Opposite Restaurant Tania at the end of Mazunte towards the main road that branches to Pochutla and Puerto Escondido is a beautiful restaurant offering something a bit different to the usual in this town.
Teriyaki and baked potato with Veggies
While most of the comedors here stick to a selection of Mexican classics, Empanada has a very interesting menu.
First of all are the baked potatoes which come with a selection of toppings including meat, four cheeses and mixed vegetables, the last one of which I particularly recommend. These are very nicely done and the vegetable option comes also covered in the Oaxacan stringy cheese which is great.
Close up of the potato and veggies
So alongside potatoes and salads they also have a selection of Japanese dishes. Firstly there is a selection of sushi, but I don't think they use real sushi rice and I can't comment on the quality here. The vegetable teriyaki that we had was pretty good though, maybe a little bit salty but to get something so unusual here I was ok to give it a bit of leeway.
They also do large pizzas which I haven't tried but seem popular.
The restaurant
So, yes, they specialise in pizzas, potatoes and Japanese food – not a usual combination but one that seems to bring people back.
They also do pretty good cheesecake. I tried the banana variety which came with a great chocolate sauce although I found it to have a particularly strong almond-marzipan taste which isn't a favourite of mine. It was still very tasty though!
Water feature
Added to this, they have made a bit more of an effort in the décor. There is a water feature, flags adorn the walls and you feel like you are in a proper themed restaurant rather than just someone's yard with a plastic chair.
Banana cheesecake
It's the kind of place to go for a date and to have something different.
Another shot of that cheesecake
