Pupusas A&J’s in Caldwell is one of a growing number of Latin American restaurants in the Treasure Valley. Colombia is represented by the excellent El Cafetal in Nampa and Argentina by Tango’s Empanadas. Mexico has many choices such as Enrique’s in Kuna and Chapala in Boise. There are many more types of restaurants here to discover. Pupusas A&J’s is a good place to explore the various tastes of Salvadoran cuisine. While most Latin American countries have some elements of cuisine in common, there is really some interesting differences in dishes from one country to another.
While corn meal, also known as masa, is common throughout the region (think tortillas, taco shells and tamales), in El Salvador the pupusa is king. A pupusa looks like a thick corn pancake, cooked on a griddle till done. The key to Pupusas however is hidden inside. When you cut a pupusa open, it is filled with pork, cheese, beans, chicken, mushroom, jalapeno, spinach.Many other fillings or combinations of fillings are available too. This is Pupusas A&J’s specialty and they make excellent ones.
An early visit was just perfect for trying several of their dishes. First up was a tamale, Salvadoran style. As compared to a Mexican tamale which most people are familiar with, the Salvadoran tamale had a few differences. The same masa-based dough was used, however the cornmeal was finer, actually creamy and light. The pork was distributed throughout the dough rather than in the center and the tamale was wrapped in a banana leaf instead of a cornhusk. It was a very good tamale with good flavor. A squirt of their hot sauce added some nice kick to some of the bites.
Plantains are also very popular throughout the area. The less sweet cousin of the banana is fried at Pupusas A&J’s, coated with a delicious sauce and served with a thick cream and some mashed beans. This was a really delicious dish, with the plantains almost looking like the New Orleans staple, Bananas Foster. Slightly savory rather than sweet, it really was a perfect side dish.
Pupusas of course were needed and my choice was two different ones. One was filled with succulent pork and those creamy beans. The pork was finely shredded and the texture came from the cornmeal pancake, which was grilled perfectly. The other pupusa was a Salvadoran herb and cheese, gooey inside and delicious. The herb, called loroco, had a very light taste to it. The cheese inside tasted somewhat like a mozzarella. Both pupusas came with a traditional side dish of cole slaw, fresh and vinegary. The cole slaw added some nice flavor and crunch. Given enough time (and visits), there are many delicious filling to be tried at Pupusas A&J’s.
There are many combinations of pupusas, plus other Salvadoran dishes. There is even a Salvadoran breakfast on the menu. Fried yuca, soups and even Salvadoran-style sandwiches are available. Beverages, including a Salvadoran version of horchata and some desserts are available also. The restaurant has plenty of seating inside and the server was very good about explaining some of the various dishes on the menu. Everyone who worked there seemed very friendly and it made for a very pleasant visit. Pupusas A&J’s is right in the center of Caldwell. It will be a nice place to return to and try more specialties from El Salvador.
Pupusas A&J’s
320 N. Kimball Avenue
Caldwell, ID 83805
Phone: (208) 454-7860
Pupusas A&J’s Facebook Page
