by Lori Baltazar
My Sugar Series (December 2008) is made up of desserts that I’ve enjoyed recently. Because the holidays spell sweet excess, impress the people you love with any of the following desserts. They’re guaranteed to make an impression on them as they did on me.
Other desserts in this series:
Ann Puno’s Choc-Nut cake
“Nutter” About Peanut Butter
A “Fruitcake” To Fall In Love With
Pleasure for Plaisir
My 2 Favorite Cakes This Christmas
Hazelnuts and Lemons
Delicious as Only Dèlize Does It
NOTE: This series ends on Friday, Dec. 19, 2008.
Her name is Ana and she owns San Lo’s Famous Empanadas and Tortas and yes, she lives in San Lo (San Lorenzo Village) — now you see the “connect.” I have a post on Ana’s flagship products written three years ago; and I’m ashamed to say that I haven’t tasted them again since then.
Then, while I’m walking through the Rockwell’s Baker’s Dozen fair (where I am every weekend, naturally), I chance upon the San Lo’s Famous stall and impulsively, I stop. I gaze at the large golden empanadas that beckon to me. From where I stand, I’m transfixed by their bulging middles and their pleated edges blistered from the oven’s heat. On the table, large tortas hold court. The golden cakes are sunflowers, and the crimped parchment paper they’re wrapped in, their petals.
The empanadas come in five varieties: pastel de pollo, jamon y queso, callos, carne norte (my favorite), and tuna. (P330/6’s; P660/12’s). Rushing home with a half dozen of these half-moons, I pop some in the oven. Eaten while warm, the filling gushes out, dribbling onto my chin. I hear myself grunt softly. Why did I wait three years to eat one of these again? While the filling itself is exceptional, it’s the crust that makes this savory pastry. Crisp, especially around the edges, it’s one of those foods that remind me why I love lard and butter. They make up the essence of food that comforts, not to mention the gratifying flavor they impart.
The torta (original/queso de bola; P270, P330/each) reminds me of a heavier, perhaps more robust ensaymada. Possessing a closed internal framework and imbued with lots of butter, its tight crumb yields to a fork’s piercing. Minimally sweet, it’s a faithful foil to ham, chicken relleno, fabada, or the classic tsokolate. Ana also makes a toothsome fudge chocolate cake and sansrival, and her pineapple upside-down cake is my dad’s favorite.
Holiday food doesn’t get any better than this.
San Lo’s Famous
Store: Petron Station, Dasmariñas Village, Makati
844.2853 / 0915.9042631
Open Monday-Saturday, 9am ”“ 7pm
Also at the Baker’s Dozen Fair in Rockwell all Fridays-Sundays in December.
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The torta is 270 or 330 EACH?! Yikes! How big is one torta?
we are so inlove with San Lo’s empanadas! it might be a little pricey for something you can chew and swallow in less than 5mins but it’s just oh-so-good! 🙂
and around 60 pesos for an empanada? that must be reaalllyy good empanada 😉
have u tried the chicken pie/empanada of COSTA BRAVA? I love their empanada. It has a generous serving of chicken and mushrooms
they sure do have a good spread of goodies… 🙂
Ever since I tried San Lo’s Famous Empanadas, they instantly became my favorite. In fact, I’d say that they lead the other, next-best empanadas by at least a mile. They’re well worth the price because not only are they bigger than the typical empanadas these days, but you can really taste the butter in the crust — it’s the only empanada I’ve tried that leaves your fingers oily afterwards. And it’s so tender!
I brought these empanadas to a potluck merienda once. One of the guests put one on her plate, and started eating while we were chatting. A couple of seconds after she took her first bite, she interrupted our conversation to exclaim, “Where did you get this?!?!?!” 😀
Thanks for this feature! The photos are great!
We’ve been fans of “San Lo’s Famous…” since we first tried the empanadas and tortas at an American Women’s Club monthly bazaar. I think she stopped joining that bazaaar when Anna opened the store in Petron.
The Petron gas station store on Pasay Road is right next to the gated (“stickers only”) entrance of Dasmarinas Village.
They also have a super-good chocolate cake!
Hi Lori,
I’ve tried the Torta as well because the kiosk didn’t offer any free samples like others in the Rockwell Fair did (quite ironic, I know). I like the taste, but it’s just not something that I would crave for, which is why I haven’t been back since November hehe.
The SanLo empanadas rock my world, the pastry like crust is a killer, but so worth the cost. Glad you had a treat after three years, hopefully you have more of them when you need to fill a craving; pairs really well with coffee!!!
i am from san lo and shame on me for not having the knowledge about these goodies :))
btw, where exactly in san lo? can i buy directly there?
The best for meh !
The best for meh !
The best for meh !
I just got a torta from a really good “friend”.. I’m really honored
San Lo’s Famous Empanadas are to die for! It’s the best empanada I’ve ever tasted.
Can you put the recipe on-line? I’d like to try to make them myself.
Please let me know where we can buy san los empanadas. They are not in petron dasma, v mall greenhills or rockwell.
I too have been trying to find a means of contacting them, I really miss their Pineapple Upside Down Cake. Does anyone know how? All the old numbers don’t belong to them anymore