“If you were Columbian, you would have your own version of an empanada…and then in Ecuador, you’ll find more crispy-fried empanadas, so yeah, every culture has there own version of empanadas.”
—Jose Garces, Ecuadorian American Chef
I received a text recently from my biking buddy Bill that read, “I’ve got a new lunch place in Campbell. Ride there 11:30 or 12 PM.” What followed the invitation was a preview of what Best Artisan Empanadas (BAE) had to offer, and it looked promising.
When we arrived there, it was the perfect set up: Outdoor seating to keep an eye on our bikes and a mouth-watering menu of sweet and savory offerings. It was a gem of a place.
Bill enjoyed a Panzerotto, a turnover that originated in Central and Southern Italy, with mozzarella cheese, sausage, pepperoni, and tangy
marinara sauce with a salad; and, I ordered a Spicy Thai empanada with diced chicken breast, carrots, sweet baby corn, pease and bell peppers in a pleasant coconut-infused yellow curry. It was delish.
Best Artisan Empanadas wants you to know that it was born from the aspiration of bringing people together through empanadas.
We were happy to discover that they use wholesome and fresh ingredients and are cooked and baked at their location in Campbell everyday.
What we especially liked was their dough stems from Peruvian style pastry, and their recipes are inspired by the diversity of cultures,
including Mexican, Greek, Italian, Greek and Southeast Asian. They also serve artisan pastries and sweets, breakfast empanadas, pizza, calzones, and salads. Finally, they have partnered with two local roasters that offer its’ customers the highest quality of coffee and quality crafted espresso drinks, They also offer beers, cocktails and preferred styles of wines to complement their empanadas, frappes, ice drinks, smoothies and milkshakes.
I was so happy with my Thai empanada, I bought some to take home to share with the family.
For my New Jersey Friends, check out the highly recommended Empanada Guy, Carlos Serrano, who was raised in Newark who began his empanada business in the garage of his home and now has five food trucks and a restaurant to boot.
