Latin-American Restaurants Archives ~ NC Triangle Dining Food Blog

February 14, 2017 by Ron Wen

Media: Makus Empanadas Bakes Up Some Tasty Stuffed Pastries

Front of Makus Empanadas in Durham - NC Triangle Dining — Front of Makus Empanadas in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

If you’re a fan of empanadas (stuffed pastries) you can often find them at many Latin American restaurants in the area or an empanada specialist like Calavera in Raleigh. So I was intrigued when I got the invite to check out Makus Empanadas over in Durham. I had heard a bit about them online as being an Argentinian style empanada so I was pretty excited to go check them out on a Wednesday night for a media event!

Media night at Makus Empanadas in Durham - NC Triangle Dining — Media night at Makus Empanadas in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

Located in a new strip plaza in Durham’s Hope Valley neighborhood along with some other cool spots like Tre Forni Pizza, Makus Empanadas sits in the back corner of the plaza with a brightly lit sign overhead. Inside I meet up with Tessa, the event organizer along with quite a few other friends, bloggers and media types (Meg – MeghereandThere, Jennifer – ShopLocalRaleigh, Kristen – GadaboutFood). The space is small and cozy, a casual dining area with counter order in the back. It’s a cheery space and bustling with activity, this media event unfortunately means some customers will have to take their orders to go!

Hernan, Santiago and Ricky at at Makus Empanadas in Durham - NC Triangle Dining — Hernan, Santiago and Ricky at at Makus Empanadas in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

We’re introduced to the people behind Makus Empanadas: brothers Hernan and Santiago Moyano along with friend and chef, Ricky Yofre. As you can guess they are originally from Argentina and were brought to the area to launch Makus Empanadas (Makus was the nickname given to Hernan by his late wife). Hernan tells us a bit about the whole process of launching Makus Empanadas and how this trio of friends really had NO previous restaurant and food experience amongst them. So there was quite a bit of trial and error but here they are now, empanada professionals! After their presentation it was now time to dig into some of their delicious eats and empanadas…

Dining room at Makus Empanadas in Durham - NC Triangle Dining — Dining room at Makus Empanadas in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

Chipa bread at at Makus Empanadas in Durham - NC Triangle Dining — Chipa bread at at Makus Empanadas in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

Before the event had officially started, Makus Empanadas had sent out some samples of their chipa bread which is similar to what I would call pao de queijo or cheese breads. These breads are soft, stretchy and luscious, dee-lish! Definitely try them out, they’re not that easy to find in the Triangle. And then the fresh-baked empanadas are brought out to the dining room. An array of baked treats across the nine flavors that Makus offers. Traditionally, the most popular flavors would be beef along with ham and cheese in Argentina. But Makus has added some variety for the locals including a pepperoni and bacon-cheese empanada to the menu. Makus also offers a lunch special for $9.95: three empanadas, a side, drink and sauce.

Tray of empanadas at Makus Empanadas in Durham - NC Triangle Dining — Tray of empanadas at Makus Empanadas in Durham – NC Triangle Dining

So as I’m in line waiting to choose my meal, it’s a bit tricky. With all these flavors, do I go traditional or spin it up a bit?! Ahhh, I think since this will be my first Argentinian empanada, I’ll go with the basic beef, ham and cheese along with a sweet corn empanada for good measure! Makus empanadas are baked and sport a nicely crimped crust around the half-moon shape. The dough is thin and tender but sturdy enough to hold the delicious fillings. At about 6″ or 7″ across, I’m thinking three of these should fill an average appetite up for lunch.

And while the empanadas are beautiful with their leopard spotted crusts, I break mine open to get a look at the fillings inside. The ham and cheese empanada is beautiful! Luscious cheese contrasted with bit of pink ham for a delectable handful. The beef empanada shows off chopped onions and beef in a savory sauce. And I love the the sweet corn empanada which is a nice change of pace from all the savory meat and cheese, bueno! Overall I found the empanadas at Makus to be very nicely baked with a tender crust as the gastronomical foil.

While Makus Empanadas now has a nice storefront, they started their business in catering and have their baked treats available at a variety of venues including PNC Arena, Durham Bulls ballpark, Kenan Stadium and the Dean Smith Center. And empanadas make for a great food to be eaten out of hand so it’s a perfect snack while you catch a game. So thank you Hernan, Santiago and Ricky for the fun evening. And for all of you savoring over these empanada pictures, go enjoy these authentic Argentinian treats at Makus Empanadas in Durham and throughout the rest of the Triangle!

Makus Empanadas

125 W NC-54 #304

Durham, NC 27707

919.390.7525

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March 7, 2013 by Ron Wen 4 Comments

First Take: Guasaca in Raleigh for Delicious, Corny Sammiches!

Front of Guasaca in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

Now when you say arepa to most people, I’m guessing they may be scratching their heads. Tacos everyone gets, empanadas most people know about. But arepas? Like a lot of other Latin American food items, there are different versions of an arepa around the world but in its most basic form, we’re talking about a stuffed sandwich made from corn dough. Guasaca, a new eatery in Raleigh off Lake Boone Trail specializes in this little delicacy and from what I’ve heard, the owners origins are from Colombia and Venezuela. Guasaca is a bit unassuming on the outside, small discrete store-front but it opens up to a long, modern interior mostly in white with some lime-green accents. They’ve got a menu posted which was to me a bit confusing. Seven types of arepas, you get a dollar discount when you get two (same type) or customize your arepa with one meat, three sides and one sauce. You can do salads or bowls (rice-based) with meat, sauce and sides (plantains, cole slaw, beans, onion, cheese, etc). Then there are six sauces that remind me of aji sauce from Peruvian fare, the namesake quasaca sauce is a dollar extra. THEN you can get chips and salsa on the side. So after you figure out your order, head on over to the counter where you can watch them put together your little Venezuelan sammiches!

Counter at Guasaca in Raleigh, NC Triangle Dining

The counter lady grabs a nicely browned and pan-fried, flat corn muffin, slices a pocket on one side and stuffs it with your meats and sides. I went with the tilapia-plantains arepa and a pork-black eyed peas-pico de gallo combo. About $8 for the two arepas, then add a drink for $1.50 so we’re talking $10-plus for lunch. Grab your little basket, fill your drink and then grab a bunch of napkins and fork cause you’re gonna need them! The arepas come in wax-paper pouches for easier eating but I take mine out and eat them bare which may not be a good idea. The tilapia arepa was solid, a sandwich of textures. Crunchy arepa outside, slightly mealy corn bread with warm, sweet and savory tastes inside. Good but a bit of a mix of flavors. I liked the pork arepa a bit better with the pico de gallo for some contrast. Overall I do like arepas but found the stuffing to be a mix of flavors with not much standing distinctly out. You get a lot of carbs with the corn arepa outside and then another blast of carbs from the beans or plantains. I ate messy and needed the fork to pick out all the spilled stuffing but it was a LOT of food for one person.

Guasaca was pretty well-packed during my late lunch visit which is great news for the owners. And yes, it was also pretty loud which isn’t so good for diners. But I like Guasaca overall. I think it puts out a relatively authentic sandwich-arepa which is a nice change of pace from a foot-long. Although I admit to preferring the lower carb version of a taco which allows the fillings to shine. In the end, you should definitely give Guasaca a try if you’re on Lake Boone Trail near Rex Hospital. Take your time at the menu to figure you what you want and you’ll have a great meal!

Guasaca

4025 Lake Boone Trail

Raleigh, NC 27606

919.322.4928

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July 31, 2016 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

First Take: Tropical Picken Chicken For Down Home Latin-American Eats!

Front of Tropical Picken Chicken in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

Ahh Latin American cuisine! Given the diversity of this category, it’s sometimes hard to pin down but in my head I’m usually thinking of empanadas, beans, rice and some sort of protein. And I’ve had a chance to visit Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica and some of the islands and sampled their cuisine. Out in Raleigh you’ll find the second location for Tropical Picken Chicken and it bills itself as Puerto Rican and Latin American cuisine. I drive through this area all the time (Trader Joe’s is near by) but finally got to stop in recently for lunch…

Bright and cheery interior at Tropical Picken Chicken in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

While the original Tropical Picken Chicken is pretty small and tight, the newer sister location off Wake Forest Road has some room to stretch out in. It’s a large, brightly colored space with plenty of red, blue and yellow art covering the walls and pendant lamps hanging overhead. Latino dance music is thumping overhead and it all feels comfortable and casual. I grab a laminated menu trying to figure out what I want to eat. You’ve got classics like tostones, empanadas, mofongo, arroz con pollo and more. The Tropical Picken Chicken menu calls itself out more specifically as Puerto Rican, Dominican and Cuban food so the menu covers a variety of food types from the Caribbean and islands. I order up my lunch at the counter, grab a number and a seat in the large dining room.

Spinach and cheese empanada at Tropical Picken Chicken in Raleigh- NC Triangle Dining

The crowd here at Tropical Picken chicken is digging into their food so I’m a bit excited. My empanada is brought to my table and it’s a single, large pastry with a side of spicy sauce which I’m assuming is aji (green chili) sauce. It’s spinach and cheese, loaded and plump with both. Steamy, hot with a nice, slightly doughy crust, I really enjoy Tropical Picken Chicken’s version. They do an empanada lunch special with two of these bad-boys which should fill you up nicely. Next up is a lunch special of chicarron de pollo or fried chicken chunks in my world! I’ve got a plate of garlicky, well-browned bone on chicken on the plate. It’s paired up with a soft, spicy yellow rice and a piece of grilled toast, yum! And the chicken is very tasty and tender with a good crisp crust. Enjoyed the rice which is tinged with a slightly different spice profile than what I’m used to but tasty stuff. Overall the chicarron de pollo is satisfying and just works nicely for me, although not all of you will want to work through the bones.

I head out of Tropical Picken Chicken and the place is starting to fill up nicely, it seems like a popular lunch destination for area Latinos. And I think I know why because Tropical Picken Chicken, whether you’re talking about the Wake Forest or Raleigh location, is all about Latin American or island comfort food. There’s nothing fancy about the food here but it’s substantial, tasty and down to earth. And a great choice if you’re looking for something different out on Wake Forest Road.

Tropical Picken Chicken

404 E Six Forks Road

Raleigh, NC

919.703.0661

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December 31, 2016 by Ron Wen Leave a Comment

First Take: Luna Rotisserie and Empanadas in Durham

Front of Luna Rotisserie and Empanadas in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

Over on Main Street in Durham, you’ll find the recently opened Luna Rotisserie and Empanadas. I had noticed it earlier in the year and mentally bookmarked it for a future visit. I’m a huge fan of Peruvian chicken and the Mami Nora’s in the area so I wanted to see what Luna was about. But make no mistake, that while the food may be similar, Luna presents a whole different experience!

Bar at Luna Rotisserie and Empanadas in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

From the outside, Luna impresses you with its stylish slate-blue restaurant front. Artistic signage in a neat calligraphy overhead, the interior is just as nicely done as the outside. The space is longish with a bar to the back left, common table down the middle, booths to your right and lights strung overhead. With the smell of roast meats wafting through the air, it’s a wonderfully cozy environment for a date or dinner.

Cozy interior at Luna Rotisserie and Empanadas in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

We grab a seat at a booth and poke through the menu as a first-timer. Thankfully it’s short with an assortment of Latin American appetizers, roast meats, grain bowls and interesting sides! For those of you that are gluten-free, there seems to be a LOT on the menu at Luna for you. I order up the arepas appetizer for the table along with the blackened pulled chicken with citrus herb simmer sauce.

Arepas appetizer at Luna Rotisserie and Empanadas in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

As we wait for the food to come out, a look around the dining space shows that Luna is pretty popular with all its customers on a Thursday night. And I can understand why, given prices here. Apps and mains are all in the $10 – $15 which is really reasonable for downtown Durham. That’s about the same price as a cocktail at one of the bars in the area, eh? Our arepas come out and it’s apparently a Colombian arepa. Basically a toasted masa (corn) disk with meats, guacamole and cotija cheese sprinkled on top. And they are quite good showing off a crisp, seared bottom with soft savory meat on top. The arepas appetizer comes with four different meats: chicken, brisket, carnitas and bean. Very similar to what’s called sopes in some Mexican eateries.

Pulled chicken plate at Luna Rotisserie and Empanadas in Durham- NC Triangle Dining

My main of pulled chicken, maduros and jicama salad looks great, lots of rich colors and textures on the plate. The chicken and maduros are solid, but I wish the chicken had a bit more spice on it based upon the engaging description! And the jicama reminds me of a basic crunchy slaw which makes for a nice side. Overall I found the food at Luna to be decent but not quite spectacular, but I’ll admit that to me, Latin American food is more about the basics as comfort food. And while I wanted to try out their namesake empanadas, I never made it so maybe next visit. Service for the evening got off to a slow start but picked up as the night went on so no problems there.

Overall I felt the Luna experience was good all around but not quite memorable. With its great decor, solid food and decent prices you could certainly do far worse and I could see Luna being a nice alternative dining choice for a night at the DPAC. Because while it may not blow away your taste-buds, it’s a good experience with good food and an excellent space.

Luna Rotisserie and Empanadas

112 W Main Street

Durham, NC 27701

984.439.8702

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Media: Makus Empanadas Bakes Up Some Tasty Stuffed Pastries

First Take: Guasaca in Raleigh for Delicious, Corny Sammiches!

First Take: Tropical Picken Chicken For Down Home Latin-American Eats!