Track That Truck: 5411 Empanadas Making a Sweet Addition?
By Minna A in Food on Jun 3, 2011 6:00PM
5411 Empanadas, which takes its name from the Buenos Aires area code, brings specialty Argentine empanadas to Chicago’s streets. While normally sticking to savory empanadas, 5411 Empanadas this week started dabbling in the sweet. Could this be the next move for more of Chicago's savory food trucks?
The normally long lines were even longer this week as 5411 Empanadas announced over the twittersphere that the first 50 customers of the day would receive a free banana and nutella empanada. While anything with banana and nutella (or even just nutella) instantly appeals to most, sweet empanadas seems like a foreign idea to some (especially those without Latin roots) as empanadas in Chicago tend to be more savory.
5411 Empanadas’ regular menu is filled with savory empanadas that add a modern twist on the traditional empanada. Their plainly titled “Beef” empanada is anything but plain, filled not only with lean ground beef, but with cheese, olives and some peppers for a bit of a spice. The popular “BBQ Chicken” empanada totes chicken, barbeque sauce and cilantro selling out quickly before the rest. Vegetarians have their fair share of choices with mouthwatering options like “Spinach and Cheese”, “Caramelized Onions” with parmesan and a “Sweet Corn” empanada made of real corn kernels, onions, peppers, a white sauce and a touch of nutmeg. 5411 bakes their empanadas, rather than deep frying, for a heart-healthier option.
While a bit more difficult to find in Chicago, sweet empanadas are not outside of the traditional empanadas category. (You can find more sweet empanadas like mozzarella and guava, or dule de leche with banana at Colombian café Macondo.) 5411 Empanadas is considering adding to their menu a new slew of sweet empanadas, beginning with the testing of the banana and nutella empanada. The decadent empanada makes a sweet dessert after chowing down on some savory empanadas.
Track down the 5411 empanada truck on twitter, and give these limited-edition empanadas a try! Give feedback through twitter and hopefully Chicago’s streets will start to fill with more sweet/savory options soon.