La Carreta Argentina is having its grand opening on Beckley near Zang Saturday. It’s the new restaurant from the owners of Don Panza, which closed on Clarendon last year.
La Carreta has upscale new digs in the space that most recently housed sports bar Alley Oops. It looked great when I went in to pick up a couple of empanadas and a burger last week. There is a small bar that serves liquor, wine and beer, including Lone Star on tap, which is a change from Don Panza’s, which was too close to a school to get a liquor license.
The handmade empanadas are made to order, crispy and hot with savory fillings like spicy beef or chicken and spinach and cheese. The new menu includes the Argentina burger, which came on a house-made bun with a slice of ham and a perfectly cooked over-easy egg. You can’t eat that every day, but it was divine.
