NEW IN TOWN: American Empanadas

Fountain Square’s new Venezuelan restaurant American Empanadas (1026 Virginia Ave., 317-644-0509) serves a variety of empanadas and arepas, featuring traditional options as well as items with a creative twist. The empanadas are made with traditional dough that co-owner Angelica Folkerts likens to that of a corndog, only less sweet. Made from white corn powder, the dough offers a nice contrast to slightly salty filings such as barbecued pork and 3-way chili. Dessert empanadas include a popular banana-chocolate version.

Folkerts explains that an arepa is like a Venezuelan biscuit made from corn flour. One of the restaurant’s most popular arepa offerings is the chicken salad arepa, which is stuffed with the traditional Venezuelan chicken salad of potatoes, peas, carrots, red onions, mustard, mayo, and chicken. This week, the American Empanadas’ food truck makes its maiden voyage around the city, offering the same menu as the restaurant, in addition to daily specials such as the Diablo Empanadas, a fiery challenge that consist of habanero, Thai chile, serrano, cayenne, and jalapeno … with ground beef and cream cheese.