Exotic Salvadoran Treats at Papaturro

Tired of waiting for empanadas at the trendy Cha Cha Cha? About a mile away is an inexpensive little dive with absolutely delicious food.

“We get lots of gringos,” said the waitress at Papaturro Restaurant, 4109 W. Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 660-4363, giggling as we asked her to name her favorite dishes. These turned out to be pupusas-- corn pancakes stuffed with melted cheese--and chile relleno, a large mild pepper stuffed with a mixture of pork and vegetables before being battered and fried. Both were even better when eaten with the spicy cabbage salad, a sort of Salvadoran coleslaw, that was sitting on the table.

But the gringos in the group fell in love with the more exotic dishes, such as fried bananas with cream and beans and pasteles-- little deep-fried meat pies. We were also taken with the yucca with salpicon-- a starchy heap of boiled yucca served with a pile of coarsely ground beef liberally mixed with minced radishes, onions and mint. A squirt of lemon on the top made this dish even more refreshing.

This isn’t exactly a fancy neighborhood, and the room itself is fairly spare. But the prices are low, portions are big, the restaurant is friendly--and the food’s a treat.