La Morena – 1175A St Clair Ave W, Toronto, ON M6E 1B5
Country: South America
Must-try dish: Empanadas
Dinner guests: Suited Sebastien & Young Matt
Seating: Walk up counter with limited indoor seating
The high: The owners are friendly and helpful, which enhanced the experience with South America’s favourite street food. 
The low: There were too many choices, which is both a good and a bad thing. 

La Morena is the ideal afternoon getaway in a time where takeout is the only option. The restaurant specializes in South American empanadas, and although the owners are from Ecuador, they produce pockets from around the continent. Taking a bite into these empanadas brings you right back to the streets of South America, as both Mat and Andrea know all too well from their travels. 

It feels a little like walking into a convenience store that has a food stall. As a result, the ordering process for the group was unstructured, so each person ordered their own empanadas and waited for their name to be called to finally dig in. We recommend ordering a variety of empanadas to have the widest range of countries and flavours, since each place makes it their own, and perhaps even turning it into an empanada tasting to decide a favourite. 

The Ecuadorian Chicken is a must to honour the owner’s homeland, but the Argentinian beef comes highly recommended from the owners themselves, while the Colombian Chorizo was tasty. The Verde empanada with beef is also worth ordering as it’s stuffed with green plantain and grilled meat, making each bite sweet and savoury. 

Beyond their vast selection of empanadas, there are Tamales, Ceviche, Stuffed Plantains, Bolon de Verde, and other top dishes from the region.The Bolon de Verde stood out as it had trigger words in the description that made it especially appealing – dumplings, plantain and cheese. This dense, moist plantain stuffed cheese ball was delicious, but it’s a meal on its own. If you’re going to La Morena for empanadas, an order of Bolon de Verde is a great thing to be shared by the group.

The staff and owners are friendly, giving excellent recommendations and customer service. If you find yourself on St. Clair West, make a pit stop here. 

Eat with you soon,

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)