"This small, lowkey Colombian restaurant near the Queens Botanic Garden in Flushing makes very good, substantial empanadas. Best of all, they’re only $2 each. At El Gustazo, you’ll be served water in a diner-style Anthora coffee cup, and you can catch up on Colombian news when Noticias Caracol is playing on the TV mounted in the corner. It’s a great stop for a quick, affordable, satisfying meal, and that’s true at any time of the day—they open early, at 5:30am. photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte Food Rundown photo credit: Kate Previte Empanadas The chicken and the beef fillings are both delicious, moist and flavorful, but their corn shells—which put up just the right amount of crunchy resistance—are the best part. (The flour empanadas can be a tad greasy.) Bandeja Paisa The chorizo is a highlight of this platter, with a crackly skin over all the juiciness inside, as are the well seasoned, tomato-forward beans." - Molly Fitzpatrick
