KC Gourmet Empanadas

Had the veggie empanada here. It's $3.95 but with tax a bit more. And they don't give change ( I think they prefer cashless payment. ) That's kind of a lot for a fairly small empanada but it's a tasty snack. These are fried empanada by the way , not the baked ones. The veggie one had a lot of broccoli inside it and garlic flavor but was pretty good. They give you a little container of gold color hot sauce that will linger with some heat on your tongue 10 minutes later. If you buy 5 I think you get one free. There are a couple tables outside. Tiny hole-in-the-wall place on Avenue B. Seems family run. Homemade

Panamanian spot to grab traditional items such as carimañolas, tortillas de maíz con queso amarillo, tamales de puerco, hojaldres and my absolute favorite: sancocho de pollo. We went to celebrate independence day and it reminded us of childhood memories in Panama.

As a Panamenian I came here with lots of expectations: Is this place going to taste like real Panama?, Will their sancocho have “culantro”?, etc. Well let me tell you: I was really impressed, the food tasted really good. I got: 1. Different kinds of empanada: Beef, Veggie, Crab, etc and their were all over the top. 2. Carimañola: They were really good, didn’t expect that. 3. Sancocho: As a Panamenian I know my Sancocho from a good “fonda” or from my dads (the best) so for this one I wasn’t expecting a lot, but oh boy I was wrong: It was a really good Sancocho. I think they used cilantro so it had that important taste that a Sancocho should have. I went with two Americans (one that lives in Panama) and they really loved this place. Overall this is a little taste of Panamenian food at the food capital of the world. I felt soo proud of this place, people should come here to taste our food🇵🇦. When Im in NYC I will come here again to satisfy my wishes of “home food”👏👍🇵🇦

PANAMÁ 🇵🇦 Eat the World NYC review: While New York City certainly has no shortage of Panamanian folks, the cuisine of the country has always been a bit sparse, with the best chance of scoring a bunch of food coming at the annual Panamanian independence festival, a parade and party in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Vendors would line the park at the end of the route and music and good food would be available for the afternoon. Now a chef has decided to open up a small restaurant in the far reaches of Alphabet City, a surprising place outside of the Brooklyn parts that normally cater to Panamanians. Possibly to compensate for this, they do offer standard NY deli favorites like egg sandwiches for breakfast. It is unclear whether the operation is a family affair, but it certainly has the feel of one. The chef and proprietor of the place has what could be her granddaughters run the register and interact with customers, sending orders and instruction back to her in Spanish. She has a presence back there that makes you feel like the food will be good before it comes out.

The staff is very nice, the food is fresh and delicious! The tamale is seasoned very well, the carimanolas are stuffed with chicken. The tostones sliders were just as tasty as all the rest of the foods! I will make my way all the way from Brooklyn to get some authentic Panamanian food!

Truly the best empanada I've had so far. Each empanada is made to order. Fresh, filling, flavorful, and made with care. You must try the House Empanada. Beef empanada lightly seasoned with a touch of sweetness from the raisins. The side hot sauce is HOT but flavorful. My only regret was only getting one empanada.

Let me start by saying that this is definitely my go to spot when in the city ! I recommend trying the spicy chicken, fiesta empanada and fried dough . The food is very savory and the pink sauce makes everything better. Definitely worth making the trip

Proudly and absolutely I recommend this Panamanian restaurant in Manhattan, NY!!! Tasted like home!! Thank you Karla, for representing a little of our beautiful food and culture!!! 🇵🇦 Viva PANAMA🇵🇦