Beans have never particularly excited me, until a helping of Casamiento (beans and rice) rocked my taste buds a few weeks ago. Since then, I’ve turned up my radar to catch as many Salvadorian restaurants I can find here in southern California. This isn’t difficult since most of them are characterized by large signs reading “Pupusas” which advertise the little corn tortilla cakes that have captured my heart since I first enjoyed one grilled by a street vendor in New York (it was a rainy, foggy morning as I stood on 5th Avenue munching that sweet, cheesy cake. The nearby Empire State building suddenly emerged above me from beyond the fog – mammoth and looming, as if to say “Hey, put down that Pupusa and look at me.” Talk about atmosphere). Yesterday, we found Salpicon Salvidoran Cuisine in Ontario. Donna and I were happy to discover they offered a variety of stuffings including spinach and squash along with the traditional cheese, pork, and chicken. Our friendly and knowledgable waitress, Christine warned us right off the bat that the dishes take a while to prepare. In the mean time, we split a large Ensalada – a fruit drink with as much diced fruit as drink. Our chicken empanadas arrived and one bite later I remembered how freshly cooked food is always worth the wait (which wasn’t that long). Our Papusa Loca was stuffed with jalepeno, pork meat, and Loroco – a flavorful Salvadoran veggie. The squash papusa was actually mixed with cheese, and was surprisingly tasty. Donna and I agreed the fried plantains were the best we’d ever had – perfectly carmelized, yet soft. The beans and rice – not bad. We asked Christine to explain the difference between Salvadoran horchata (rice drink) and the Mexican variety. She offered a taste test, which introduced us to a brand new flavor - Semilla de Morro – a ground seed featured in their drink. Good news – it’s delicious, bad news – I can’t describe it, so you’ll have to try for yourself.
Salpicon Salvidoran Cuisine
2252 Euclid Ave Unit G
Ontario, CA 91762
909-988-8880
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