Zamora Taqueria y Pupuseria

What's it like?

 I'm a native Carolinian and travel on business.  I discovered pupusas during a trip to Los Angeles a few years back, and since California is the only place I've found them, I always look for them when I come back to the state.   When I came to Fresno, I hunted for a pupuseria specifically, and had to try Zamora.

I came during the dinner hour, about 6:30 pm, and initially felt a bit out of place, as I was the only person there, save for a couple of guys outside.  However, the two ladies that work there were very friendly and welcoming, offering beautiful smiles to me as I came in.  One handed me a small paper menu, but there is a whiteboard on the wall that includes more items - many more.   I'm familiar with Mexican food, and there were several typical Mexican dishes available, including menudo, tacos, tamales, quesadillas, and horchata.   I focused on the pupusas, because that's what I came for.   I ordered a combo plate, which included two pupusas of my choice, plus fried plantains, crema agria, and beans.  I opted to have one pupusa filled with beans and queso, and another with loroco (think "squash blossom").  

The pupusas are hand-made on the spot, so when they come to the table, they're hot and perfect, savory pillows of goodness.  They're served with a spicy cabbage salad known as curtido, as well as a red sauce (tomato?) in a squirt bottle.   I preferred the crema over the red sauce, but the cabbage slaw was very good.

Two pupusas make a meal, and a very good one.   For the beverage, I tried the "agua de ensalada", which was made with crushed pineapple.  It was light and only slightly sweet - not syrupy at all.  

Everything was delicious, freshly-made, and inexpensive.   It's true that it's a small place - there are only a few tables inside - but it's clean, and the food is superb.