Tasty Empanadas at Park Street Lunch Spot

[An example of the kind of material we're looking for in the OMB Living section.]

There is something to be said for a food stand that does one thing and does it well. La Boca Empanadas is such a place.

Tucked into a mini-mall on Winter St. between the Park St. and Downtown Crossing T stops - along with Middle Eastern, Italian and Chinese joints - La Boca does a nice baked empanada.

For those not in the know, their website explains that an empanada is "a turnover or mold of pastry filled with chopped or ground meat, vegetables, fruit, etc." Pretty straightforward and pretty darned tasty.

Available flavors include: beef, chicken, middle eastern (chopped steak), ham and cheese, tuna, and a couple of vegetarian (though not vegan) options ... humita (creamed corn, peppers and onions), and four cheese.

For dessert there are Argentine cookies, and an intriguing dulce de leche (sweet cooked condensed milk) empanada. All empanadas are snack sized, and 2-4 comprise a meal. For a little over 5 bucks you can get 4 assorted empanadas, a drink and a cookie, which makes for a nice lunch. And one which you can eat as you walk if you're on the go.

This reviewer has tried the beef, chicken, middle eastern, four cheese and dulce empanadas on 3 visits, and found the flavor good across the board - although perhaps in need of the nice Mexican hot sauce they have on offer (with the exception of the sweet empanada, of course).

All in all, La Boca is worth checking out, and offers good value at a very reasonable price.

La Boca Empanadas, 48 Winter St., Boston, MA 02108, 617-245-1340; hours, M-F 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Sat 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; www.labocaempa.com.