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| - Since my dad is from Panama, he took me to this little restaurant just off of 24th st and McDowell. Since my parents instantly bond with anyone from Central, South America or that speaks Spanish, our service was very good. Although, the owner is very nice and would be cordial to anyone I am sure. My dad used to be a chef in his country but he doesn't cook anymore. When he does it is to die for, but you know men I guess, do something once and you love them for it only for them to never do it again. So it was with that retrospect that he ordered for the both of us.
The cuisines are somewhat similar to what we are used to and it is the use of yuca (aka cassava, manioc root) that stands out the most to me. (Yucca is an ornamental plant that does not have the root of the yuca and is commonly confused with Yuca.) On the menu for appetizers is Yuca frita o sancochada-which is basically the root fried or boiled. There is also the delicious papusas (thick, hand-made tortilla made from masa de maĆz that is stuffed with cheese, pork, beans, and green bell peppers or you can get it vegetarian style without pork) that she brought to the table with the traditional curtido- pickled cabbage relish that you eat the papusas with. Then there is the tomato salsa that you can top that off with.
Altogether you could probably make a meal out of these papusas which are a pretty good post bar food if you ask me, but then you would be cheating yourself out of more food! Their fried plantains (starchy fruit) come with sour cream and beans but I like them the way I grew up with; eating them with just sugar sprinkled on both sides.
Some other meals for you meat eaters include:
Filete de Pescado a la Plancha (fish fillet on the grill) that comes with rice, salad and tortillas. Chicken breast on the grill, fajitas, chile relleno and of course quesadillas for dessert. Salvadorian quesadillas are not the same as Mexican quesadillas, it is a cheese pound cake. They also have plantanos fritos con crema y frijoles o con sorbet (fried plantain, beans and whipped cream or with ice cream), flan, or a banana burrito with ice cream.
Their fresh fruit drinks were really tasty as was the Tamarindo. Altogether a small menu but I felt like I was at home, so I will return and bring my gringo boyfriend with me.
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