Back to Bahia, Where Pupusas Are Still Awesome (Duh)
- By Robyn Lee
- Dec 19, 2009
- Comments
This post originally took place on December 4. So chronologically-out-of-order, I am.
- Rays of fried yuca. Mm hm.
What's good: corn flour pancakes stuffed with cheese and meat, griddled to a slight crispiness. What's not good: that I failed to visit Bahia for nearly two years to obtain said cheesy meaty corn pockets. What makes it more inexcusable is that for six of those months, I lived fairly close to Bahia in South Williamsburg, yet never made it over there. Where are my priorities? Why am I wasting precious stomach acids on less worthy foods? My list of failures continues to grow.
The above photo is not of pupusas, but I'm starting with it since it was the most visually appealing: a mound of fried pork chunks emanating rays of fried yuca sticks, topped with pickled red onions and some lime wedges. The pork wasn't the most succulent, but it wasn't bad—hell, it's FRIED PORK. And if you don't know what fried yuca tastes like, I see it as a heartier version of french fries. Eat this by yourself for an Insta-Food-Coma. Luckily, I had Lee Anne and Scott to help me out.
- Pupusa pile up.
We shared four pupusas: revueltas (pork, refried beans, and cheese), pollo con queso (chicken and cheese), queso con ayote (cheese and zucchini), and jalapeño con queso (jalapeño and cheese). Revueltas is my favorite, but basically anything with cheese in it makes me happy. They offer pupusas without cheese in them (just pork, refried beans, or chicken), but why would you do that when you can have...
- OOZE.
ALL THIS GOO? Jalapeño-dotted goo, in this instance. You want the goo. Trust me.
Although pupusas fare well on their own, it's the accompanying curtido that completes the pupusa-eating experience. Crunchy strands of cabbage and carrots with every cheesy bite = win.
- Ooh plop.
We also tried the tamal de pollo (chicken tamale), a steamed log-o-corny dough with a core of moist chicken and cheese. I found the texture too uniformly soft for my liking, even though the flavor was fine. (Also, I can't help but compare any steamed leaf-wrapped meat-in-carb to a zongzi, which I love partially because of its sticky, slightly chewy texture.)
- Desserts.
We shared slices of cheesecake and chocolate mousse cake for dessert. Being on the verge of food coma, I didn't eat much of either, but Lee Anne and Scott liked them.
- In my belly.
I satiated my sweet tooth throughout the meal by downing a glass of horchata. Methinks it has a nuttier flavor than other horchatas I've had, in a good way. Perhaps all that brownness has something to do with it.
Address
Bahia
690 Grand Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (map)
718-218-9592
Related
Brighton Beach and Beyond, Part 2: Carrot Cake, Durian, and Pupusas
Last Weekend: Part 2: Pupusas, Dumplings, Jumping, Tea, and Breakfast
Comments
Salvadoran Horchata is different from the Mexican version in that it uses Morro - the nutty brown-ness - along with other ground spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, sesame seeds, etc. Not sure what the English name for Morro is but you can find it in Latin Markets. Good Stuff! Thanks for posting about Salvadorean food, I rarely see it on blogs :)
Just curious... what's fried yucca taste like?
MD: Thanks for the info! I haven't looked for morro in a market before; I'll keep it in mind.
Nicholas: Like..fried..starch. Haha. But heavier/denser than potato. It has a mildly different flavor, maybe a little sweeter?
OMG...yum, yum, and triple yum!!! My mom grew up in Honduras and there are so many Salvadorean restaurants in the DC area...so we are huge fans of Central American food...make that just food in general! ;o) Anyway...we can't find a decent pupusa place down here and at least have some Puerto Rican places here that fry up some good yuca! At home we just pan-fry it with olive oil, garlic, lime, & salt.
oh man, you had me at "fried yuca"! Soooo good :)
I live about a 2 min. walk from this place! I love it. The zucchini/cheese pupusas are so chewy and tasty. And they're still good when they're reheated the next day (I had mine for breakfast)!
Tanya: There aren't many pupusa places here either, I think. WHICH IS NUTS, cos they are delicious.
Phyllis: I'm generally had anywhere at "fried." :)
allix: Damn, I want pupusas for breakfast!
That looks amazing AND walking distance to my place...SO EXCITED.