Chattanooga's Salvadoran Cuisine

I have written about this particular restaurant once before, but I wanted to add an update. I found this video of Chattanooga's Taco Rico which shows pupusa preparation and has some good shots of the food served there. The narrator is the son of the owner, and he is much cuter in person.




I also thought I would add more info on the type of foods served there.




Plaintain chips with red, green, and chimichurri sauces. Chimichurri is a sauce made with spices and olive oil. According to Wikipedia, it originated in Argentina but is used as far north as Central America.


This is an empanada. This one is filled with meat but you can also get dessert fillings. I tried one filled with sweetened yucca although I didn't particularly like that one.


The Plate of Day, a beef stew with rice and beans. It's served with tortillas on the side and is a good value at only $6. I would definetely recommend this restaurant if you want to go out to eat but are short on cash.

The unfortunately non-alcoholic mango drink comes in this decorative large glass. I tried a new juice type drink, the "maranon." A different taste that the waitress described as less sour than the maracuya (passion fruit) I had on my last visit. The waitress also informed me that this particular fruit is good for digestion.

El Salvadoran Cuisine

(above) El Salvadorian beef stew with rice, beans, tortillas and plantains; authentic tamales served in banana leaf; the pupusa served with a cole-slaw like salad.


Taco Rico
Chattanooga Tennessee

It's good to see that Chattanooga's only El Salvadoran restaurant finally has a substantial lunch crowd. This place seems to be growing in popularity with a gradual increase in customers over the last few months, based solely on my unscientific observations. If you have not tried El Salvadoran food, here is what you can expect:

The Pupusa: Pupusas are thick tortilla like rounds filled with cheese, meat, or some type of vegetable. Served with a side of curtido that is used as a topping for the pupusas.

Curtido: Cabbage-like salad. Reminds me of cole-slaw.

Loroco: This is a filling available in the pupusa. It is an edible flower.

Tamale: Meat or cheese cooked inside of corn meal. At this particular restaurant, the tamales are cooked inside banana leaves rather than the usual corn husk, which, I think, makes them even more flavorful and moist. Dare I say, Taco Rico has the best tamales in Chattanooga.

Plantain: Similar to a banana, usually served fried as a side dish with your meal.

Maracuyá: A flavor of fruit drink that is sometimes available at Taco Rico (and probably other Central American restaurants). I don't know much about this type of fruit, but maybe our friends over at the Fruit Species website can give us some info (hint, hint).


These are by no means the only items on the menu, just some of the ones you might not be familiar with. I had the Plate of the Day which was a beef stew (see photo above) served with tortillas, rice, and plantains. Beans were also served, but they were whole beans, not the refried variety that is seen in most local Mexican restaurants. A fellow customer suggested I try a bottle of coke, because it is imported from Honduras and is made with sugar cane rather than what coke is usually made of in this country, whatever that is.

With extremely reasonable prices, and flavors that are different but not too exotic for the less adventurous, Taco Rico would be an excellent alternative to Mexican restaurants for lunch or dinner. And for those of you not near Chattanooga, if you happen to see a restaurant serving pupusas, maybe now you will give them a try.

Taco Rico, Dine-o-meter rating: 80%

See the review here: http://www.dineometer.com/browse_reviews.php?id_b=149