2 Women Bring Flavors of their Countries to the North Valley
From the savory and sweet flavors of a Brazilian culinary classic dish handmade—from the filling to the golden pastry crust—to the vibrant and herbal flavors of northern Vietnamese classics, including Phở noodle soup, sandwiches and a host of other dishes, two local women have infused the tastes of their homelands into the Anthem community.
Leila’s Empanadas
A Grandmother’s Legacy
Authentic flavors from Brazil stand out in the recipes Leila Beltrame made growing up with her grandmother, in her new brick-and-mortar Anthem location, where she makes hot, homemade empanadas daily.
Located next to Hair-n-Dippity Salon at 4111 W. Innovative Drive, Leila’s Empanadas serves up hot pastry-style pockets of savory goodness for a quick and casual dine-in or takeaway format.
Prior to the opening of the storefront, Leila’s sold frozen empanadas in a freezer case at local businesses. As business grew, opening up a space to serve them fresh from the oven was the next step. In 2023, Beltrame and her business partner Andrea Carvalho created a plan to open the space.
The recipes have been inspired by Beltrame’s grandmother and another beloved family cook, and adapted to celebrate the flavors of Arizona.
Leila Beltrame (left) and her business partner Andrea Carvalho (right) have recently opened Leila’s Empanadas in Anthem.
“Each bite is a tribute to tradition—with a twist. My grandmother’s kitchen was my first classroom. As a fierce Italian cook, she refused to cut corners… but she also taught me the magic of improvising, turning humble ingredients into something extraordinary,” Beltrame told Valley Vibe, adding that Brazilian weather wasn’t always kind to crops, so creativity became the key to success.
From the flaky and crisp crust of the golden, crescent-shaped pastry to the savory or sweet fillings, the empanadas are baked, not fried. The flavors are numerous from breakfast to lunch to dinner and dessert. Fan favorites are beef (made with lean beef, potatoes, boiled eggs and briny olives); pulled pork (made with sweet onions and tender slow-cooked pork); and for dessert—apple (with a side of creamy crème brûlée sauce).
Other choices include chicken, pepperoni, ham and cheese, artichoke, and spinach. Brazilian cheese rolls are another popular menu choice.
Dessert flavors also include peach, and blueberry with bavarian cream.
Frozen empanadas are also available for a quick and convenient heat-and-serve meal for people on the go. Online ordering with delivery is also available, and catering is offered.
Having been open for a few months now, Beltrame said seeing the community gather in the space over empanadas, or popping in to grab a quick lunch or take-home dinner, makes all the hard work worth it.
“This brick-and-mortar isn’t just a store; it’s a place where connections are made,” she said.
Leila’s Empanadas
4111 W. Innovative Dr., Phoenix
602- 642-7068
www.leilasempanadas.com
Pho Legend
A Taste of Northern Vietnam’s Classics
For years, Mai McMillen has dreamt of opening an authentic Vietnamese-style restaurant.
Mai is from a small village in the countryside of North Vietnam, and when she arrived in the United States, she lacked even the most basic cooking skills.
“I didn’t know how to even boil an egg,” she laughed as she told Valley Vibe her story. But Mai is living proof that when you set your mind on something with enough determination, success will follow. Before she came to the United States, she owned her own construction business in Vietnam, with barely any background knowledge or expertise.
During her time here, she owned and ran a successful nail salon in another state, and her cooking abilities have evolved from basic level to chef level. Most of her cooking abilities come naturally, her husband Jeff told Valley Vibe, and it’s something she’s really come to enjoy over the years.
The Anthem couple has lived in the community for the last 15 years, and have been planning to open a restaurant for a while now. During a visit to Vietnam in 2024, they were fortunate to study culinary classes under well-known Vietnamese Master Chef Nguyen Quoc Y, commonly referred to as Chef Y, the head of culinary training of the tourism training association of Vietnam.
Since learning under the master chef, Mai and Jeff have been looking to bring Vietnamese speciality dishes including the classic Pho dish to the area. That opportunity came when the space formerly occupied by Trapper’s Sushi in the Fry’s Marketplace plaza became available.
The new restaurant will be called Pho Legend and the menu was still in the works as of this writing, but in addition to Pho, patrons can expect Bun cha– a North Vietnamese specialty typically made with ground pork and pork belly in patty form with vermicelli noodles and served with a sweet, sour, and mildly spicy sauce. Another popular dish will be Banh Mi, a Vietnamese-style baguette sandwich, filled with meats, greens and vegetables, noodles, and condiments, with the restaurant’s own fresh-baked bread.
Pho Legend will offer sit-down dining and takeaway service. The McMillens said they are targeting an early summer opening.
Pho Legend
39510 N. Daisy Mountain Dr.
Anthem