El Morfi Eatery

This is mainly a review for their empanadas. I’ve only had an entrée there once (one of their lunch specials, some kind of Argentinean eggplant dish with rice on the side). It was just okay, a bit light on seasoning and also kind of pricey (about $7.99 for an unremarkable veggie lunch, before tax and tip, and very slow service, despite not being crowded.)

However, the empanadas are quite good for a snack or appetizer or for a light, cheap-o lunch (if you order a few). They have several varieties, and I’ve tried virtually all of them: the chicken, spinach, cheese and jalapeno, cheese and onion, and corn. Except for the corn empanada which was too sweet, I like all of them, but my favorites are the cheese and jalapeno (eat it hot while the cheese is still melty!) and the spinach. The crust, interestingly, is different between some of the empanadas: the chicken and the spinach empanadas look baked, whearas the cheese and onion and the cheese and jalapeno look fried. Both work though, for their respective fillings. Not too greasy, not even the fried empanadas.

As for quality…it’s fine. Come on, it’s Glendale, not Buenos Aires!

The place is cozy and very clean. The person who waited on us was very professional. I was craving for a steak that night, and I ordered their New York steak. My companions ordered chicken entrees, soup and empanadas. Their empanadas are the best so far – comparable to a Filipino restaurant and bakeshop – The Red Ribbon. Their serving size is substantial. The steak was very tasty. Their chicken dishes were very good. For desert, we got a crepe with caramel – WOW! Overall, it was a fantastic dining experience.