Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide

Chirilagua, a neighborhood in Alexandria/Arlandria, at Mount Vernon Avenue and West Glebe Road.

Did you know that 350,000 Salvadoreans live in this area? I’ve decided that when it comes to El Salvadorean restaurants, there is no point in simply listing more of them. The key is to find out which dishes you like, not which restaurants you like.

Restaurants in this area include RT's and Po Siam. Also located here is the Birchmere music hall.

A little further south are Bombay Curry Company and Los Tios. A little futher north are the taco trucks at Gunston.

• "The Changing Face Of Arlandria," by Krissah Williams, The Washington Post, June 7, 2004
• "Chirilagua: 100% Salvadoreño! Washington DC Invites You Their Little El Salvador," by Phalana Tiller, Urban Mozaik

El Golfo, 8739 Flower Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, near Piney Branch Road, 301-608-2122 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist]

It is hard to review all of these Salvadorean restaurants, and say something new about each one, don’t you think?

Las Placitas, web site, 517 8th Street SE, Washington, DC, 202-543-3700, no weekend lunch (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | openlist | Yelp]

Overpriced Salvadorean food, with real napkins and tablecloths. Pretends to be a real restaurant. For that reason, the only Salvadorean place many people would go to. The food is still good enough to justify the price, just realize you’re paying twice what you have to. Good for those stuck near Capitol Hill.

Pupuseria El Buen Gusto, 10012 Main Street, Fairfax, VA, 703-218-3489 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Yelp]

Surprisingly good, their tacos are excellent and fairly authentic. No one there speaks English. Limited menu. Very good chicharron (fried pork) with yucca. Worth a visit. N.B.: Restaurants in this locale tend to be yummy but don’t usually last long.

Sarita's, 2794 Graham Road, Falls Church, VA, 703-533-9448 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | City Paper | Yelp]

Authentic, to say the least. Plus you can find Sarita’s II in the Culmore Shopping Center on Rt. 7, west of Bailey’s Crossroads: 6013 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA, 703-820-2700 [Yelp]

A good rule of thumb is the following: just about every El Salvadorean place in the area is worthwhile if you order well. Which means getting the pupusas. In Sarita’s II they dress the waitresses to maximize the number of leering male customers, so beware if you go.

El Zunzal, 917 W. Broad Street, Falls Church, VA, 703-532-9372, also 5900 Columbia Pike, Falls Church, VA, 703-379-5100 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Falls Church News-Press | City Paper | Yelp]

A good place for El Salvadorean food, and more accessible to non-Salvadoreans than most, without selling out on the quality side. There is no doubt what you should order here: two mixed pupusas, one corn tamale, and perhaps a side order of beans. That makes for a great five dollar meal. Some of the other menu items are good here as well, but I am never really tempted to deviate from the above.

Restaurante El Salvador, 4805 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA, 703-521-3225 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [City Paper]

One of the best Salvadorean places, in a universe of dozens. Juicy pupusas, nice atmosphere. Also get the corn tamales, tamale de elote. When going to an El Salvadorean restaurant, always order the pupusas. Always order the pupusas. Always order the pupusas. A Pupusa, for the uninitiated, is a Salvadorean "pancake," made of corn-based bread, stuffed with meat, cheese, or both. Make sure you put lots of spicy cabbage on the top (called “curtido”). The cheapest good meal around, also. They have some Peruvian dishes, too.

Atlacatl & Pupuseria, 4701 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA, 703-920-3680, usually open (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [City Paper | openlist | Yelp]

In decline, and no longer the best El Salvadorean in the area. The herb pupusas are still good, though. If you’ve never had this kind of food before, still good enough to be a revelation. Nice funky décor, too.

El Majahual Chim-Pun Callao Restaurant, 3815-B S. George Mason Drive, Falls Church, VA, 703-845-9501. Off Rt. 7, just east of Skyline Mall, or take the confusing Seminary Road from Alexandria. Open any time you would care to go. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Yelp]

This restaurant's name has something to do with soccer, it seems. Many Peruvian wonders here. Papa Huancaina makes for a nice appetizer - potatoes covered with a spicy cheese sauce. The Ceviche is very good. Among the mains, Seco is lamb stew with beans. Lomo Saltado is the dish I use to gauge any Peruvian restaurant - salty beef, olive oil, tomatoes, and french fries all mixed together. Don't worry, the French Fries are supposed to be soggy. It's best here. The Italian-sounding dishes are less interesting. Same with some of the steaks (see the remarks under "Cecilia's" Bolivian on this point). Go for the dishes that mix ingredients.

The restaurant also serves good El Salvadorean food; I like the Taquito appetizer. Plus the usual E.S. assortments. The mini-mall also deserves a full walk, both front and back sides. This is what Northern Virginia is all about, and what makes living here tolerable. You'll find ethnic groceries for Filipino, Ethiopian, Indian, Afghan, and Vietnamese foods.

El Boqueron Restaurant, 2311 Price Avenue, Wheaton, MD, 301-933-4900 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [City Paper]

Another Mexican/El Salvadorean place. I haven’t eaten here, but it looks decent.

Los Tios Grill, web site, 2615 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA, 703-299-9290, just down Mount Vernon Avenue, from Taqueria Poblano, across from the Del Ray Artisans. (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [City Paper | Don Rockwell]

A credible-sounding reader says this is very good. It is run by Salvadoreans, but I would not rule out a visit on that basis. That is what culinary globalization is all about, no?

Blanca's, 418 S. Washington Street, Falls Church, VA, Rt. 29, 703-538-2466 (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Falls Church News-Press | City Paper | Yelp]

Actually an El Salvadorean restaurant, but they also have excellent Mexican food, the best in the area outside of the old Cielito Lindo in Bladensburg. Get the bean burrito. Don't go when you are in a hurry, however. Any of the non-Mexican Latin places that try to make quasi-Mexican food will beat the pathetic American attempts at Mexican food found in this area.