March 7, 2019

Silvia Pupuseria – Pupusas

Masa is a wonderful thing. All over Latin America, this humble ingredient is transformed into many wonderful dishes, including tortillas in Mexico, arepas in Venezuela, and pupusas in El Salvador.

What can only be ineptly described as a corn pancake, pupusas can be filled with a multitude of ingredients ranging from my personal favorites of revuelta (a mix of chicharron, beans, and cheese) and loroco (cheese and flowers) to zucchini and sweet corn. At Silvia Pupuseria, every order of pupusa comes with a side of curtido, a lightly picked cabbage slaw, and a Salvadoran salsa roja. Don’t confuse this salsa with the Mexican versions you’ve had; it’s distinctively thinner and lighter – a refreshing blend of tomatoes, garlic, and oregano.

Curtido for pupusas from Silvia Pupuseria in San Diego — Their curtido is made pink from beets!

While waiting for your food, you will definitely pick up the unmistakable slapping sound of the chefs tossing the masa dough between their hands to stuff and shape the pupusas. Just a few minutes on the flat top and these unassuming discs transform into the most perfectly toasty, golden, and crispy pockets of culinary delight. Don’t be deceived by their dainty size, these pupusas are dense and heavy. As a big eater myself, having just three will fill me up just to about bursting. Because every pupusa is made to order, the exteriors are delightfully crisp with the dough itself remaining light and fluffy. Do be careful when you take your first bite, the insides are guaranteed to be molten lava hot! The curtido serves as a lightly acidic counterpoint to the rich and savory pupusas. While most people like to top their pupusas with the curtido before digging in, I actually prefer to have it on the side so that it remains crispy throughout the meal. The Salvadoran salsa roja provides an extra layer of umami to the overall dish, however don’t expect any heat from it. As a lover of spicy food myself, I am delighted that the restaurant also provides squeeze bottles of excellent homemade Mexican style salsa roja and salsa verde. Both bear the distinct black flecks from the charred chilies, which provide a nicely roasted and smokey flavor. Don’t go overboard with them though, as they are actually surprisingly spicy.

Salsa Verde and Rojo — The salsa verde is a cut above the rest

Silvia Pupuseria simply makes the best pupusas. Every time I find myself getting that craving again, I will stop at no lengths to make my trek to their establishment no matter the cost. Having visited the restaurant for years, I am astonished how they are able to remain so consistent in the quality of their food all the while keeping their prices so low. Silvia is truly a culinary gem. Coarse Dining is delighted to give Silvia Pupuseria three stars. Go ahead and find yourself an excuse to go to National City just to have a taste of these amazing pupusas – you will not be disappointed!