Restaurants that serve only one type of food are either chasing a trend or simply specializing in what they know best. If it’s the former, chances are the restaurant won’t last very long. But if it’s the latter, you can often find something unique and done extremely well.
Fortunately for Milwaukee, La Masa falls into the latter category. Still going strong after almost three years of operations, the Brady Street restaurant offers more than a dozen different types of baked empanadas, all priced between $3 and $4. You can make them a meal with a side or two, or you can pick them up as a late night snack while you’re barhopping. It’s a great fit for the busy location.
One thing that works to their great advantage: You can put practically anything in an empanada, and they do. Some fillings change seasonally, rotating between things like meatball and provolone in winter and blackened chicken and pineapple in the summer.
Some empanadas are menu staples and for good reason. Argentine beef is one of the more classic recipes, based on picadillo. Ground beef is seasoned aggressively and combined with green olives for tang, raisins for sweetness, chiles and chopped hardboiled egg. The flavors are bold and it’s a treat when you find a large olive or chunk of egg.
Thai chicken peanut is also an empanada that has survived the test of time. Grilled chicken is mixed into a peanut sauce made creamy with coconut milk, lime and crushed peanuts. It’s a light riff on Thai curry and one of the richer options on offer.
Of course it wouldn’t be a Wisconsin restaurant without plenty of cheese. You’d expect a Spanish take on ham and cheese from the jamón y queso, but pulled Berkshire ham, cream cheese, mozzarella, aged cheddar and Gruyere don’t exactly point that way. No matter, because it’s salty and filling. Cheese curds make an appearance too, in a simple combination with bacon that’s always a crowd pleaser.
Diners can choose between three sauces for dipping on the side. Chimichurri is the best of the bunch, made with fresh herbs and olive oil. It adds a fresh lift to the heavier empanadas. Aji amarillo aioli, made with a Peruvian yellow chile, is thin enough for dipping and has just enough fruitiness from the chile.
Similar to how Mexican restaurants bundle tacos with rice and beans, when you order three empanadas, La Masa throws in a large helping of jicama slaw. As someone who is admittedly not a slaw person, this stuff has changed my mind. The mix of crisp veggies and peppers is in a thin, light sauce and topped with crushed Spanish corn nuts (aka quicos, which you can also order as a snack) for crunch.
If you can tear yourself away from the empanadas—though I’m not sure why you’d want to—there are a few sandwiches and salads to choose from. Grilled ribeye ($13) with caramelized onions, mixed greens and poblano avocado sauce is served on ciabatta. A grapefruit and goat cheese salad ($8-$12) with spring mix, grapefruit segments, jicama, avocado, goat cheese and blood orange vinaigrette comes in large and small sizes.
And if you think an emapanada spot probably wouldn’t have dessert, you’re wrong. Ricotta, lemon zest and chocolate chips fill one, while another gets the classic banana and Nutella combo. Top either with homemade dulce de leche ice cream if you’re feeling really indulgent (though staff won’t bat an eye if you order a sweet emapanada with your savory ones).
Happy hour hawks take note: Every weekday between 3 and 6 p.m., La Masa offers select $2 empanadas along with drink specials. There are usually a few different empanadas to choose from, and surprisingly, even if you order three $2 empanadas, you still get a side and sauce thrown in. It’s one of the better happy hour food deals in town, especially considering you get to enjoy it in the Moroccan-inspired atmosphere. With deals like that, La Masa is sure to be around for a lot more years.
