by Knight Trainees

I took a photographic tour of a little Salvadoran eatery near where I'm staying in Silver Spring, Maryland. It was hard to catch all the gastronomic gems, not to mention keeping the camera in focus and compensating for all the different lights. It was hard to maintain the diet amidst all the great cheesy, banana filled goodness.

  • Located in Silver Spring, Maryland, La Casita with its overflowing assortment of Salvadoran specialties is a home away from home for the large number of ex-pats in the region.
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    Located in Silver Spring, Maryland, La Casita with its overflowing assortment of Salvadoran specialties is a home away from home for the large number of ex-pats in the region.
  • La Casita's specialty, the "pupusa" is a corn based tortilla, filled with cheese. Optional extras include fried pork "chicharron", fresh squash, or loroco, a small unopened flower used as an herbal flavouring.
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    La Casita's specialty, the "pupusa" is a corn based tortilla, filled with cheese. Optional extras include fried pork "chicharron", fresh squash, or loroco, a small unopened flower used as an herbal flavouring.
  • La Casita makes "pupusas" a bit different than the way the cooks make them back in El Salvador. In Silver Spring, there is no lard used or perservatives added. And the "pupusas" are left on the grill a bit longer to get a crispy edge.
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    La Casita makes "pupusas" a bit different than the way the cooks make them back in El Salvador. In Silver Spring, there is no lard used or perservatives added. And the "pupusas" are left on the grill a bit longer to get a crispy edge.
  • The menu includes Salvadoran rice, Sopa de Res (beef short rib stew with corn on the cob), and Carne Deshilada (pan sauteed pulled steak strips). You can get an egg mixed in (the small pan on the front burner) if you're hunkering for breakfast.
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    The menu includes Salvadoran rice, Sopa de Res (beef short rib stew with corn on the cob), and Carne Deshilada (pan sauteed pulled steak strips). You can get an egg mixed in (the small pan on the front burner) if you're hunkering for breakfast.
  • You need a lot of wrist action to make a good "Carne Deshilada" which is full of tomatoes, onions and green peppers. The peppers are sweet, and no hot spices are added. Salvadorans (like their Gringo clientele) shy from spicy foods.
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    You need a lot of wrist action to make a good "Carne Deshilada" which is full of tomatoes, onions and green peppers. The peppers are sweet, and no hot spices are added. Salvadorans (like their Gringo clientele) shy from spicy foods.
  • Salvadoran chile rellenos, stuffed with meat and cheese. Green sweet chile peppers are used here unlike Mexican restaurants which prefer the long, smoky tasting Poblano chiles.
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    Salvadoran chile rellenos, stuffed with meat and cheese. Green sweet chile peppers are used here unlike Mexican restaurants which prefer the long, smoky tasting Poblano chiles.
  • Chunks of Yuca (cassava root) is deep fried. Plantain slices need an extra few minutes in the fryer.
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    Chunks of Yuca (cassava root) is deep fried. Plantain slices need an extra few minutes in the fryer.
  • An off the menu specialty, chocobananas. Salvadoran sweet chocolate is dripped over frozen bananas to make a hard chocolatey covering.
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    An off the menu specialty, chocobananas. Salvadoran sweet chocolate is dripped over frozen bananas to make a hard chocolatey covering.
  • This regular customer says he's often mistaken for a native Salvadoran. He comes most lunchtimes for the ice cold cokes and good cheap eats.
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    This regular customer says he's often mistaken for a native Salvadoran. He comes most lunchtimes for the ice cold cokes and good cheap eats.

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—CK