A bright red building off Wisconsin Avenue in Georgetown blends South American flair with American comfort, offering everything from flaky empanadas to hearty falafel bowls on a menu built to satisfy virtually any craving.
DC Tasty Corner, a family-owned restaurant that opened in late 2022, aims to bring people together over bold dishes and fresh ingredients, including empanadas, quesadillas, bowls, sandwiches and hand-crafted juices. Though a small interior, the bright red building on a Georgetown side street stands out, drawing them in for a mid-day meal or casual dinner.
As I entered the brightly colored building on a Wednesday afternoon, I immediately noticed the smoky and spiced smells of South American cuisine, which permeated throughout the small interior. Upon entering the space, I spotted three television screens displaying various menu items, describing the flavors of each of the dishes.
Beyond the screens, I spotted parts of the kitchen — a grey sterile environment, contrasting with the storefront’s bright exterior. Across sat a small table area, a countertop with floral orange stools along the windowsill.
I walked up to the counter and ordered two Argentinian beef empanadas ($10), which were part of the two-for-ten empanadas deal. The other empanadas offered include a classic chicken empanada ($10), a veggie lover empanada ($10) containing spinach, hard-boiled egg and mozzarella and a vegan beef empanada ($10). I chose to order the Argentinian beef in hopes of tasting the smoky, earthy flavors I was smelling throughout the restaurant.
My food came out in less than five minutes, with the employee handing me two golden empanadas and a side of chimichurri sauce on a paper plate across the counter. As I split my first empanada in half, beef, hard-boiled egg and caramelized onion spilled out onto the dish. It was an ideal amount of food for lunchtime — not too much where it was hard to eat, but enough for the meal to be filling.
The sun peered in through the white window panes while I ate, shining the sunlight I had been waiting for after dull winter days on the small plants in the corner and bright walls of the restaurant. There were no other patrons there on the Wednesday afternoon, likely because I had gone when the restaurant first opened its doors for the day. The windowsill countertop was an enjoyable place to eat my empanadas and look out onto the bustling streets of Georgetown.
I was immediately impressed with the flavors I tasted in my first bite. I was met with an intense, beefy flavor and a mix of soft and crunchy textures. The caramelized onion and hard-boiled egg provided a slight sweetness to balance the intense salty flavor of the Argentinian beef.
For my next bite, I decided to try the chimichurri and dipped the empanada into the container. The sauce’s bold flavor offered an acidic contrast to the savory taste of the empanada with the herbal, tangy flavors of the sauce blending well with the cumin and paprika spices in the empanada. The mix of beef, slight sweetness and tangy sauce combined to create an enjoyable dish that I didn’t want to put down.
I left DC Tasty Corner feeling filled and happy with my experience, after enjoying a quick and flavorful bite in a hole-in-the-wall atmosphere. The trip is great for a quick weekend excursion, offering a refreshing break from the rotation of on-campus meals.
