Outlets offering Argentine gastronomy are few and far between in Budapest, so we popped into the newly opened Empanada Store with eager anticipation.
Think of Argentina and you think of steak. There’s also red wine, fine desserts and… empanadas. Revered in Argentina, exulted by the likes of local celebrity chef Francis Mallmann, the humble empanada is considered the most traditional of Argentine specialities.
And yet the empanada is a cousin of the Cornish pasty, a turnover pastry filled with meat and vegetables that tin miners could take with them to work below ground. The long-established Welsh population in Patagonia still make and bake them. It also has a Spanish influence, of course, most specifically, Galicia, that most Celtic of Iberian regions.
It is popular throughout South America, but everywhere it is cooked a little differently, for example the dough or method of preparation varies from country to country. Some are fried in oil, while in Argentina they are baked. It has many benefits, such as being small yet substantial, and virtually anything can be added as filling. The empanada was initially consumed on its own, but nowadays it is dipped in various sauces. Although at first glance, it wouldn’t seem to be communal, as Argentines prefer to eat together around the table, the empanada becomes a gastronomic experience.
Empanada Story dates back to October 2018, when a team led by Miklós Nagy launched a smaller outlet in the city centre, later expanded as a delivery business. But because they wanted to sell their empanadas to sit-down customers, they unveiled this eatery on Nagymező utca. After the soft opening, the product range was reorganised and now it is back in business for the long term.
The biggest difficulty here has been finding the raw ingredients that could be used to make empanadas like they do in Argentina. The issue of pastry was a difficult one because the flour is quite different there than here, and the hardness of the water isn’t the same either. But in the end, they managed to achieve the quality they wanted. In all cases, the filling is first cooked and then stuffed into the dough before baking. It is all done very quickly, so it can be ordered in bulk if someone is thinking of reselling or setting up an event. They also have beef, paprika and chicken versions, but there are ham-and-cheese, mushroom-bacon and vegan options, for which you can choose from a variety of sauces, including Argentinian chimichurri, salsa, and sour cream with chives.
Early reactions have been encouraging, with more orders and more guests coming from passing trade. So, of course, they are already thinking about where to improve. First of all, the product range will be expanded, as savoury flavours will be complemented by sweet delicacies, not to mention other baked goods on the market in Argentina which would also be popular here. And, of course, there are plans to open more small stores in the future. Some of the best customers are embassies, not only in Hungary, but also in the region, as few here deal with Argentine cuisine.
As the name of the place suggests, empanadas are the focus, currently available in 14 varieties (350-450 HUF), but other Argentine dishes are also available. For example, locally made mica sandwiches (650-950 HUF) or desserts made with the extremely popular dulce de leche (milk caramel) in Argentina, which include chocolate cake (750 HUF), brownies, beet-and-orange cake, and even the Portuguese pastel del nata (350-400 HUF) in the milk-caramel version.
The coffees (350-600 HUF) are also of Argentine provenance, as are the milk-chocolate submarines (700 HUF), a children's favourite: they put a big glass of warm milk in a larger glass and throw in a slice of dark chocolate, which then melts slowly. Argentine wines also come by the glass (850-2,000 HUF) and the bottle (3,400-8,000 HUF).
The authenticity of Empanada Story is enhanced by the fact that not only the sales manager was born in Argentina but Nagy moved there in the early 2000s, and most of the 15-person team came straight from South America. They know perfectly what Empanada Story entails. The empanadas, the place and the people are authentic, and friendly with it. We should be grateful that someone has taken the trouble to take care of the once neglected Argentine gastronomic niche here.
Empanada Story District VI. Nagymező utca 34
Open: daily 10am-10pm
