Last Sunday after checking out the stingray exhibit at the zoo, me and my old lady were looking for some new tastes AND something inexpensive in an effort to avoid making dinner. While driving back from Roeding to the Vagabond Lofts, we noticed a restaurant had popped up in the last month or so on the corner of Broadway and Divisadero. A pupusadromo, pupuseria if you will had cropped up right across the street from Broadway liquor... We were going in to investigate.

The exterior was freshly restored, paint, new benches, etc etc. The misses asked if we could sit at the benches outside, but I had to decline, as it appeared as though the benches were created with non-gigantic people in mind.

We walked in and the interior was similarly renovated. Everything was very clean and it was a stark contrast with the Mexican / Salvadorean restaurants I typically frequent (I'm from Madera).

Ok, time to order. The menu had an adequate amount of options, all very reasonably priced. From the salvi restaurants I've been to, it all seemed pretty standard. Fried bananas, Yucca, empanadas; beans, cheese, rice. They also had carne asada or chicken tacos on the menu for $1.00. That's a price usually reserved for trucks, but here you can sit down to eat them.

After I paid I went into the bathroom to wash my hands. It was very tidy and everything was well stocked. I assume that matters so I included it. Hah.

I chose 2 pupusas revueltas, that's pork, beans and cheese. My girl chose 2 banana empanadas stuffed with beans. Together it was only $5.00! Beverage wise, you can choose between bottled 20 oz Coke-family sodas for $1.80, and I'm not sure of the variety but cans were ¢85. All together we paid about $8.00!

While we were waiting for our order, we had chips and homemade salsa... The salsa was about medium hotness, and I believe they used grilled peppers and also tomatillos. It was hecka good. A very polite and funny little boy played peekaboo with us from behind the counter. I believe he was the lady who helped us's son. It made the time go by faster.

The food came quickly... At first my girl thought there was too much sugar on them, but she felt the use of the healthier black beans inside balanced out the copious amount of sugar. And then she took the damn bite and realized that it was the perfect amount of sugar. We both agreed that for $1.50 it was a very good deal.

My pupusas were about the diameter of a CD and half an inch thick. For $1.75 each I found this to be an awesome price and a filling portion. The pickled cabbage relish they served along with it was perfect. It had jalapenos, carrots and onion in it, and cutting the pupusas and filling them with it really bolstered the flavor and size of the meal. The salsa they brought was different than the salsa they had brought with the chips, and I actually preferred the first one more, so I used that.

I'm going to throw in that it's a very convenient walk, if you live in the Pearl Building, H St. or Vagabond Lofts. But at this point in the sequential order of the story, all that was on my mind was the flavor -- and getting home and posting a review about how me and my girl had such a good time and good food. And posting bulletins on myspace asking for picture comments. Jk! Ha.

PAYCE!

Pupusodromo Laurita on Google Maps

(559) 266-5968