Mercado Buenos Aires – Van Nuys

Finally found a real Argentine place. A friend tipped me off to this place after I mentioned visiting LaLa’s. I always drive by this place twice a day on my way to work and back. The place is called Mercado Buenos Aires, located on Sepulveda and Saticoy. I over look this place because Popeye’s Chicken is right around the corner and I always take advantage of that 2 piece for a dollar deal.
Location:
7542 Sepulveda Blvd. Van Nuys, CA 91405
818-786-0522

As you can see, its hard to get parking on lunch time and possibly dinner. You will have to park on the street

If you don’t know any spanish, mercado is market, so expect a market in here. This place is a combo meat shop, bakery and restaurant.

Next to the meat stuff is the bakery, I can eat everything in this department.

This part of the bakery always puts up a challenge with my mexican or south american friends. The flan comparison. I say Filipino flan kicks the $^%^ out of your flan, but thats just my personal opinion. If someone offered me one of these, i’d still eat it and enjoy and on the side of my mind i’d think “mine is better”

This one I thought was a different kind of flan, but its really just bread pudding with caramel.

Now for the food. My friend Angel told me that this place is known for steak and empanadas, so lets start with empanadas.

 

 

Ok so I decided to take an order togo. These suckers cost $1.50 each and they offer beef, chicken, corn, spinach. If you do an order TOGO, they’re $1.20 so there is your deal.

 

I wanted to get the entrana and compare it to Lala’s but that will be another visit, and yes I will bring friends. I met some locals eating here and yes they highly recommend this place. Met a guy named Diego, I believe that’s how you spell it, he gave me his opinions about Argentine food and recommended the Milanesa. Then Bam, the guys eating just got their order. They were nice enough to let me take a picture. Here goes.

 

Here is another one that I would most likely get instead of the regular. This is similar, but with Ham and Cheese and Tomato Sauce, yummy. Would it be too much to ask for a bite? >:) heehee.

Well I was supposed to come here with my friend who recommended it, but he’s a night owl and would ruin his sleep schedule. I’ll save another entry for that time I have lunch with him. But I will definitely come back to this place to try some of the others on the menu.