Do you know what a Pupusa is? Well I sure didn’t!
Wikepedia says: A pupusa (from Pipil pupusawa) is a traditional Salvadoran dish made of thick, hand-made corn tortilla (made using masa de maíz, a maize flour dough used in Latin American cuisine) that is filled with a blend of the following: cheese (queso) (usually a soft cheese called Quesillo found in all Central America), cooked pork meat ground to a paste consistency (called chicharrón, not to be confused with fried pork rind, which is also known as chicharrón in some other countries), squash (ayote), or (pataste), refried beans (frijoles refritos), or queso con loroco (loroco is a vine flower bud from Central America). The two most common pupusas are the pupusa de queso (cheese) and more popular pupusa revuelta with mixed ingredients of queso (cheese), frijoles (beans),[1] and chicharrón. Pupusas are typically served with curtido (lightly fermented cabbage slaw with red chilies and vinegar) and a watery tomato salsa.
Day 267 of 365 Things To Do In Pasadena brings us to La Caravana and their delectable Pupusas. A Pupusa is a dough patty filled with meats, cheeses and beans – your choice. It is grilled, not fried, so not overly caloric and is extremely tasty. At $2.75 each, a Pupusa makes a great snack or if you pair it with a side of Plantains or rice and beans, makes a perfect lunch.
La Caravana is located on Lake Avenue just before you hit Washington Blvd on the East side of the street. It is very easy to pass it as you drive North of Lake so drive slowly as you get closer to Washington. There’s plenty of parking in the back and some street parking available.
Ellie Viray and I were there for lunch and the place was hopping. Most of the tables were taken and many folks were coming in for take out. The waitress was sweet and very efficient. She was the only one handling all the tables and in-coming traffic.
Both Ellie and I ordered a pork filled pupusa, a chicharrón- one each. It is huge! It was served with very spicy pickled cabbage and carrots – curtido (sort of like my grandma used to make with an addition of major spiciness) and a mild red sauce. We followed that with a side of plantains that as Ellie says make your cheeks smile and were very satisfied.
There were a lot of different menu items that looked interesting – 5 different soups, all sorts of drinks, various desserts and more Salvadorean fare. Overall, I can see myself coming back here again and again as I explore this cuisine.
Visa, Master Card, debit cards and cash are accepted. When you get your receipt, there’s no place for a tip, so bring some cash.
Kudos to La Caravana!
Location:
La Caravana
1306 N Lake Ave
Pasadena, California 91104
(626) 791-7378
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