Mascot’s Pochito Chilean cafe serves the best empanadas in Sydney
From their cheesy empanadas to the ‘ugly delicious’ loaded fries, this family-run Chilean eatery in Sydney’s south is dishing up carb-loaded cures for the the post-booze blues.
Lifestyle
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Patricia Bustamante’s beef empanadas are the definition of comfort food.
So good are her pastries stuffed with spiced mince, sauteed onions, olives, sultana and sliced egg, punters pre-order them days in advance — they’ve even brought a Chilean expat to tears.
“We had a Chilean couple come in, they were eating empanadas and he started crying,” said Paulina Bustamante, who runs Chilean eatery Pochito in Mascot with her 63-year-old mum.
“It just reminded him of home, he hadn’t had anything like that in over a year.”
Pochito’s classic Chilean street food from their generous lomito (roast pork) sandwiches to the “ugly delicious” chorrillana (loaded fries topped with shredded steak) have won a loyal following among the city’s South American community.
But it’s Patricia’s empanadas, stuffed with spiced beef, chicken and mushrooms, or filled with cheese and fried to gooey perfection, that probably saved the business in 2020.
The mum and daughter team, who spent six years running food markets before opening the Mascot eatery in 2019, thought they’d lose everything when COVID hit in March last year.
With the help of extended family including brother Manny, they fell back on their market roots selling their empanadas from a “tuckshop” at Pochito’s front door.
“We were very lucky that we have such niche food, and because we’ve done so many markets for so long, our South American community has followed us,” Paulina said.
“I can’t express how thankful I am to all of them for showing us their support during that difficult time. We had people come from Wollongong, we had people come from Newcastle.
“They were supporting us and through that, they were getting a little bit of happiness through our food.”
Patricia’s empanadas, based on her own mother’s recipes, still sell out and it’s not uncommon to see an entire soccer team lining up on weekends to bulk-buy.
Chilean food is still new to many Sydneysiders but travellers and those with South American roots are well-versed in Pochito’s authentic dishes.
“Chilean food for one thing, it’s not spicy, that’s a big misconception. It’s very simple comfort food, it’s home cooking to be honest, at its finest,” said Paulina.
“There’s some indigenous dishes, there’s a lot of European-based dishes — there’s a lot of German influences.
“We’re also very big on rice, potatoes, meats, and a barbecue, always a barbecue. And very little salads — no one really touches salads!”
Food has played a central role for the family since they emigrated on Anzac Day in 1986 to escape the Pinochet dictatorship.
Their first home was in a unit block in Coogee filled with people from the Latina diaspora, where Patricia often cooked for friends. She even won over cricketer Glenn McGrath’s family, who came to know her empanadas when she ran a housekeeping business.
“My mum has always been that aunty in the family, if you know you’re coming to our house you wear the stretchy pants, and you know as soon as you walk in, you sit down and start eating for three hours!” she said.
“When people come here, we just want everyone to feel like they’re at an aunty’s house,” said Paulina. “They’re going to be well looked after and happy — and that’s the meaning of Pochito – after you have a good meal, you feel happy and content, you feel pochito!”
POCHITO
Where: 1021 Botany Rd, Mascot
Open: Wed – Fri: 8am – 3pm Sat: 9am – 3pm Sun: 9am – 2pm
Pre-ordering takeaway empanadas recommended!
Contact: 0412 603 100
www.pochitosydney.com.au
WHAT TO TRY
Empanadas: Chilean empanadas are large and either baked or fried.
Try the empanada de pino – baked pastry filled with a mixture of beef and onions, plus raisins, olives and wedges of hard-boiled eggs.
Sandwiches: Sandwiches are a mainstay of Chilean life. Try the Lomito: a classic, melt-in-the-mouth oven-roasted pork, smashed avocado, tomato, mayonnaise and pebre (like chimichanga) on a milk bun
Churrasco and Chemilico: Popular Chilean steak sandwiches served all day long in Chile. The Chemilico comes with a lean rump minute steak, plenty of grilled onion, a free range fried egg on a soft milk bun
Completo: The Chilean version of the hotdog, stuffed with a smoked pork Frankfurt sausage, diced tomatoes, smashed avocado and topped with mayonnaise. Make it the OG and add Sauerkraut.
Chorrillana: Chilean loaded chips, served with papa fritas, grilled onions, lean rump steak strips and topped with a free range fried egg
Sopaipillas: Simple fried flat breads made from a mixture of pumpkins, butter, and flour, flattened into circles and found all over the country. Sweet or savoury ($2-$5)
Specials: Pastel De Choclo, a kind of Chilean shepherd’s pie made from beef and corn, and Cazuela de costilla or beef rib soup are major attractions for expats.
Mate Con Huesillo: Chilean ‘bubble tea’, a sun dried peach drink served with pearl barley.
Vegetarian options available.
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