It had been a while since I had a pupusa, quite a while actually. And for some reason I was craving some. So I decided to revisit El Salvador on University.
It had been nearly three years since I'd last been here and the exterior….of what was I'm fairly certain a Pizza Hut once upon a time. The place still looks a bit rough around the edges, though much nicer than when we first visited back in 2005.
I placed my order and things started with the same basic mild and thin hot sauce and nondescript chips. Save that hot sauce; you might need them for the pupusas.
I ordered three pupusas, no pacayas this time around. It took a good 25 minutes for my pupusas to get to the table. Though it looked like other folks were waiting even longer for stuff.
As always, curtido, what is supposed to be lightly fermented cabbage, was delivered to the table.
I say "supposed" because this tasted basically like coleslaw mix with some cilantro and a touch of dressing. This was a far cry from what the curtido used to be like here. This was plain terrible.
The pupusas arrived scalding hot to the table.
I loved the "crust" on these pupusas, though I couldn't put my finger on it, the texture seemed different than what I've had here before. The chichrron and potato and cheese versions were really salty. Usually the pickled flavor of the curtido would help cut the salt and in the case of the chicharron also the grease, but in this case it was no help. Eating those was not very pleasant.
The queso en loroco, made up of the edible bud of the Fernaldia Pandurata and cheese was the best of the bunch. To me loroco has a pungent-artichoke flavor and the milkiness of the cheese really helped move it along without cancelling it out. It was the best of the bunch.
I'm not sure what happened here. It's been a while since I've been here, so perhaps an ownership change? Whatever the reason, things just didn't seem quite right.
El Salvador Pupuseria y Restaurante
3824 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92105
I find that El Salvadoreno is way better.
Went through a pupusa phase a few years ago and loved this place. Haven’t visited in ages. Too bad it’s gone downhill.
Looks like it went downhill. That Curtido looked sad.
If we can’t get to ‘our’ (El Cajon) Pupuseria Salvadorena (and Taco Shop), we have resorted to (and have been pleasantly surprised) with the pupusa at Vallarta Market ( in the steam tray area). They grill it and pour the sauce over it and put a large helping of curtido on the plate.
Hi Christina – Back when we used to check out El Salvadoreno, I’d always thought this shop was better. But heck, it’s been like 6-7 years since I was last down there and after this visit, I’ll be sure to be headed back down there.
Hi Junichi – It was quite disappointing.
I was totally disappointed in the curtido CC. I’m not sure what happened here.
That sounds great Cathy!
That’s too bad because that was where I had my first pupusa in San Diego. Come to think of it, I haven’t been to any restaurant on that University Ave corridor in awhile.
Hey Jack – Yeah, it was quite disappointing. I’ll probably give them a try again…..in a while.
🙁
Hi Kat – It’s always a bummer when a place that has been consistent over the years seems to slide.