SAN ANTONIO — As we approach the middle of Hispanic Heritage Month, we are highlighting another restaurant serving up some delicious cuisine.
This one is packed with tradition and full of authentic flavor. The mouthwatering filling inside their crispy golden crusts have customers going pastry crazy, and even getting national recognition.
This week, Neighborhood Eats is checking out Fat Tummy Empanadas.
"We are from Argentina, both of us. We wanted to use our culture, our food and people love it," said Norah Saleh who owns the restaurant with her husband Gustavo Plache.
The couple's dream started with small orders and deliveries then they opened up a food truck. Six years ago their success landed them in their current location in the heart of the west side. Their menu is mostly empanadas, which is a popular Latin American street food from back home.
"That's the main thing in Argentina, we eat a lot of empanadas for every gathering. There are a lot of places that sell empanadas," said Saleh.
Fat Tummy offers 12 savory fillings and five sweet fillings. Each empanada is stamped to indicate which filling is inside -- so no surprises! They are also bigger than your average empanada, weighing 200 grams each.
To start, we tried the Humita, which is an empanada filled with sweet corn, onions, bell peppers, two cheese blend and signature spices. This cheesy empanada is perfect for vegetarians who want a filling hot pocket of flavor.
Next, we tried the Traditional Beef, which has round beef, onions, bell peppers, chopped hard boiled eggs, olives and signature spices. Ingredients can be tailored to the customer's preference but don't shy away from the olives! They offer a tangy kick.
Our reporter highly recommends the Beef and Potatoes, which includes ground beef, onions, bell peppers, potatoes and signature spices.
Lastly, we tried all three of their sandwiches: Milanesa, Lomito and Choripan. Each sandwich is served on French bread with meat and a side of fries or salad. Ask for a side of chimichurri, you won't regret it.
Recently, Fat Tummy was visited for a second time by the Food Network. This time the Choripan was showcased on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: Triple D Nation.
During our visit, Saleh also showed us the world map Guy Fieri suggested they place in the restaurant. It's covered in push pins which shows where customers travel in from to visit the restaurant. People come from all over, literally!
Fat Tummy Empanadas is located at 2922 West Commerce Street.