Houstonist’s desire to find food consisting of something stuffed with something else led us to our latest destination, The Original Marini’s Empanada House, located on Westheimer just inside Beltway 8. This casual Argentine eatery has been serving up more varieties of empanadas than can be imagined since 1971.
Click through the jump to get to the good stuff.
We embarked on the House during a weekday lunch hour and found the order-at-the-counter set-up effective in quickly getting empanadas into the hands of hungry Houstonians. While originally intimidated by a menu stacked with more than 60 different kinds of meat, cheese, vegetable and dessert empanadas, Houstonist was up to the challenge and turned to the daily combos to help narrow the endless possibilities. After choosing the second combo option (one meat and one dessert empanada along with curly fries and a small drink for $7.95) we were closing in on our final lunch decision.
The Hot “Tia Maria” empanada (chopped brisket, onions, jalapeno peppers, tomato sauce and spices) was a no-brainer for Houstonist, the dessert choice a bit more complicated. After consulting with the person taking our order, we decided on the sweet potato empanada and sat down to await our meal.
Empanadas are cooked made-to-order here and we enjoyed seeing the assembly-line process of stuffing, wrapping and deep-frying right before our eyes. Within minutes we were presented with our fresh, palm-sized stuffed pastry wonders. After a few minutes of faking politeness with a knife and a fork, Houstonist kept it real and went with a more hands-on approach. The unbelievably light and airy crust made it hard to believe they were deep-fried just moments before, and provided the ideal outer layer to the perfectly seasoned, tender and juicy brisket. After finishing the Hot “Tia Maria” in record time, we took a brief three-minute break to take in our surroundings before we moved on to dessert.
Off of the main dining area, the Marini and Picasso rotunda invited diners to sit on comfy banquets and take in the gorgeous artwork of M.A. Marini and Pablo Picasso adorning the curved wall. Several rave reviews from other Houston publications also decorated the walls, as well as signs reminding visitors to sample the traditional anti-aging, anti-oxidant Argentine green tea, mate. Outside the main dining area, an outdoor patio fully decked with potted plants and assorted greenery welcomed visitors to a side of Houston humidity along with their meal.
Houstonist also noticed the variety of items for sale throughout the restaurant. From original M.A. Marini paintings to Argentine futbol jerseys to ready-made cocktail empanada party platters, we found quite the selection of goods all in one location. After three minutes were up, we went back to the task at hand: our sweet potato empanada.
Upon first bite, Houstonist sent a cerebral shoutout to the person that recommended this heavenly concoction. The homemade, effortless mix of sugar, sweet potatoes and vanilla wrapped in that unbelievably light crust dusted with powdered sugar made for a memorable dessert without overdoing it. After finishing the last bite and licking the last specks of powdered sugar off of our fingers, Houstonist was already halfway through visualizing our order for the next visit.
The Original Marini’s Empanada House
10001 Westheimer # 2570
713.266.2729
3522 S. Mason Rd #100
281.391.4273
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Just went to the Westheimer location today on your recommendation. I ordered the lunch special and selected the Hot Tia Maria and apple empanada's. This came with fries and a drink. I enjoyed the fries, although they were somewhat difficult to eat (too long). The Tia Maria wasn't nearly as spicy as I'd hoped, but I loved the outer crust. The apple empanada was perfect. The lunch atmosphere and service was perfect. Thanks for the recommendation!
no problem, glad you enjoyed it!