Andrew H.
Yelp
I was craving Saltenas after seeing the Around the World food festival in Alexandria put out a preview ad for empanadas, at $6 a pop. I was like wow, $6 is pretty steep, but in the inflation era, and at a festival, I guess that was the going rate. This had me craving empanadas, and in particular, Saltenas. I figured I'd be able to find a local joint with better prices than what the festival offered.
Searching around Yelp, Luzmary was the closest that seemed to have authentic saltenas. I drove on a Sunday around mid-afternoon and the parking lot was full, the front patio was full of people, and I could tell this was a popular place for locals. I got my Saltenas, chicken, and beef (never had beef before), and to my surprise, they were only $3.50. These were big saltenas too. I took them home, and they were really good quality. It has the perfect amount of dough-to-meat, veg, and soup ratio. It was fresh, and filling, only needed a saltena and a half to fill me up. I've never heard the beef before and that was really good. The mix of soft potatoes, olives, chicken/beef, soup, and dough, really come together well in this not-so-small pocket of heaven. It's a versatile meal that makes for a great filling snack or a full lunch/dinner. I plan to bring this hiking sometime, it manages to stay dry and crispy on the outside, but moist and soupy on the inside somehow. For any fans of Xiao Long Bao (chinese soup dumplings), try these Saltenas. They are different, but the soup inside dough with meat is what makes it similar and delicious.