I want to like it. They seem fairly straightforward in why it’d be delicious: fried, cheese, hot sauce…
and yet? I don’t like them at all. Bland-tasting. Super sour if you use the slaw and hot sauce…
Am I just not eating it right? Or going to all the wrong places? I’ve tried them at ~4-5 different pupusarias and every time it’s been disappointing. Beef, pork, chicken, straight cheese, squash, beans… nothing. Is it just something I’ll have to live with or are they really not all that special?
If you’ve tried 4-5 pupsarias and they aren’t clicking with you, I’d just say they aren’t your thing. It is important to note that I believe that they are kinda supposed to be a little bland. It’s been my observation that Salvadoran food is blander than Mexican generally.
I like pork/cheese versions with tons of curtido ( the slaw ). But I’ll admit the grease factor can be a bit much at some pupusarias.
I suspect that they’re not your thing, but I’ll say that a few of the ones I’ve had have been really heavy on the masa (or whatever it is) and any flavorful ingredients have been overwhelmed by its blandness. I’ve had a few that were transcendent, and the majority have been decent; I’d probably have preferred a tamale, but they were a valued part of the meals I’ve eaten.
I think all of the pupusas that I’ve had have been a little bland and doughy. They’re not bad when you want something comforting, starchy, and filling. Kind of like a Latin-American mac-n-cheese for me. I mostly go for the curtido and hot sauce, personally. Best variety I’ve had were the squash versions.
My SO, who finds Mexican foods too spicy and stimulating, enjoys pupusas way more than I do. YMMV.