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Review: Logan's two pupuserias
serve authentic, delicious Salvadoran home cooking
By Ashley
Schiller
November 10, 2008 | Pupusas (poo-poo-suz) are as fun
to pronounce as they are to eat (Go ahead, say it a
few times). The simple Salvadorian corn tortillas may
be stuffed with cheese, beans, meat or loroco, a flavorful
flower grown in El Salvador and other Central American
countries.
But you need not go south to get your hands on a great
pupusa. Logan has two restaurants where Salvadorian
natives will happily fry you up a few. Both sell pupusas
for less than $2, so it's a great college student stop.
But to which pupuseria should you go? I decided to do
some on-site research so I could guide my fellow pupu-lovers
to the finest source.
The Candidates:
The Pupuseria El Salvador
95 E. 1400 North
Logan
Henriquez Mexican Salvadorian Grill
256 N Main St.
Logan
Atmosphere:
The Pupuseria has a warm, "welcome-home" feel to it.
Painted on the west wall is the seal of El Salvador
and an illustration of a few women picking berries.
Behind the register on a small shelf, there are half
a dozen dollar bills folded into various animals. You
know you're in an authentic, "hole-in-the-wall" restaurant,
and it makes you feel important that you discovered
it.
Henriquez has a lively, colorful atmosphere. Hung
on the walls are vibrant striped rugs and round metallic
decorations that look almost like Mayan calendars. A
few dolls dressed in the same tones as the rugs sit
along the front counter. The atmosphere is playful,
but feels more mainstream, which makes you feel less
original for eating there.
The Food:
At The Pupuseria, our waitress remembered me from
the last time I came in and greeted my friend and I
enthusiastically. After reviewing her helpful suggestions,
we decided to get the revueltas (pupusas stuffed with
refried beans and pork) and the queso con loroco (stuffed
with cheese and Salvadorian green flower).
At Henriquez, the restaurant was empty when we arrived
and the owner was our server. To make the comparison
easier, we order the same two pupusas (The pupusa menu
is almost identical). Henriquez is a friendly guy, and
we chatted while our food was being prepared. Mostly
we talked about driving in the snow and some of his
wilder driving experiences since he's been in Cache
Valley.
And now comes the tough part: comparing the pupu.
For those who have not had to fortune to eat a pupusa,
it is a 6-inch, pancake-like corn tortilla which is
stuffed and fried. The beans and pork mix is similar
to what you might taste in a Mexican taquito. The loroco
has a flavor all its own, the most similar spice being
perhaps oregano. The taste is subtle mixed with the
creamy white cheese.
Pupusas arrive solo on the plate, but guests are supplied
with a red sauce and a jar of cabbage mixed with vinegar,
red chiles and cilantro. The pupusas at The Pupuseria
are thinner, and the sauce and cabbage have more of
a kick. (Note: Have a beverage handy for when a chile
hits your tongue just right.) At Henriquez, the pupusas
are fatter and have more filling. Because of the thicker
shell, the corn taste is more exaggerated. The sauce
and cabbage were milder.
At this point, the preferred pupusa depends on your
personal taste. My friend and I were divided in our
opinions. I like my food a little zestier and I'm more
into the filling than the corn meal, so I give the prize
to thin 'n kickin' pupusas at The Pupuseria. My friend
liked the robust but more mellow pupusas at Henriquez.
So really the better restaurant depends on your personal
taste, although The Pupuseria wins in the atmosphere
category.
What was nice about both restaurants is that you can't
help but feel valued as a customer. Both are run by
Salvadorian families and you leave knowing that they
want you to come back. The warmth of the Latino culture
is as enjoyable as their food.
NW
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