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Pupuseria Salvadorena Restaurant Review

My love for trying different foods came from a young age. I was nine and eating lobster and shrimp as if it was going out of style in Cape Cod. I ate shark in Los Angeles at one time while visiting my Mother. My love of Spanish food which is also Latin American food came when I went to high school in Mesa‚ Arizona. Filibertos was a main staple for lunch break during school. I lived for the rolled tacos and carne asada burritos. When my husband and I moved to Nashville‚ TN we knew we had to find the hidden gems that have a great authentic cultural cuisine. My mate and I stumbled upon Pupuseria Salvadorena as we were driving down Nolensville Pike. This street is lined with people from different countries who have come here to share with us their delicious food. So we knew from prior experience that we could drive down the road in hopes of finding a new place to try. We came upon a little restaurant that was packed with cars. That was our first clue it was popular.  We saw that it was Salvadorian food and we were in.  In El Salvador they speak Spanish and their food is similar in a lot of ways. Their food was delicious. The menu is in Spanish and the waitress did not speak English but don’t let that deter you. I looked up words in Spanish on my phone so I knew what I was ordering. After eating the heavenly food‚ I wanted to look up El Salvador and find out history on it and how they came up with dishes such as pupusas and empanadas.

Their popular dish is Pupusas which the restaurant is named after.  Pupusas are a traditional Salvadorian dish which is stuffed with any kind of ingredients one would want to put in the flour. In the entree at the restaurant they fill it with pork‚ beans‚ and cheese. The thick looking like pancake is soft and every bite I took was enjoyable.  By the way El Salvador is located in Central America. Guatemala is to the west and Honduras is to the east. Pupusas are the same as corn tortillas but are thicker and filled with beans and cheese.  Next time I will have to ask how they made theirs at the restaurant. The other dish I tried was empanadas.  They are mashed plantains which is a type of banana. Milk and custard are added and the dough is deep fired. I am not exactly sure how they make them at Pupusas. It was a fried bread with a delicious custard inside that melted in my mouth. It was sweet but not over the top.  Served with the meal was a cabbage salad. There was a spicy kick contained in the cabbage salad. It was tasty but beware if you are not a person who enjoys hot foods. 

These El Salvadorian soft tacos had tender meat with fresh vegetables. Sprinkle some lime juice on top and this entree does not need salsa or guacamole. I am the condiment queen and If I do not have to put salsa on it then I know it is exceptional.  This dish is made up of corn tortillas‚ carne asada‚ onions‚ cilantro‚ and radishes on top. To me if the meat is supple and smoky with a citrus taste I love it. All the ingredients fit inside the tacos and are easy to eat.

A few delightful facts about Pupusas is that there is National Pupusa day which falls on November ninth. They have pupusa eating contests. I love that the natives love this dish so much that they are willing to stuff their faces till they can’t eat anymore.  Another mind-blowing example is on January 2007 El Salvador made it into the Guinness book of records for making a mega huge pupusa  that fed 5000 people. I know it is a power win dish when they decide to make a giant pupusa. There is also National Empanada day which is celebrated in over 30 countries. That is celebrated on April eighth and in El Slavador they make them sweet and savory such as Pupuseria Salvadorena.  In El Salvador this holiday means to give water for Buena Vista Village. I see why they made holidays out of these two dishes. They are a dose of heaven in your mouth.

If you are out and about you need to try Pupuseria Salvadorena. It is as if  I had been placed in El Salvador for an hour while enjoying the culture around me. This restaurant makes me want to visit Central America.  The  people were friendly and I got to practice my Spanish. I will give more updates because I will be back to try other entree’s.

Do you love to try food from different cultures? What are your favorite meals that you love to inhale from other countries?

They do not have a website but you can go to this link below to find location and get directions.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/pupuseria-salvadorena-nashville