Republica Empanada, a family-run Mesa eatery serving Latin American comfort food, will be featured on the Food Network’s ‘‘Diners, Drive-ins and Dives’’ on Friday, Dec. 22.
According to the cable network’s website, the 30-minute episode, entitled ‘‘Mom’s Kitchen,’’ will visit:
‘‘In Boulder, Colo., a mother-son team servin’ up Chinese specialties like dan dan noodles and steamed buns. In Columbus, Ohio, a Jamaican joint dishin’ out jerk chicken, red snapper and other island favorites. And in Mesa, Ariz., a family spot cooking lights-out Latin cuisine, from a Cubano empanada to arroz con pollo.’’
Show host Guy Fieri (shown above with Republica’s Jinette Meraz) spent a day filming at downtown Mesa restaurant in early October.
The network website lists the show at 9 p.m. Eastern, but my cable provider (Cox) airs it at 10 p.m. Arizona time. Your cable provider may vary. (Look for the ‘‘Mom’s Kitchen’’ episode at the end of a long block of reruns.)
Republica Empanada has been closed for the past 10 days for some kitchen renovations, but re-opens to the public Saturday, Dec. 23.
