Gloria's Pupuseria - Columbia Heights 2/5/2011

Gloria's Pupuseria
3411 14th St NW
Washington, DC 20010
Neighborhood: Columbia Heights

Gloria's Pupuseria is a small storefront located on 14th Street, about a 5 minute walk from Columbia Heights. It is an inconspicuous place that is very easy to pass by, but because of my quest to find the best pupusas in the DMV, the name drew me in.

When you walk inside, it feels like you have stepped into someone's living room (just watch your step, the low ceiling was brushing against my head). The color palate is aquamarine and pink, giving the place a feminine vibe. A television in the corner was broadcasting a Spanish language telenovela, with an elderly women sitting in a corner watching it while going over her books. In the back, three women were preparing the food in a kitchen. The menu's selections, though Salvodorean, all seemed recognizably homey and comforting (stews, roasts, things of that nature).

I only had time to get takeout, so I can't give a complete report about the quality of the service, but the woman who appeared to own the restaurant was very friendly. Although she didn't have a great grasp of English, and ordering took some time, she was very patient. I waited a while as they were preparing my pupusas, but, I've come to expect that. At this point, I would be suspicious if an order of pupusas came out too quickly because they have to prepared a la minute in order to have optimal flavor and texture. So, if you get a pupusa under 5 minute, they probably have been sitting under a heating lamp somewhere, and you probably shouldn't patronize that store again.

The pupusas and the accompanying curtido (pickled cabbage and red salsa) were solid and correct. The pronounced corn flavor I expect from a good pupusa was there, and while I wished the cheese was a bit more melted, it didn't detract terribly from the experience. I also ordered a revuelta pupusa, which has ground beef in it, and, again, it was well made and tasty, especially when eaten with the tangy curtido. I think I have come to prefer plain cheese, probably because it is evocative of a good slice of pizza, but I certainly wouldn't turn my nose up to either a black bean or beef pupusa.

The final point I would like to make is that, while I was waiting for my dish, I noticed the proprietor running around the dining room, wiping down every table, even though they all appeared spotless. After they were as shimmering as her standards dictated, she took the time to start wiping down her menus so that they would be as immaculate as possible (I must have come in during a slow period). Gloria's is a small place, and I wouldn't expect haute cuisine, but the proprietor's zealous effort to keep her restaurant as clean and comfortable as possible demonstrates her passion, which was refreshing to witness, especially considering passion's complete absence in most restaurants at Gloria's price range. This is a good reminder why we should, on occasion, refrain from getting a burrito at Chipotle or a burger at 5 Guys, with all of their mechanical precision, and go out of our way to patronize an unassuming, independently owned restaurant. I find what they may lack in execution and technical skill, they oftentimes make up in passion. The experience I had at Gloria's, while brief, was one of those instances.

Don Juan Restaurant Carryout - Mount Pleasant 2/2/2011

Don Juan Restaurant
1660 Lamont St NW
Washington, DC 20010

Mount Pleasant Street, specifically between Irving and Park, is a hub for Salvadorean cuisine in the District. Salvadorean restaurants line this vibrant commercial corridor, offering a wide array of Salvadorean and Mexican dishes. I was looking for one specific dish...the pupusa.

Pupusas are a thick corn tortilla stuffed with a variety of fillings. Fillings range from a soft cheese called quesillo (similar in texture to Queso Oaxaca, and to be frank, Mozzarella), black beans, ground beef, ground pork, chicharron, and vegetables. Pupusas are also served with a side of lightly pickled cabbage called curtido, which is like a tangy cole slaw, and a soupy tomato-based salsa. These dishes have been feted in the DC food press for some time, but I have had a hard time willing myself to go out and find out where to get the best ones. After doing a little research, I decided to head up to Mount Pleasant Street, which has a high concentration of Salvadorean restaurants.

Don Juan Restaurant is located in a building on the corner of Mount Pleasant and Lamont, across the street from a small public green with benches. I chose to go to the carryout store specifically because I only wanted to order pupusas. Inside the carryout are several tables, a long counter, a large backlit menu, and the kitchen, which appears to be where they cook the food for the sit down restaurant.

After ordering my pupusas, I sat down and looked up to see ESPN Deportes broadcasting a Spanish La Liga soccer game. As I settled in, I saw a trickle of men enter, ordering pupusas, and then sitting down in order to watch the game. As Real Madrid started to make a push towards the goal, everyone's voices became increasingly more animated and excited, chattering wildly as shots began to rain towards the overwhelmed Sevilla goalkeeper. It felt like I was in a comfortable and unpretentious neighborhood sports bar where you can sit back, order a drink and some finger foods, and chat with the people next to you (if you're fluent in Spanish, which unfortunately, I am not). Let us say the real life Don Juan would probably steer clear of this place...it was definitely a sausage fest, albeit an extremely convivial and friendly one.

I waited for some time...about 10 minutes, I would say, for my pupusas...but they were worth the wait. I sliced into my first one, and a stream of gooey, runny cheese immediately oozed out. After biting into it, the soft cheese gushed in my mouth, coating my palate with the soft, velvety texture not wholly unlike good burrata. Better, though, was the explosion of corn in my mouth...a pronounced melange of sweetness and nuttiness, accented by the melted cheese. Then, in order to cleanse the palate, I scooped up some curtido with salsa, which lent a tangy spiciness to the pupusas while also conveying a refreshingly tingling spine of acidity as well. The black bean pupusa was just as good, but I think I personally preferred the plain cheese. Something about the comforting simplicity of the dish struck a chord.

This is a good place to get pupusas, and the ambiance isn't so bad that you would feel like you would want to carry out your order. It's a downright friendly place. It also has free Wi-Fi (but apparently no public restrooms).