RESTAURANT REVIEW:

I thought my friend Tania was going to scream in horror when I told her I had never had pupusas before.

“You have to go right now and get one,” she told me over the phone. “And bring me some to my work when you are done.”

I didn’t realize food could have this effect on someone and figured this must be one powerful dish. I was unsure of what I was getting into, but excited to find out, so I took my naive self to San Sivar for a little education.

The restaurant is off Harbor Boulevard in a small strip mall. It would be easy to miss if you weren’t looking for it. Parking can be a bit cramped, but it is worth the extra effort.

The small shop has 10 tables with chairs, and if one is available, grab it. This is a popular place, and it is best to avoid traditional lunch and dinner hours. I went in after 1 p.m., and there were only three available tables.

Most of the conversation will be in Spanish, and the television mounted on the wall will probably have a program from Telemundo blaring in the background.

San Sivar is sort of a self-service establishment. When you walk in, the waitress is going to be busy dealing with the other customers, so grab a menu, which is atop a clear display case with Mexican bread and pastries.

The waitress will get to you eventually and is very friendly, speaking both English and Spanish fluently.

The menu is also in two languages, and I had to chuckle at the misprint for cheese and veggies that read, “cheese and beggies.”

The main reason to come here are the pupusas, which I have been told by several people are some of the best in the county.

The food has been called the equivalent to a quesadilla, but I like the other description which is an El Salvadoran pancake. The shape is more like the breakfast food. It is masa dough that is filled with several different items, the most popular being cheese. Pupusas are pounded and then grilled.

San Sivar has several options including pork, cheese and beans, and shrimp and cheese. I went traditional and ordered the cheese, but followed it with one of pork, cheese and refried beans.

I also ordered a Salvadoran sausage combination plate. The sausage was almost quail-egg shaped, and served with rice, beans, salad and corn tortillas. It is a dry meat and not as palatable when eaten alone. In a tortilla with rice, beans and shredded cabbage and some hot sauce, it was delicious. Pacaya (date palm in egg batter) and Pollo en Jacon, which is chicken in a tomatillo-cilantro sauce, are two other interesting options.

JOHN REGER is the Pilot’s restaurant critic. His reviews run Thursdays.