Latin restaurant Empanadas and More opens in Nesconset
A red-snapper ceviche from Empanadas and More, which has opened in Nesconset. Credit: Newsday/Corin Hirsch
Some restaurant names mystify. In the case of Empanadas and More in Nesconset, "and more" is both spot-on and a huge understatement.
Owners Sandra and Harold Soler certainly serve empanadas — at least 14 dainty variations, divided into two camps: Earthy corn-encased empanadas (beef and potato, shrimp and potato, rice and plantain and a few other combos) and empanadas harina de trigo, or "of wheat flour" (though these are made from white flour). The latter run an eclectic gamut, from traditional guava and cheese (in this case, mozzarella) to ham, cheese and pineapple; tuna melt, jalapeño and American cheese; and ground beef, raisins and slivered olives. Each comes wrapped individually in a waxed paper bag.
From there, the menu shoots out in multiple directions. The Solers are from Colombia, and so cook a lengthy rota of arepas, corn cakes ($5 to $7) stuffed with cheese and various meats or vegetables. Entree-sized house specialties ($9 to $18) also touch on Colombian classics like bandeja paisa, a heaping plate of grilled steak, sausage and chicharron with plantains and avocado, plus red beans, rice and a fried egg (you might not have to eat for the rest of the day).
There are Mexican dishes such as tortilla soup, mayo-slathered street corn, tacos and enchiladas; Tex-Mex in the form of burritos, fajitas and nachos; dishes from elsewhere in South America and the Caribbean, such as red-snapper ceviche or baked tilapia with shrimp and mussels in a creamy cilantro sauce over rice; and finally, traditional house-smoked American barbecue, specifically brisket or ribs ($15 to $17) with sides ranging from traditional potato salad to fried green plantains, pico de gallo or coconut rice.
If that wasn't enough, there's also rotisserie chicken ($10 to $20, depending on size and sides), whose skins are seasoned "with a little bit of everything," according to Sandra Soler, before spinning into coppery crispness inside an Alto-Shaam rotisserie oven.
Unlike the Soler's other place — a Mexican sit-down restaurant called El Patron in Bayside, Queens, Empanadas and More is strictly takeout, with a few chairs and a massive flat-screen television for those waiting for their orders.
Find Empanadas & More in a strip mall at 155 Smithtown Blvd., Nesconset, 631-656-8270. empanadasli.com. The eatery opens daily at 11 a.m. (closed Sundays, though) and delivers via Uber Eats, GrubHub and DoorDash.
