Step right up! Near Colfax & Glencoe, Tienda Salvadoreña will become your home-away-from-home for culinary products from Guatemala, Honduras, and yes, El Salvador too.
Feast your peepers on the array of beverages on offer, either bottled (like El Salvador's legendary golden soda, Kolashanpan) or powdered, such as Horchata (made with kernels of the Morro squash rather than rice) or Cebada (wheat-based). You can even find the vividly pink-tinged seeds (a bit like chia seeds) used to make another quintessentially Central American libation, the ultra-refreshing Chan. If you're looking for the corn-based drink called Atole, yes, they have that too, in several forms, most notably the subtly-spiced "dirty" (stop snickering!) version, called Atol Shuco in the local Spanish dialect.
But that's not all - no sirree bob! Depending on when you stop in, you might find globular Jocote or Nance fruit or the seemingly-ubiquitous herb called Chipilin in the cooler. And on the shelves you can avail yourself of heat-n-eat bags of rice or red beans - perfect for those can't-stop moments. Jarred items of note include the palm fronds called Pacaya (looking a bit like a miniature octopus, it's delicious stuffed with cheese, fried and smothered in tomato sauce) or even Izote (yucca blossoms - and yes, in this case I do indeed mean the desert plant called yucca, and not Yuca which is a synonym for cassava).
Hold on... I haven't even gotten to the best part! Did you see the little table right by the door when you came in? Have a closer look. Why yes, it does contain all sorts of Salvadoran [etc.] baked goods. My favorite is probably the Quesadilla which bears absolutely no relation to the Mexican food of the same name - it's actually a very sweet and rich poundcake made with eggs and cheese. But try them all, and then decide which one you like best!
See what I mean? Tienda Salvadoreña is tantalizing, tempting, and tasty, all at the same time. read more
