My ongoing quest for the perfect Pupusa out of mi mum's kitchen brought me to La Costa Del Sol (The Sun Coast). There has been lots of hype on Yelp for this place including continuous Groupon deals. I was pretty excited to try out a new Salvadoran restaurant as there aren't many around. The location is is a newer shopping center along sketchy Monterey highway. The menu also includes Mexican fare for those seeking comfortable choices.
In typical Salvadoran style, they are proud of their heritage with lots of Salvadoran memorabilia inside the restaurant. The space is small but has plenty of tables and booths and it doesn't feel cramped. On our visit it appears the husband and wife were running the show. They were pleasant but as soon as more folks started to show up, they were overwhelmed and the service reflected that.
Pupusa de Chicharron con Queso (pork & cheese) $2.25 - Pupusa's are the star of Salvadoran cuisine. My experience was disappointing. I didn't feel like there was much flavor and I would've preferred my Pupusa grilled a bit longer. A major fail was that when he brought out my Pupusas, they didn't give me the obligatory salsa de tomate and curtido (lightly fermented cabbage slaw with red chilies and vinegar). I thought maybe he was bringing it but he never did. I finally went up to the counter, waited in line to ask for them and he asks me "you ordered pupusas?". This is the same guy that I ordered them from and he also brought them out to me, WTF!!?
Pan Relleno de Pollo $5.95 - This was absolutely delicious. The Pipil spices in the sauce on the chicken are addicting. The cherry on top is that they also give you a side of the sauce. This is a french roll stuffed with marinated oven roasted chicken, tomato, watercress, cucumbers, onion, lettuce and mayonnaise. This is a messy sandwich but it's worth it. Watch out for the bones though, they use everything.
Tamal Salvadoreño de Pollo $2.00 - Unlike their Mexican counterparts, Salvadoran tamales are wrapped in plantain leaves, the masa is moist and flavorful and the filling also includes vegetables. Don't be surprised to find bones in your tamal as this is typical in El Salvador. I am a huge fan of these and I think I prefer them over the Mexican version. We ended up ordering a dozen for a potluck and they were a hit!
Sopa de Siete Mares (seven seas soup) $12.95 - This was wifey's choice. She loved it but thought the green beans were odd. The Mexican version doesn't include it so I'll assume the Salvadoran version does.
Cola Champagne $2.00 - A popular cream soda in El Salvador. No champagne in it. Tastes like bubble gum. Works for some not for others. I always get it because it reminds me of my visit to El Salvador.
There were a few other things that I noticed but didn't get to try. They have Horchata, which has a different flavor and texture than the Mexican/Spanish versions. Their counter had Semita, a coffee cake with guava or pineapple jam and Quesadilla Salvadoreña, think pound cake + cheesecake topped w/ sesame seeds.
I would return in a heartbeat for their Pan de Pollo and the Tamales. Sadly, not for the Pupasas. My go to Pupusa spot in the 408 remains Sabor Salvadoreño.
Buen Provecho!
*3.5 stars
** The Check-in offer for a free taco/pupusa is only valid Mon-Thurs w/order of $10 and up. read more