Good food and good times at Puerto Madero

Located in the city of Santa Ana, Puerto Madero serves some of the best Argentine cuisine in Orange County. The restaurant also offers shoppers a full line of products imported from South America, with some of the best coffee and tea brewed this side of the equator.

On this day, the specialty store and carniceria was packed to capacity due to qualifying game for the World Cup between Argentina and Columbia. The tables in the dining area were filled with empanadas, large sandwiches and pizzas. Making the tables barely visible

“I enjoy coming here for the food, watching soccer, and the comradery of the usual patrons and the occasional newcomer,” said Julio, a local patron.

Julio dish of choice is the beef empanadas, a tasty turnover loaded with ground beef, green & white onions, tomatoes, eggs and olives baked to a golden brown. For a mere $1.50 a starving student couldn’t go wrong with this concoction.

After carefully maneuvering through the room I run into Iver, a frequent visitor.

“Yes!” he exclaimed, after Argentina scored a goal. Iver likes the sandwiches at Puerto Madero, especially the provolone and prosciutto. As far as the soccer game, he cheers for Argentina.

Seated across from the counter were two longtime friends, Bob and George, sipping espressos.

“It is one of my favorite places in Orange County to dine and watch the game,” Bob said, who doesn’t have a favorite dish on the menu and admits they are all to his liking. “The steak sandwich with prosciutto is what I order when I am here,” George said.

The proximity of the store, the quality of the food and the low cost of cooked to order entrees are all the more reason students and staff should stop by Puerto Madero. As for myself, I will definitely be stopping in for an order of spinach and tuna empanadas.