By  Emily Windram

Move over, Sbarro. Anyone looking for a new, fresh and exotic meal choice here at Hofstra needs to look no further than a new spot in the Student Center Cafe: Lucy’s Empanadas station. The station just opened this month and is located between the sandwich shop and the Pan Asia station. It offers traditional, seared Argentine-style empanadas with a fun twist, and they are available on the spot.

The savory pastries, which are stuffed with various meats and cheeses and wrapped with dough, come with sides of rice and spicy, roasted tomato salsa. They come in various flavors, such as mojo grilled chicken with smoked cheese and potatoes. Or, students who are fans of seafood can order lobster empanadas with saffron potatoes and manchego cheese. The biggest winner among students so far seems to be the steak empanada, but don’t let that keep you from trying something different. Empanadas cost $2.58 each with a side of rice and salsa, or you can buy three of them for $6.36. Their portion sizes make them perfect for lunch or dinner, without being too big or small.

“I think this was a great idea,” said junior Ray Messinger, who visited the station for the first time last week. “And it’s been busy every time I go, so it seems like people really like it.”

The station’s success makes it clear that it’s going to be around for a while, and might end up becoming a permanent fixture in the Student Center. And it’s open for suggestions: are there any new flavor ideas? Should sweet dessert empanadas be added to the menu? Anyone who wants to comment on this, or simply voice their own positive or negative opinions, can do so on Facebook or Twitter using #HUempanadas.