.
That side of sauce they provide with every order was the saving grace. It was the only thing that provided a zesty tang I was looking for. I smothered my empanadas with that sauce to help aid me in finishing them.
I don’t think I’ll be a return customer.

Food: A (for the BAKED empanadas)
Value: A (did I mentioned that they are baked and made with NO LARD)
Service: A (very friendly)
Décor: A (simple, quiet, and quaint)
Return Rate: Every time I’m in or around Monrovia
I have two words for this place: EMPANADA HEAVEN!
And another four words: Thank you Linden G! Your reviews never let me down.
These empanadas are similar to calzones in size (microwave entrée) except the crust is so thin and delicious. And they’re not skimpy on their fillings either. All empanadas come with a chimichurri sauce (from their menu: «our chimichurri sauce is spicy and authoritative, but NOT hot»). I don’t really feel the sauce is necessary because the fillings are so well flavored.
For the sake of Unilocal,I ordered a dozen … naw, it was the foodie in me that couldn’t resist a side by side comparison.
~ FOOD ~ (listed in order of preference and consumed within 4 days)
* BEEF (Criolla): This is the best empanada that I have ever had! The beef mixed with raisins … ohh, savory and sweet … overflowing amounts of moist filling constantly falling on the floor … five second rule … no … but I should have ordered a dozen of the beef only
* EGGPLANT (Berenjena): Surprisingly delicious … my second favorite … will definitely order this every time … moist … not mushy … the flavor stands out on it’s own … they gave me an extra one of these … score!
* CORN (Humita): Also a surprise … yummy flavor … gotta have one of these in my next dozen :)
* ARTICHOKE HEART: My friends favorite … a lil spicy … but good … okay, one of these in my next dozen as well :)
* SPINACH (Pascualina): I love spinach … and they pack a lot inside … with melted cheese … yummy goodness … another one in my next dozen
* RATATOUILLE (Garlic Lovers): Good flavor … a lil salty … but I’ll give this a second try … but I could have another beef … beef or ratatouille … can’t decide … I’m a variety lover, so I’ll probably give this a chance again
* HAM & CHEESE (Fugazzeta): Very similar to a ham and cheese croissant … the ham is a lil overpowering
* SPICY (Tango): Disappointingly not spicy and very close to a wannabe samosa :(
* FOUR CHEESE: okay … probably needs a better cheese combination so that the flavor can explode in your mouth
* BASIL (Gigi): a lil salty … probably would be better if it was pesto chicken
* TURKEY (Pavita): Basically tastes like an American sammy …
* CHICKEN BREAST: One word … dry … what, no cheese … no sauce … just chicken … this one requires the sauce
~ VALUE ~ (I’d pay anything for a healthier version of empanadas with a thin crust)
Dozen Regular Size: $ 24.50
Dozen Cocktail Size: $ 16.00
I’d recommend ordering the cocktail size, but it must be ordered in advance.
~ SERVICE~
The service was great. I called near closing time and they were willing to wait for me so that I can get my dozen … I mean share my dozen empanadas :)

Until recently, I’d never been to Monrovia. I always pictured it as a small town in the Bavarian alps, and I was looking forward to a lunch of strudel and hefeweizen.
OK, so the San Gabriel Mountains ain’t no Alps, and there was neither lederhosen nor oompa bands to be seen wandering the streets, but I did discover a new taste sensation.
Empanadas.
Now, how could I have missed this scrumptious stuffed baked pastry goodness in my thirty something years on this planet? I’ve had pasties, calzones, samosas, turnovers, puffs, pies and even jaffles, but somehow missed the empanada.
I decided to sample three for lunch, and at $ 2.50 each, what a bargain. The beef (criolla) empanada was the standout. Ground beef cooked with herbs and raisins inside a baked pastry crust, served with a hot and sour chimichurri salsa. They say you never forget your first — well, I picked a keeper. I also tried the Tango (chilli chipotle, tomatoes, potatoes, onion and cheese) and the Spinach (sauteed with onions and cheese). Both were OK but I was already regretting that I hadn’t just ordered three beef empanadas.
As I left the restaurant, I was already thinking about taking a dozen beef empanadas to go, and eating two a day for the rest of the week. But I didn’t. And for that I was kicking myself like a spastic Bavarian folk dancer.
«Hasta Mañana Empanada
’til we meet again
Don’t know where, don’t know when.»
(And yes, I know Monrovia is in Liberia, but somehow bad jokes about human rights violations just weren’t as funny.)

Hmmmm, not sure how to feel about this place. Other than the convenience of this place, I’m not sure how often I’d frequent this place.
Anyway — I had the lunch special: 2 empanadas (chicken and beef) and a side salad. Size of salad was actually rather alarming, I was expecting a small side but it actually consumed about half of my to-​go container. The empanadas were good — but nothing to write home about… the sauce was delicious (not sure what it’s called but it’s green). Came out to $ 9.73 including tax (kinda pricey for lunch).
The restaurant in general is pretty small, kinda dark, with a cute little outdoor seating area (3 tables or so). Overall, OK food, decent place… maybe come back if I’m too lazy to walk anywhere for lunch…

Empanadas and Pizza… how could that go wrong?
I thought it was good. I got an artichoke empanada and a veggie empanada… i like the artichoke one. i didnt love the veggie one. i just didnt like the mix of veggies inside… the dough was good though.
I also got a sangria. it was yummy.
I like the location. its small, quaint. The service was good, very nice waitress.
. they also sell their empanadas at the farmers market on Fridays in a booth…

A great place to eat! It reminds me of a little hole in the wall Italian restaurant you’d see off the street in NYC. Though it’s not Italian, they do offer pizza, but I’d recommend an empanada or milenesa. They serve a decent chimichurri sauce with everything (like a good Argentine restaurant would).
As we arrived the owner was flipping the sign over to ‘closed,’ but gladly welcomed us in after seeing us continue down the street. I give this place five stars because of authentic, family atmosphere and more than decently authentic dishes; I’ve been to so many Americanized ethnic restaurants in my life, it’s always refreshing to visit one that sticks to its heritage. Good times!