Shauna Eats Sunnyside

We're Goin' Goin', Back Back to Cali Cali...

MiraCali Bakery (46th St. b/w Greenpoint and 47th Ave.) has quickly become a go-to meat pie destination in our black book of Colombian bakeries. B believes it’s the golden standard for empanada stock in Sunnyside, and last weekend we wandered in to further sample the deep-fried wares of their steamy rear display case.

To our suprise, in addition to a bounty of reliably chiseled fried nugs, MiraCali also had Argentinian-style baked empanadas on hand. SCORE! We asked for a chicken, though as our inevitable luck would have it, you guessed it — we got beef. Grrr.

No matter. This baked amulet contained enough stewy ground beef chow to win over the most religious of carnivore-shunning granola yuppies. Onions, peppers, a creamy chili sauce of considerable tang… this empanada was fierce, and as much as we adore the vinegary hot sauce, it was merely excessive decorum on an already brilliant $1.50 phenomenon.

Before exiting MiraCali with empanada in hand, we did an about-face upon spotting a plastic bin on the counter containing what we believe to be handmade Colombian guava paste candies labeled bocadillos. Priced at three for $1, we got a trio of the leaf-wrapped treats and, once on the sidewalk, tore into one like rabid toddlers on Christmas morning.

Our first impression was that it’s hard candy, but after a few seconds of suckage, we realized the guava paste is actually quite tender and chewable. It doesn’t stick to your teeth, either — more closely resembling a gelatinous jam than a hard candy. Edges are a crumbly (yet tender) brown sugar/molasses crust, and the authentic leaf packaging, though primarily a novelty, delighted us to no end. Three for $1?? Easily one of the greatest treat finds in this ‘hood.

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MiraCali Bakery
45-38 46th St. (b/w Greenpoint and 47th Aves.)
Woodside, NY 11137
718-482-8840