Latest news with #CheChori
Indianapolis Star
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
Indy 500 concession item from westside Argentinian spot is best thing I ate in Indy this week
We're mere hours from the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500, where 33 of the world's fastest drivers will battle for IndyCar immortality while roughly 350,000 other people consume a lot of grilled meat and light beer. If you plan to be among the sold-out crowd at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, sooner or later you'll need to refuel. The IMS will be full of strong snacking options, including: Fried stadium flavor meets centuries-old culinary technique in the empanada, which you can purchase from Che Chori near Turn 1 at this year's Indy 500 and year-round from its drive-through restaurant just east of Speedway. Unable (and frankly, somewhat unwilling) to limit myself to one variety of empanada, I sampled multiple for this week's INdulge. Know before you go: IMS, Aramark unveil new concession items for 2025 Indy 500. As you may already know, an empanada is a savory turnover-like pastry with likely origins in 7th century Galicia (the northwest region of Spain) and Portugal. The term empanada comes from the Spanish verb empanar, which essentially means to envelop in bread. Empanadas can be baked or fried and come with an impressive variety of fillings. Those at Che Chori ($4 each) look totally textbook: palm-sized half-moons with honey-colored crimped edges and hundreds of little surface bubbles where steam strained against the puff pastry. That pastry vanishes between your teeth with an almost cartoonish chomp, revealing a densely packed jumble of flavors depending on what's inside. What's inside ranges from traditional to whatever word you would use to describe Che Chori's bacon cheeseburger empanada. But the staple stuffing I chose, which you can expect to find at the 500, is Argentine chorizo. When I've spoken previously with Che Chori owner Marcos Perera, who grew up in Argentina, he's talked about chorizo like a cinephile discussing Stanley Kubrick's filmography — deeply reverent and mildly obsessive. The restaurateur cares deeply about spiced sausage (always great to be among like-minded people) and that is evident in his chorizo empanada. It's a hyper-palatable savory mash of sausage, onions and cheese, exactly what you're looking for in a Hot Pocket-adjacent dish. Elsewhere in Speedway This big, orange Mexican sandwich is the best thing I ate in Indy this week Squash and pumpkin empanadas aren't unheard of in Mexico and South America, but they aren't ubiquitous here in the United States. Che Chori's butternut squash empanada features a hearty whiff of rosemary, creating a Christmas dinner flavor profile that I never realized could come from a deep fryer. Perhaps Che Chori's most traditional option is the ground beef empanada with egg and olives, ingredients commonly found in the empanadas of the Tucumán and La Rioja Provinces. The small dose of olives in Che Chori's beef empanada nicely deepens its flavor with an extra hit of salt and fat. It's not a dirty martini by any stretch, but the funk is there. The ground beef variety was probably my favorite of the bunch, though that might just be because they reminded me of my first magical encounter with empanadas. I was nine years old on a trip to visit my father's cousin in Kansas City, where said cousin's Latin American friend showed up at his house with multiple Tupperware containers full of ground beef and ham and cheese empanadas. Now, my memory of that vacation is a little hazy, but I'd guess I ate somewhere in the ballpark of 38 cold empanadas in the span of three days — a high from which I've never fully recovered. I encourage you to give one of Che Chori's renditions a try on race day. Sure, there will be far more important things unfolding on the oval, but that's no reason to deprive yourself of a decent lunch. Whether in pursuit of the Borg-Warner trophy or the childlike rush of some good empanadas, we're all chasing something. What: Empanadas, $4 each Where: Che Chori, concession stand 11 at Turn 1 on race day, year-round at 3124 W. 16th St., (317) 737-2012,
Axios
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Axios
Speedway's Che Chori serves up Argentinian street food — fast
On your way to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, stop at Che Chori. The big picture: The Speedway drive-thru serving up Argentinian street food. Fun fact: Che Chori was featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" last year. What to order: Che Chori serves traditional Argentinian sandwiches, plus burgers and pizzas, but we're going for the empanadas. Che Chori offers 16 different flavors of empanda and half a dozen of them are vegetarian. The empanada combo is the way to go. You get three empanadas of your choice, plus chips and a churro. Cost: $15. 💭 My thought bubble: I expected the butternut squash to be my favorite but fell in love with the southwest veggie, stuffed full of black beans, corn and tomatoes. The inventive caprese — stuffed with exactly what you'd expect: tomato, mozzarella and basil — was also a winner. The guava and cream cheese is delicious but definitely more dessert than dinner. If you go: 3124 W. 16th St.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
IMS, Aramark unveil new concession items for 2025 Indy 500.
In mere days, IndyCar drivers from across the globe will compete in the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500, burning through thousands of gallons of ethanol along the way. Fortunately for spectators at the race, your fueling options will be much more varied and taste a whole lot better. Aramark Sports and Entertainment, now in its second year as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's food and beverage partner, recently announced new concession items available for sale during the Indy 500 on May 26. Here's what's new food-wise at the track this year. More: See what the Indy 500's biggest spenders eat on race day All of the items listed below will be available for purchase at the Refreshments Express in the IMS Pagoda Plaza. Pretzel brat: Bratwurst wrapped in soft pretzel dough, served with pale ale beer cheese ($11.99). BBQ pork wheels: Round "wheels" of parmesan, mozzarella and cheddar cheese, garlic and smoked pork shoulder, topped with barbecue sauce ($11.99). Buffalo "Totchos": Tater tots covered in Buffalo chicken, nacho cheese sauce, pico de gallo and ranch dressing ($11.99). Pork belly potato chips: Kettle-cooked chips topped with sweet chili sauce, Yum Yum Sauce (Japanese condiment of mayonnaise, ketchup, vinegar and spices), green onion and sesame slaw ($11.99). King corn dog: Jalapeño and cheddar bratwurst fried in four-onion corn breading, whole grain mustard and bourbon honey mustard ($11.99). Circle City meatball hero: Beef meatballs, marinara sauce, provolone cheese and roasted peppers and onions on Portuguese milk bread ($11.99). In the morning, the Refreshments Express will offer the following breakfast items: Loaded tots: Tater tots with scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese and sausage gravy ($8.99) Breakfast dogs: Sausage links with scrambled eggs, salsa and cheddar cheese ($8.99) Breakfast burrito: Scrambled eggs, diced potatoes, pork sausage and American cheese in a flour tortilla ($6.99). Biscuits and gravy: Buttermilk biscuits and pork sausage gravy ($6.99). In addition to the Refreshments Express concessions, the IMS will feature outside vendors throughout the circuit. They include: Abbiocco Pizzeria: Based out of The Garage Food Hall in the Bottleworks District, Abbiocco will serve slices of pizza. : A mainstay at Pacers and Fever games, with two full-time locations in the Salesforce Tower and The AMP at 16 Tech, Mambo's will offer its classic and Latin-inspired takes on the Philadelphia classic. : An Indy 500 mainstay, Ardys will be back with its Filipino barbecue skewers. More about Ardys: How a Filipino family became the culinary identity of the Indy 500. : The Wakarusa-based barbecue caterer will dole out slow-cooked meats. : The drive-through eatery based just east of Speedway, self-billed as Argentine street food with an artisan twist, will serve its renowned empanadas. More: Che Chori appears on national TV. Here's what makes it special. If you're looking to feed yourself on a budget, you can bring your own food and drink, including alcohol (no glass containers), in a cooler as long as it is no larger than 18 inches by 15 inches by 15 inches in volume. Contact dining reporter Bradley Hohulin at bhohulin@ You can follow him on Twitter/X @BradleyHohulin and stay up to date with Indy dining news by signing up for the Indylicious newsletter. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: See the new concession foods for this year's Indy 500
Indianapolis Star
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
IMS, Aramark unveil new concession items for 2025 Indy 500.
In mere days, IndyCar drivers from across the globe will compete in the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500, burning through thousands of gallons of ethanol along the way. Fortunately for spectators at the race, your fueling options will be much more varied and taste a whole lot better. Aramark Sports and Entertainment, now in its second year as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's food and beverage partner, recently announced new concession items available for sale during the Indy 500 on May 26. Here's what's new food-wise at the track this year. More: See what the Indy 500's biggest spenders eat on race day All of the items listed below will be available for purchase at the Refreshments Express in the IMS Pagoda Plaza. Pretzel brat: Bratwurst wrapped in soft pretzel dough, served with pale ale beer cheese ($11.99). BBQ pork wheels: Round "wheels" of parmesan, mozzarella and cheddar cheese, garlic and smoked pork shoulder, topped with barbecue sauce ($11.99). Buffalo "Totchos": Tater tots covered in Buffalo chicken, nacho cheese sauce, pico de gallo and ranch dressing ($11.99). Pork belly potato chips: Kettle-cooked chips topped with sweet chili sauce, Yum Yum Sauce (Japanese condiment of mayonnaise, ketchup, vinegar and spices), green onion and sesame slaw ($11.99). King corn dog: Jalapeño and cheddar bratwurst fried in four-onion corn breading, whole grain mustard and bourbon honey mustard ($11.99). Circle City meatball hero: Beef meatballs, marinara sauce, provolone cheese and roasted peppers and onions on Portuguese milk bread ($11.99). In the morning, the Refreshments Express will offer the following breakfast items: Loaded tots: Tater tots with scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese and sausage gravy ($8.99) Breakfast dogs: Sausage links with scrambled eggs, salsa and cheddar cheese ($8.99) Breakfast burrito: Scrambled eggs, diced potatoes, pork sausage and American cheese in a flour tortilla ($6.99). Biscuits and gravy: Buttermilk biscuits and pork sausage gravy ($6.99). In addition to the Refreshments Express concessions, the IMS will feature outside vendors throughout the circuit. They include: Abbiocco Pizzeria: Based out of The Garage Food Hall in the Bottleworks District, Abbiocco will serve slices of pizza. Mambo's Cheesesteak Grill: A mainstay at Pacers and Fever games, with two full-time locations in the Salesforce Tower and The AMP at 16 Tech, Mambo's will offer its classic and Latin-inspired takes on the Philadelphia classic. Ardys Concession: An Indy 500 mainstay, Ardys will be back with its Filipino barbecue skewers. More about Ardys: How a Filipino family became the culinary identity of the Indy 500. Nelson's BBQ: The Wakarusa-based barbecue caterer will dole out slow-cooked meats. Che Chori: The drive-through eatery based just east of Speedway, self-billed as Argentine street food with an artisan twist, will serve its renowned empanadas. More: Che Chori appears on national TV. Here's what makes it special. If you're looking to feed yourself on a budget, you can bring your own food and drink, including alcohol (no glass containers), in a cooler as long as it is no larger than 18 inches by 15 inches by 15 inches in volume.
