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El Pulgarcito
Category: Restaurants Latin American Latin American [Edit]
1210 Kennedy RdToronto, ON M1P 2L1
Neighbourhood: Scarborough
(416) 916-7274
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
6 reviews for El Pulgarcito
6 reviews in English
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Review from bold c.
Toronto, ON
Again another of my first reviews is missing....need to get this sorted!
30 Sec Summary
----------------------
1. Family run business - El Salvador
2. Family cooking
3. Takes time to order and receive food
4. Prices above average for Scarborough
5. Food is wicked
6. Try the hard tacos (Chicken)
7. Pupusas are tasty but cheesy
8. Hot sauce baby! Go for it (*Green means hot hot hot!)
9. See my pictures
10. Ox Tail soup for $9.00 was a huge portion for a family - may not be the best value but it was real home style cooking
11. CAMARONES (Shrimps) are the main reason I keep coming back - folks skip everything else and try the shrimps --- get the large portion it is sweet, succulent and tasty!
12. Parking is free and in ample supply but could be better lit
13. Latin American beverages are available but overpriced
14. Washrooms are warmer than the serving area --- they need to fix the drafts -- it can get really cold
15. Friendly service // great for families
16. Large screen TV where you can watch the latest Latin American movies and sports matches
Recommendation: Buy and repeat -
Review from Amanda C.
Calgary, AB
7/26/2011 6 photos
I love Mexican food! And if you live in Toronto, you'd know that mexican food is scarce! I live in the suburbs so you can imagine how 'booming' mexican food really is here let alone Toronto!
So you'd imagine how ecstatic I was to find out that there was an actual authentic mexican place in Scarborough!
This place is located a little south, but it was good.. The place is a little dumpy -- but that just means that's it's legit.. (amirite?!)
We ordered 2 Pupusas to start (at $2 each) but they came at the end of our meal unfortunately.
We ordered a Steak Burrito and Chicken Quesadillas (at $8.50 each) and are served with a cucumber tomato and iceberg lettuce "salad". The burrito came with rice (that was really salty so we didn't eat it) and a bean past (for dipping?).
All items were a bit too salty for my liking, but it's not too too bad! Its authentic and you know it because if real latin american people come to eat here, then you know its good! and trust me, you can tell they're real latin american people :)
This place is not bad at all! will definitely come back! -
Review from Mike P.
Scarborough, ON
3/21/2012
Pretty awesome food here. This was my first time diving into the realm of Salvadoran cuisine. The papusas are really tasty, I pretty much stick to the cheese only one which comes with a sort of tomato water. I've gottwn the Yucca Frita con chicharrone a few times and the Yucca and Pork are amazing. You could never eat that every day...you'd simply die! The tacos aren't bad either, a little on the salty side but nice and crispy. The beef enchilada is also worth mentioning and makes for a nice little meal. I tried the tamales and realized I'm not a fan of tamales at all, but it might suit your tastes!
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Review from Janelle W.
1/19/2011 3 photos
When in Toronto, I promise myself I'll never eat anything I can get at home. And through my half-dozen trips to this multicultural mecca, I have kept my promise ...until El Pulgarcito.
I reneged on my promise because of my insatiable need to always be right. You see, soon after I made Detroit's pupusería (http://www.yelp.com/bi...) a permanent fixture on the "Hot on Yelp" list, a Yelper I once considered a friend asked me at a UYE, "Have you even HAD pupusa before?!?!" With vulgarities brewing, I bit my tongue so hard that impressions of my orthodontically-arranged teeth remained in the soft muscle for a week. Ever since, I have wanted to confirm that I can, indeed, identify a good pupusa.
So when the opportunity presented itself to sample another Salvadorean pupusería, I was down faster than Hillary Duff at the sight of an engagement ring.
At El Pulgarcito, the proprietor is your server -- he's a softspoken and gentle man, and as timid as a lamb when conversing in English. His wife, a cute and ample woman, does the cooking. They keep their restaurant pridefully clean. They serve quickly and carefully. The sun seems to shine inside their restaurant, even on a gloomy winter day.
And upon first bite of their pupusa ($2/ea.), I felt redeemed -- these are excellent pupusa, served with a nice side of "b*tch please!" for my tactless Yelp confrontationalist. Made from smooth masa, pressed around a rich, salty floe of cheese or a savory pork and calabaza (squash) blend. Hand-formed, with indentations of the woman's round thumbs, showing where she gently pushed and patted her love into each cake. Lightly charred and softened over a warm grill. Use a sliver of pupusa to grab a pinch of curtido, a tart and crunchy cabbage slaw. Add a pour of the slightly sweet salsa for a bite as balanced as an untouched Jenga® tower.
But everything Salvadorean scores at El Pulgarcito -- tamales, plantains con crema, and especially the yuca frita. These lightly-fried morsels of yuca (cassava) have a delicate and crisp exterior encapsulating a smooth, starchy fruit that tastes of buttery mashed potatoes. Alone, they're too much like French fries, so chomp them with the accompanying cabbage, cucumber, and tomato curtido to inject some tang and life into these fritas.
You'll want to order your yuca frita CON CHICHARRÓN. This, folks, is the pork product that will make the bacon fad fizzle out, that will make you poo on peameal, and make pork belly go belly-up. Not greasy to the touch or taste, these deep-fried chunks of pork fat have a dark golden crunch on the outside. Upon biting through this crisp shell, a molten cocktail of pork fat oozes onto your tongue and coats your palate with the smoky, meaty flavor of swine. They say alcohol is the liquid drug, but after tasting this chicharrón, I beg to differ.
But perhaps the best part of El Pulgarcito is that, unlike my usual GTA gastronomic adventures, I can get this food at home. Ah, the glory of redemption! -
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
2/2/2011 10 photos
I will always remember El Pulgarcito!
This is where I have my first experience with:
- Salvadorean food
- Pupusas ($2)
- Tamarind soft drink ($2)
- Yuca Fritta Chicharron ($8.50)
I have to say I have an enjoyable experience... and find them all quite tasty.. since I have nothing to reference to and the food on it own were A-OK.
I could not comment on Tamales de Pollo ($4) since being a nice Yelper, I divided it up in equal portions and ended up mine have no Chicken at all but just dough.. which I cannot really comment on...
The Chicharron is deep fried fatty pork.. quite crunchy and I can believe that it will go well with a beer... but not really my usual diet.. and I don't think I will be eating that too often! The Yuca Fritta though oh that is tasty.. really lightly battered and have a great light taste!
The owner server though a big guy, he is so nice and soft spoken... and have nice handwriting... the receipt was printed in perfect small handwriting! Much better than mine.. which I tease him then he turned red! :)
The hot sauce on the table tasted great! Especially that green one... but I wondering why none of the items on the menu are spicy hot but then there are 2 different kind of hot sauces for you to add on?? Just wondering.....Listed in: Latin American in Toronto!
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Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
1/27/2011
El WaYnE fue al El Pulgarcito para el Pupusa. Escribí en Español pero no sé Español. Including this visit, I've had less than a handful of experiences with Pupusa but within those rare occasions I've gotten to appreciate them much more than what I initially saw them as.
I've been fortunate enough to have good quality Pupusas at every chance simply because within my observation, they are pretty close to identical except for the Slaw condiment that is. I've had ones plain, another one with spices to El Pulgarcito's which comes with a couple spoonful of Vinegar that the Slaw was prepared in.
I've found that the Pupusa alone doesn't intrigue but it is when it's combined with the liquidy Tomato Salsa and the Sour Slaw that gives it another layer of depth. If you want to understand this better, simply add some Sour Slaw or Sauerkraut to a nicely fried Quesadilla.
Tamales de Pollo - I've had worst where the Masa was dried that I though it was overcooked Cous Cous packed together. I haven't had enough authentic Tamales to compare but this one is definitely more consumable with a whole mid-Wing(Flat) stuffed inside the Masa. This version is wrapped in a green Banana Leaf.
Yuca Frita con Chicharrón - Yuca Frita were crunchy and as with any properly fried starch, it can be quite fulfilling satisfying. The Chicharrón is a different variation than the healthier Lean Pork version I've had previously but this one is personally better because it doesn't feel like I swallowed a ROCK.
The Chicharrón composition had a 50/50 combination of Pork Rind to Meat but it still tasted quite oily. There was no initial crunch(sad) but there is that crumbling texture that leads to that oily mouthful. I'm definitely a Pork Fat type of person so I think a few Friends can lead me to some of their more preferable Chicharrón hot spots.Listed in: Latin American - Español Menus
