You no longer need to drive to Kahuku to get empanadas and loaded fries from Tango Empanadas.
The business — owned by siblings Julieta and Lucas Garnil — recently opened its second location. Its new trailer is located on Atkinson Drive, across from Ala Moana Center. The business’s Honolulu location has been in the works since last October, according to Julieta Garnil.
Tango Empanadas’ Kahuku trailer is open daily; its Honolulu location is open from Wednesdays to Sundays. The menu is the same at both locations, according to Garnil.
Empanadas come with fillings like traditional beef (ground beef with boiled eggs, bell peppers, green olives, green onions, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper); chicken breast (with bell peppers, white onions, boiled eggs, paprika and salt and pepper) and pork (with white onions, bell peppers, Parmesan and provolone cheese). There are also veggie options like spinach and cheese, grilled eggplant, and asparagus and mushrooms.
Garnil explains that the cheeseburger empanada is the business’s newest flavor. The filling includes ground beef, crispy bacon bits and lots of cheddar cheese.
“We launched it (the new flavor) around two or three months ago at our North Shore location,” she says.
Customers can buy empanadas a la carte ($6) or get three for $15. Sides include a variety of loaded fries. The business previously offered the Tango special ($9) — fries topped with Parmesan cheese and housemade chimichurri — but added more toppings for its fries. New options include sunset fries ($8) — topped with cheddar cheese and rainbow trio sauce — and classic fries ($11) with Parmesan cheese and truffle aioli mayo.
“The rainbow trio sauce is mayo, mustard and ketchup,” Garnil says.
Desserts include housemade alfajores with dulce de leche and coconut flakes (three for $10), chocolate-covered alfajor with dulce de leche ($4 each) and dulce de leche cones dipped in chocolate ($5). The latter are from Argentina, according to Garnil.
“My favorite is the cone, but the homemade alfajor is the most popular,” she says.
CONTACT
Tango Empanadas
401 Atkinson Drive, Honolulu
Instagram: @tangoempanadashi
Open 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays to Sundays
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Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
