Some say you can judge a restaurant by its roast chicken. You should apply the same logic to an Argentine empanada shop's classic Mendoza-style pie. At the Empanada Factory, this pie is done to perfection. The four-bite pastry is filled with the requisite seasoned ground beef, olives and hard-boiled egg. The pastry is baked to a soft, luminous golden hue, with a somewhat steamed interior that both holds together and complements the fillings. As it should be. Once you devour three of these pastries, with the accompanying classic, garlic-heavy chimichurri sauce, we recommend the chicken, corn or spicy mushroom options. The cheerful red building houses a tiny storefront that's an excellent stop for takeout. 2513 S Robertson Blvd., Beverlywood. (310) 836-5944, empanadafactory.com.

—Rachael Narins

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