Un Rinconcito Argentino

🇦🇷 ARGENTINA / HISTORICAL: In the shadow of the 105-605 interchange, all things Argentinian are always on offer.

🇦🇷 ARGENTINA
📍 10633 Imperial Highway,
Norwalk, Southeast Los Angeles.
🅿️ Ample parking in plaza
🥤 No Alcohol

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📆 Original Article 05 December 2019

Do not go to Rinconcito Argentino with the simple goal of procuring a few empanadas for takeout. The place will cast a spell on you, everywhere you look its baby blue and white rewarding the simplest interest in Argentina with almost everything you could put in your face from the country.

Opening the door reveals three directions of what can only be described as an assault. An overwhelming amount of stuff, from steam tables to wall mounted menus to cases full of mate and bombillas on sale vies for attention. And who could resist the offer of empanadas de dulce de leche now posted on its own sign?

At the counter there is more to resist. Stacked boxes of delicious alfajores full of more dulce de leche, slices of flan, and catering tins full of whatever happened to be made before you came inside. A look up and sandwiches full of steak or breaded chicken milanesa call your attention. Or how about a choripan? It does not get any more Argentinean than that.

But focus first on empanadas, the pride and joy of the shop available in many varieties. Pictures of empanadas de carne y pollo, as well as jamón y queso are there of course and delicious to take home, but they also carry ones with spinach, jalapeño cheese, Mexican-style beef and a Hawaiian version.

On a first visit the takeaway bag was filled with carne tipica argentina ($2.30 each, above and below), the most traditional version they offer, as well as some pollo. They are best eaten right away, with still crisp shells and hot interiors. Argentinos in Los Angeles will not be disappointed with these, full of flavors and spices and so satisfying.

There are a couple tables to sit and enjoy things, probably a good idea if you are far from home. Enjoy the scenery of signed Maradona jerseys and Boca Juniors thermoses used for hot water for your mate drinking at work.

They do know business though, and their neighbors in Norwalk, and offer a complete line of Mexican tamales as well. In fact the large red "TAMALES" sign in front dominates the storefront and can almost be seen from the long downslope of the 105 to 605 interchange. Be warned though that a quick perusal of online comments seems to indicate that the tamales are not up to snuff with some of the Mexican community.

As for future visits, sticking to the Argentinean side of things seems to be in order, maybe with a cup of mate after a sandwich de milanesa. As always, further reports will be here when they happen.

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