MikeLastort Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 I live in Takoma Park, just off New Hampshire Ave, and about a mile or so away from La Chiquita, which as at the intersection of on the NE corner of the intersection of New Hampshire and East-West Highway. IMO, they make some of the best pupusas I've ever had. When my wife and I have gone there, we're typically the only gringos in the place. They don't have an official web site (at least not that I could find) but there are some pretty good reviews http://www.thenewave.com/go/la-chiquita http://www.yelp.com/biz/la-chiquita---latin-american-food-takoma-park http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/la-chiquita,1157572/critic-review.html Anyone able to recommend other pupuserias in and around DC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rieux Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 I live in Takoma Park, just off New Hampshire Ave, and about a mile or so away from La Chiquita, which as at the intersection of on the NE corner of the intersection of New Hampshire and East-West Highway. IMO, they make some of the best pupusas I've ever had. When my wife and I have gone there, we're typically the only gringos in the place. They don't have an official web site (at least not that I could find) but there are some pretty good reviews http://www.thenewave.com/go/la-chiquita http://www.yelp.com/biz/la-chiquita---latin-american-food-takoma-park http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/la-chiquita,1157572/critic-review.html Anyone able to recommend other pupuserias in and around DC? I travel to El Salvador quite a bit, and work with a lot of Salvadorans. The general consensus at work is that the best are at Ercelias in Mount Pleasant, and at a place whose name I can't recall at the corner of 11th and N NW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Foodie Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 I don't claim to be a knowledgeable source on pupusas, but we've really enjoyed the ones from Silvestre at 12th and Hamlin in the Brookland area. It's a rotisserie chicken place but they have some great other things as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wahoooob Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 This gringo's favorite pupusa in that area is La Casita! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Deb Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 What do you guys think of Irenes? Are there good ones in the Wheaton/Silver Spring area I should check out? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALB Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 I live in Takoma Park, just off New Hampshire Ave, and about a mile or so away from La Chiquita, which as at the intersection of on the NE corner of the intersection of New Hampshire and East-West Highway. IMO, they make some of the best pupusas I've ever had. When my wife and I have gone there, we're typically the only gringos in the place. They don't have an official web site (at least not that I could find) but there are some pretty good reviews http://www.thenewave.com/go/la-chiquita http://www.yelp.com/biz/la-chiquita---latin-american-food-takoma-park http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/restaurants/la-chiquita,1157572/critic-review.html Anyone able to recommend other pupuserias in and around DC? Thanks for the tip! I just moved to New Hampshire Ave and have been wondering which places to check out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyjoan Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 We always enjoyed El Riconcito, in the basement of a brownstone over by the Columbia Heights Giant. It's been years, but that was our go-to pupusa joint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeLastort Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 So yeah, nice sentence structure on my original post in this thread. That's what I get for trying to edit in a hurry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 My favorite was Sabor, in the strip mall on the corner of Flower Ave & Piney Branch, but they closed. La Casita on Piney Branch is pretty good. Thanks for the tip on La Chiquita; I will check it out. Anyone interested in a Takoma Park/Langley Park taco truck tasting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeLastort Posted September 1, 2011 Author Share Posted September 1, 2011 My favorite was Sabor, in the strip mall on the corner of Flower Ave & Piney Branch, but they closed. La Casita on Piney Branch is pretty good. Thanks for the tip on La Chiquita; I will check it out. Anyone interested in a Takoma Park/Langley Park taco truck tasting? I've been tempted by the truck that's usually parked in the lot on the NW corner of the intersection of New Hampshire and East-West Highway. Never tried it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genevieve Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 My favorite are at El Charrito Caminante, on Washington Blvd. in Arlington. I like the loroco, son gets some chicken and some cheese, husband gets one bean and a burrito. Curtido is very good and it's plentiful. We usually order the excellent plantains as well. We like to call our order in ahead of time, since there's not much space to wait (take-out only). Good horchata. Our Salvadoran visitor last year concurred that these were excellent pupusas. (Though after reading this review of both, I think we should try Doña Azucena some time.) http://theeatenpath....s-arlington-va/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldenticket Posted April 27, 2012 Share Posted April 27, 2012 I'm also a fan of the pupusas at El Charrito Caminante. Last weekend, I picked up some pretty good ones at the carry-out inside El Paisa Grocery. It's at the corner of Glebe Rd and Mt. Vernon Ave in Arlandria. They're a bit bigger than those at ECC, and the slaw is yellow. I didn't like their salsa too much, but you can't beat the value at about $1.50 each. Tamales were also pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pool Boy Posted December 30, 2017 Share Posted December 30, 2017 Has anyone been yet to the Pupuseria La Familia on Route 1 in Beltsville? Or Pupuseria Olocuilta also in Beltsville? TIA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 A subtle reminder of how every part of the world is ignorant about regional cooking in other parts. "For Salvadorans, Pupusas Mean Comfort" by Laura Kiniry and Daniel Kavanaugh on bbc.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toogs Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 On 12/30/2017 at 5:30 PM, Pool Boy said: Has anyone been yet to the Pupuseria La Familia on Route 1 in Beltsville? Or Pupuseria Olocuilta also in Beltsville? TIA! Did you try them out? I love the ones at Little Deli formerly My Las Delicias, also also in Beltsville. Haven't had better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kibbee Nayee Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 For those of us challenged by the difference, can anyone explain the difference between the pupusa, the empanada, and the salteña? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toogs Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 Never had a saltena but it appears to be an empanada. Pupusas are flat like a pancake and cooked on the griddle, think of a lightly stuffed fat tortilla. Empanadas are baked or fried, thicker pastry type crust, more stuffing, meat pie shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 1 hour ago, Kibbee Nayee said: For those of us challenged by the difference, can anyone explain the difference between the pupusa, the empanada, and the salteña? No sense in reinventing the wheel (especially since I’m tapping this on my phone). Go to Wikipedia for each - every country has their own variant of these “types of things” - arepas, baleadas, etc etc. Columbia Pike in South Arlington has most, but they’re generally only decent (at best). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmoomau Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 2 hours ago, Kibbee Nayee said: For those of us challenged by the difference, can anyone explain the difference between the pupusa, the empanada, and the salteña? Pupusas, are made with masa, in my humble description, are almost like johnny-cakes that are crisper, but stuffed with good stuff, but not like directly in the middle, it spreads out and becomes an integral flavor, to me the best ones- have enough cheese that a little bit of the cheese oozes out and helps form even more crust on the outside. These aren't too hard to make at home, but getting the filling to spread out just right and the right porportion of filling to masa can take some tasty trial and error. Empanadas are like hand-pie pastry turnovers that filled with savory toppings mostly, but not always- there can be sweet ones too. It is essentially just the Spanish speak for hand pie/turnover. The dough is thinner and can be made with wheat or corn flour or a mix. You can buy empanada dough disks in the grocery and make your own with a variety of fillings. Saltenas are larger and more soupy, they are almost like a eating a turnover shaped hot-crust (as opposed to cold made pie crust) pot pie. They generally have more traditional fillings than a normal empanada, and more broth- it's generally meat (or not), olives, raisin, potato. Saltenas are by far the hardest to make. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtureck Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 One of the big differences is that pupusas are generally eaten covered in pickled cabbage and a finely blended red salsa. Don't bother eating a pupusa without both. Agree with many of the suggestions above, but if you work in DC and get lucky, the El Tipico food truck has some really nice ones as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALB Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 On 7/10/2019 at 1:16 PM, ktmoomau said: Pupusas, are made with masa, in my humble description, are almost like johnny-cakes that are crisper, but stuffed with good stuff, but not like directly in the middle, it spreads out and becomes an integral flavor, to me the best ones- have enough cheese that a little bit of the cheese oozes out and helps form even more crust on the outside. These aren't too hard to make at home, but getting the filling to spread out just right and the right porportion of filling to masa can take some tasty trial and error. Empanadas are like hand-pie pastry turnovers that filled with savory toppings mostly, but not always- there can be sweet ones too. It is essentially just the Spanish speak for hand pie/turnover. The dough is thinner and can be made with wheat or corn flour or a mix. You can buy empanada dough disks in the grocery and make your own with a variety of fillings. Saltenas are larger and more soupy, they are almost like a eating a turnover shaped hot-crust (as opposed to cold made pie crust) pot pie. They generally have more traditional fillings than a normal empanada, and more broth- it's generally meat (or not), olives, raisin, potato. Saltenas are by far the hardest to make. Do you have any suggestions of where to get saltenas in MD? I still dream of the ones in Bolivia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmoomau Posted July 11, 2019 Share Posted July 11, 2019 1 hour ago, ALB said: Do you have any suggestions of where to get saltenas in MD? I still dream of the ones in Bolivia. I don't unfortunately, although I am absolutely sure there are places. And I could give you some Virginia recommendations. Unfortunately, I am just not in Maryland very often. Maybe someone else has a good rec? I was just searching the Alexandria area, as I moved, and my local Arlington joint wasn't as convenient, as man when you catch a craving for a good saltena, it's on! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kibbee Nayee Posted July 12, 2019 Share Posted July 12, 2019 Springfield is not a major dining mecca, but El Sabor Boliviano on Backlick Rd has some serious salteñas. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkS Posted July 12, 2019 Share Posted July 12, 2019 Caliente Grill in Annapolis has authentic made as you wait Pupusas with appropriate sides. http://www.calientegrillannapolis.com/antojos-salvadorean.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALB Posted July 14, 2019 Share Posted July 14, 2019 On 7/11/2019 at 8:35 PM, Kibbee Nayee said: Springfield is not a major dining mecca, but El Sabor Boliviano on Backlick Rd has some serious salteñas. Thank you! I have family there and I will try to remember to stop by next time I visit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverBullitt Posted July 15, 2019 Share Posted July 15, 2019 On 7/11/2019 at 3:39 PM, ALB said: Do you have any suggestions of where to get saltenas in MD? I still dream of the ones in Bolivia. Kantutas (Bolivian) restaurant at 2462 Ennalls Ave. in Wheaton, MD serves them. Very nice staff and the food is good. I ate the silpancho once and it was like dropping an anchor in my belly- a tasty anchor. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALB Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 On 7/15/2019 at 4:34 PM, SilverBullitt said: Kantutas (Bolivian) restaurant at 2462 Ennalls Ave. in Wheaton, MD serves them. Very nice staff and the food is good. I ate the silpancho once and it was like dropping an anchor in my belly- a tasty anchor. Thank you! Wheaton I can handle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverBullitt Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 You'll find that parking near there is a hassle since MoCo is putting up a building that has eaten most of the public lot. Metered street parking is a possibility or the parking garage next to Wheaton Plaza. I'm going further off topic but I can't resist putting in a plug for the nearby Fillippo's (fka Marchone's), an excellent Italian deli. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruth Tam Posted July 24, 2019 Share Posted July 24, 2019 Anyone know a pupusa super-fan or expert? I'm a producer at WAMU working on a new podcast called Dish City. One of our episodes will focus on pupusas and the marriage of Salvadoran and Mexican food at so many local restaurants. So far, I've interviewed an academic about Salvadoran migration to DC, and the manager at El Tamarindo in DC. Are there any specific restaurateurs, historians, food fans, etc. that you would want to hear discuss pupusas and Salva-Mex food? If you were to listen to this episode, what questions would you want us to discuss? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktmoomau Posted July 25, 2019 Share Posted July 25, 2019 I don't know a super fan or expert... although I am a fan. I would love some tips on making them at home in a podcast, stuff that isn't on a recipe. And maybe what their favorites around the area are. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kieplangdu Posted July 28, 2019 Share Posted July 28, 2019 On 7/10/2019 at 3:25 PM, mtureck said: One of the big differences is that pupusas are generally eaten covered in pickled cabbage and a finely blended red salsa. Don't bother eating a pupusa without both. Agree with many of the suggestions above, but if you work in DC and get lucky, the El Tipico food truck has some really nice ones as well. It's Curtido and you are right, Pupusa without curtido and red salsa is just wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deangold Posted July 29, 2019 Share Posted July 29, 2019 My personal favorite Pupusas 1st tier Wheaton: Pupusa La Familiar Latino Restaurant inside the bodega on Ennals. They also serve a richly flavored horchata. They ahve the 2nd best baleadas in Wheaton Silver Spring La Casita ~ always busy but the wait is never too long. The best Lorocco New Hampshire Ave in Takoma Park Pupusa Truck {I think it is La Preferida} in one of the gas stations. Cooked to order so expect a wait. 2nd Tier but still quite good Wheaton La Catrachito on University Ave good pupusas, the best baleadas Pupusa Truck at corner of University and Amherst. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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