You never forget your first for a reason.
The anticipation, the longing, the excitement for what’s sure to be a sensory overload.
I had my first pupusa six years ago at Acajutla. It was a moment that changed my carb-loving life forever.
Not much more than a corn dough pocket filled with good stuff like seasoned pork, refried beans, and cheese, the simple pupusa from El Salvador has few culinary rivals in my world.
[Apologies in advance for the many cellphone camera photos.]
Naked Acajutla pupusas
Fully dressed Acajutla pupusas
I was happy enough with my Acajutla relationship until El Rancho came along.
With additional filling offerings such as zucchini and loroco, my fidelity was seriously in question. After my first taste, my heart now belonged to another.
If you’re from Edmonton, it is likely that someone at some point has asked if you are on Team Acajutla or Team El Rancho.
Me? Team El Rancho.
El Rancho pupusas
But in a town where you’re lucky enough to choose between the two, the difference is really just preference, not because one is substantially better than the other.
I find that El Rancho pupusas tend to be smaller, thicker, and with a crispier exterior. They are easier to eat with your hands if you like to split them open. Acajutla pupusas are cheesier and have a larger diameter. In terms of the pupusa accoutrements, Acajutla makes a better salsa roja (red sauce), El Rancho, a better curtido (cabbage slaw).
El Rancho pupusas split
It’s all apples to apples after that for me. I like the homemade tortilla of an Acajutla burrito, but I like the El Rancho insides better. Acajutla gets many points for their avocado sauce, but El Rancho has better desserts… I love their tres leches cake.
Acajutla burrito
And I can’t forget about El Rancho’s salad. I have no idea what their brown dressing is, but it’s addictive.
El Rancho's house salad
I will greatly miss it.
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This post marks my end in Edmonton and my beginning in Vancouver.
Cream has jumped the Rockies and set herself up on the West Coast.
This weekend, I finished getting everything out of boxes and am starting to feel comfy in my new home.
To celebrate, I went for pupusas.
With one mixed, two bean and cheese, and a side of guacamole as a nod to Acajutla’s green sauce, I have found a little piece of El Salvador to remind me of home. And right on Commercial Drive.
El Rancho
11810 87 St
Edmonton
Acajutla
11302 107 Ave
Edmonton
Rinconcito Salvadoreno
2062 Commercial Drive
Vancouver
4 comments
David says:
Sep 20, 2009
That Mormon dude has a kick-ass tie….
Reese says:
Sep 21, 2009
Oh. My. God.
I adore pupusas. You are going to make me go get some this week now! They are so good here.
Karen says:
Sep 1, 2010
I’m Edmonton this weekend from Sask. I’m originally from El Salvador, & it’s very hard to find Salvadoran restaurants here, so i’m definitely going to check out El Rancho, yay! I LOVE PUPUSAS!!!
cream says:
Sep 7, 2010
If you can’t get in, definitely try Acajutla! Edmontonians are lucky to have two awesome pupuserias.