I found Argentina in LA 😯🇦🇷

Y’all, last year for my birthday I went to Argentina and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. The empanadas. The alfajores. The streets shaded by giant trees. The white wine. The people. The asado… wow, am I only thinking about the food?

I mean yes, but no. The atmosphere was incredible. Making friends was so easy, my brain was buzzing speaking Spanish all day, and I couldn’t get over how magical it felt being so far down the globe, finally in South America. (And did I mention every other guy was … kinda cute? I’m not kidding…). I just felt alive.

You know that feeling when you travel somewhere and instantly connect? That was Argentina for me.

So last week, when the craving hit for some real empanadas and alfajores, I discovered this little Argentinian bakery/restaurant in Culver City called Grand Casino.

First off, I swear I might’ve been reaching, but the trees outside the restaurant gave me flashbacks to Buenos Aires — kind of like the ones hanging over the restaurant, Don Julio in Palermo. Tell me I’m not crazy — don’t these trees feel like the same vibe?!

Anyway, the empanadas. I went all in and ordered a dozen: beef, chicken, ham & cheese, spinach. Y’all… they were good, but the winner was the ham & cheese. It was stringy, salty, and melty in the best way. If they had that crunchy bite like the ones I made in Argentina, they would’ve been five stars.

But wait — it got even better. Not only did I order the empanadas, but they had the exact kind of alfajores I’d been searching for all year!! Omgggg. I think I gained five pounds in Argentina because I was eating these everyday. They’re flaky, stuffed with dulce de leche, and dusted with sugar — does it get better than that?! No.

Going to this restaurant, even just for 10 minutes, brought me back to Buenos Aires. And that’s the thing about LA. There’s a little corner of the world somewhere in this big city; You just have to (have a car) and go out and find it.