KANSAS CITY, Mo. — At Empanada Madness in Crown Center, you’ll find a signed Salvador Perez jersey framed on the wall.
The memorabilia is just a small tribute to the player the restaurant said is more than just a regular customer — and has been for years.
Manager Juan Penaloza was also around a decade ago when the Salvy started coming in.
“It was a God blessing that he would actually stop by all the time,” Penaloza said while turning around to show the back of his No. 13 Perez jersey. “We saw him progress and grow up into the Royals superhero that he is here in Kansas City. We love that guy so much. I mean, we wear him proudly all the time."
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During the regular season, I got to ask Perez about Empanada Madness and what he orders.
“Empanadas, arepas, and cachapas,” he said.
I tasted all three, including a shredded beef empanada and a reina pepiada arepa that was filled with a delicious avocado chicken salad.
The cachapa, described as a Venezuelan corn pancake filled with cheese, was sweet, salty and just incredibly tasty.
While Penaloza said Empanada Madness cheers on all Kansas City teams and loves how the city supports them all, I asked what the support of Perez has meant to them.
“Us starting a restaurant in 2013, you know what, him coming in and bringing all the players and giving us that support and giving us so much excitement, we knew that we could make it,” he said. “I’ve been cheering him on every year, regardless of winning, losing. I believe that he’s a winner in our books no matter what.”
Empanada Madness can be found at 2450 Grand Boulevard.
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