Antigua Guatemala The Best Pupuseria

If you find yourself in need of both a wrench and a Pupusa  at the same time, you’ll be in the right place if you walk, tuc-tuc or whatever over to the Alameda Santa Lucia in Antigua Guatemala.

In Antigua Guatemala The Alameda is a mixed boulevard of shops, sprawling market and, for some reason, it’s a block with an extreme over representation of hardware and paint stores. There must be 12 in an eight block stretch.  Once the hardware stores and wrenches peter out, somewhere on the more northerly point, within shouting distance of the San Jeronimo ruins, sits the Pupusa  palace, El Sapo y La Rana.

Guatemalan food is vast in variety and hearty in its finish and Yolkobsens enjoy finding new places that offer expressions of Central American cuisine in a cheap and cheerful formulation. At El Sapo y Rana, which means the toad and the frog, you’ll find a dark green interior, daubed with hints of yellow, well, like its reptile namesakes. What frogs and toads have to do with Pupusas my primitive and croaking Spanish questions were not able to penetrate.  But cheerful is definitely the operative word here. And Pupusas have a long history of filling people up with delicious food, at a very low price.  This establishment’s prime product is no exception.

The Pupusas  is actually an El Salvador tradition, but its importation to Antigua Guatemala is a welcome one.  This is true mainly because the family that owns the pupuseria and works there is exceptionally gracious and welcoming to all who enter, including two clueless gringos.  And, because they are Salvadoran, they offer free of charge the special brand of hospitality for which their country is famous.

For the uninitiated, a Pupusa  is basically two good size corn tortillas seamed together, with cheese as its central mortar.  Then, depending on taste and/or whimsy, you can leave it plain or stuff it with a variety of fillers. Then stand back, while its slapped onto a hot griddle that presses all the ingredients together in a way that a panini can only envy. For this reason alone, Pupusas have always had a place in our hearts and on our waistlines.

In fact, when Yolkobsens are back in their hometown, Toronto, we often head to the papuseria on Kensington Market‘s Augusta Street.  There you will find another Salvadoran family serving the line ups of people hankering for one of their El Salvador’s signature and golden fast foods.  Back home, our favorite was the spicy pork filling.  But at our Antigua Guatemala papuseria, we give full marks to their chirizo incantation.

If spicy chirizo sausage is not to your liking, the Pupusa  stuffing menu rounds out with chicken, jalepenos, sweet ham, roasted pork, and refried beans.  All of the Pupusas come with coleslaw, in spicy and very spicy velocities, which complements these griddled wonders perfectly.  Two will do nicely if you’re girl with a medium appetite, three if your a regular guy. Our bill, which included two beers and five Pupusas came to the equivalent of what you would pay for a double espresso with a shot and a listless bun at your local Seattle-based coffee shop.  No kidding.

Our two visits to this Pupusa  temple had us waddling out, happily reinforced in our faith, but alas still in need of that single but perfect Santa Lucia blessed wrench.

El Sapo y Rana is located at Alameda Santa Lucia Norte #11 Antigua Guatemala

Antigua Guatemala Best Ceviche

The Best Ceviche in Antigua Guatemala

 

Antigua Guatemala always never stops Amazing me. For example, we decided the girls and I we would hunt down the best Ceviche in Antigua Guatemala, not a bad idea for a weekend change from heading to villages around Antigua Guatemala by Chicken Bus.

We know Antigua Guatemala as well as most locals and we looked along the market area of Antigua and asked the Truck Ceviche Vendors, if they did not eat their own Ceviche, where would they go?

We were told that on the weekend only, at the Ocelot Bar owner by Shawn the Brit and a Greek born named Spiro makes the best fresh Ceviche, served at the upstairs Bar called the Lava Bar, above the Ocelot Bar.

Off we went.

The Ocelot bar is just half a block of Park Central in Antigua Guatemala, everyone gets lost in Antigua just get to the Central Park and ask anyone where the Ocelot Bar is?

When we arrived we found that the Brit named Shawn we knew from past years in Antigua when he was partner in famous bar in Antigua. The Ocelot is a cool Jazz and Blues Bar with great happy hour deals for all. Shawn knows the bar business and we can see why the Ocelot has growing in popularity in Antigua.

Shawn directed us upstairs to the Lava Bar and to the Greek Named Spiro. Wow what a view from this roof top Bar. Lots of open areas, and yes great views of Antigua and Music. The Lava Bar is unique, strange drink names some not be used in this public forum. Oh, Lava Bar features Russian Beer 6 for 135Q in a bucket of ice and yes Lots of Gallo Beer if you choose. The Russian Beer is like 8% alcohol.

Now we have Russia in the story, a Cat, A Brit and a Greek.

Spiro is setup in one corner of the bar, a small table, his cooler, and all his secret ingredients before him ready to prepare the Best Ceviche in Antigua Guatemala. Before I go any farther Spiro is a great character, born in Greece, lived in NY owned Restaurants and moved to Antigua a number of years ago.

Spiro does not make or prepare Ceviche he invents it right before your eyes. In his cooler the Fish for the Ceviche is held with great care. Fish that Spiro has sourced directly from the fishing boats on the Pacific Coast of Guatemala. Mostly the Monterrico area of Guatemala.

Spiro inquires do you want it hot or medium, small or large bowl?  The large bowl is huge as our photos show with large shrimp bulging in front of you. Once all the options are chosen Spiro goes to work, cutting, and mixing by hand each bowl individually.
When finished each serving is presented with great care.
Wow what a treat I mean the fish, the sauce, the seasoning, the spices all meld together in an explosion of taste in your mouth. Add a bottle of Russian Beer, 95Q for a large Ceviche such a deal.

I rate this as a first class fun experience for all. Now, that is how the story becomes an Antigua Guatemala Amazing Story. It has a Cat the Ocelot, A Brit named Shawn, A Greek named Spiro and yes, Russian Beer, Lava Bar and Volcanoes oh, yes and great views..

Antigua Guatemala Inca Restaurante Great Ceviche

Inca Restaurante Antigua Guatemala

There’s a ceviche war on in Antigua Guatemala.  People in  Antigua Guatemala seem to have a preferred ceviche spot and Antiguenos and gringos alike are prepared to argue passionately on behalf of their favorite.  Our latest contender for a top spot on the ceviche maven list is Inca Restuarante.

This is a prettily-appointed restaurant set a few blocks south of the Parque Central and a few thousand kilometers from its Peruvian roots. Many historians agree that Peru is the mother of ceviche as we know it today.  Though many New Word countries, from Mexico to, well, anywhere there’s fish, claim to make the best ceviche, few can outdo Peru’s devotion to and reverence for this citrus rendered, not heat cooked, seafood supreme.

In fact, Peru has a national Day of Ceviche, which is celebrated each June in a way that only Peruvians can muster when they are in a party mood.  Inca Restaurante owner, Luis, offers a wide ranging menu of Peruvian cuisine specialties, including a ceviche section with seven selections.

I ordered Ceviche Number One, a basic platter, which Luis had the kitchen adjust to my gringo palette, a.k.a. not very spicy, just a bit for a frisson, rather than a thunder clap, of excitement.  It came in the classic Peruvian, style, that is, accented with sweet potatoes, white potatoes, and corn, including a light scattering of toasted corn kernels and red onion to enhance the citrus infused white fish.

While we waited for our food Luis told us about his native Peru in excellent English, accented with New York and Miami influences.  A brief personal history includes details of leaving Peru when he was 14 and growing up and coming of age in the Big Apple and Miami.

Of course, we asked the classic question. How did you wind up in Antigua?  Here the French, though not known for their ceviche, have it right. Cherchez la femme.  Literally, the expression means, look for the woman, if the man is happy or sad.  Happily, Luis met a woman from Antigua Guatemala and fell in love with her along with her hometown.  They set up their restaurant around the corner from the Palace of the Captains about 4 years ago and now have a solid reputation in town.

And, whenever the debate about the best ceviche in Antigua Guatemala comes up, they are always cited and for good reason.  Their offering passed my ceviche criteria, including:  use of a citrus infusion that has a sharp acidity, but not one that is overwhelming the taste of the fish; the sweetness of the fish is allowed to tango with the citrus zest; the seafood is neither rubbery or over burnt from the lime, but pleasingly soft and perfectly textured.

Inca Restaurante is located at 4a Avenida Sur #10.