The Great Pupusa Challenge!

Not long after Cole and I moved to Bernal Heights, we noticed the proliferation of Salvadorean restaurants in the vicinity.  We're not talking two or three scattered here and there.  We're talking clusters of these places up and down Mission Street, with brightly painted facades and funny names.

Then and there we declared our intention to try each and every pupusa place in the area.  And (because I'm competitive), rate them along the way.  {Perhaps I'll have to design a little scorecard for these outings, with categories like "crispness of pupusa," "tanginess of cabbage slaw," "creaminess of platanos fritos de crema," "overall deliciousness of sangria," and "general ambiance," of course.}

I had no idea what a pupusa was before I met Cole.  A few months after we started dating, she took me to her favorite Salvadorean restaurant in Phoenix.  She ordered pupusas and platanos fritos de crema for us.  I sat back and wondered what would arrive at the table.

This is what we got for pupusas:

Pupusas are thick, hand-made corn tortillas filled with cheese (usually a soft cheese called Quesillo found in all Central America) and squash or refried beans or queso con loroco (loroco is a vine flower bud from Central America).  Pupusas are typically served with curtido (lightly fermented cabbage slaw with red chilies and vinegar) and a watery tomata salsa.

They are GOOD.  Especially when followed by a plate of platanos fritos de crema--fried plantains with sweet cream.  Mmmmmmm.  Cole traditionally pairs her Salvandorean fare with a beer; I go for the sangria.

We haven't made much headway on our pupusa challenge yet.  We've been to one Salvadorean restaurant, El Patio, and we were impressed.  Cheap, good food and delicious sangria and Latino soap operas playing on the bar's TV.  But we still need to experience these places if we are to be seen as taking this challenge seriously at all:

1.  La Santeneca, 3781 Mission
2.  El Zocalo, 3820 Mission
3.  Restaurante El Paiasa, 3322 Mission
4.  Balompie Cafe 3, 3801 Mission
5.  Los Panchos, 3206 Mission
6.  Nena's Restaurant, 3459 Mission

Notice the addresses...they are all clustered along a pretty small section of Mission Street.  I am sure there are even more in the immediate area, but I figured starting with six (plus the one we've already been to) is good enough.

If and when we finish up this challenge, we might have to move onto a Salvadorean bakery challenge because these spots abound in the area as well.  And look what they have to offer (image from Rico Pan Bakery Salvadoreano):

Upon further reflection, I think that one condition of this challenge has to be that we walk to and from each restaurant as we visit it.  And maybe up to the top of Bernal Hill too while we're at it.  A girl could put on quite a few extra pounds if she indulged in Salvadorean food on a regular basis ;)