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El Bombazo Latino Restaurant & Market

It’s a hot Friday night and I’m in the mood for Latin food. Venturing out of the bubble of the inner city, my guests and I are seeking authentic pupusas at El Bombazo, located on the tip of International Avenue.

Greeted warmly by Maria Teresa, our jovial host and server for the evening, we are seated at a large, chocolate wood booth. The space is quaint — featuring a bright green tiled floor, warm yellow walls and a large, brightly coloured Meso-American painting.

We start with lime margaritas ($5.90) and a large basket of homemade tortilla chips with fresh pico de gallo ($6). The blended margaritas are as smooth as silk with an awesome pop of sour lime — perfect with the chips and salsa.

The salsa is simple and delicious. Freshly diced tomatoes, jalapeños and white onions make me feel like I’m in back in Mexico. Heavenly.

We start with a large sampling of El Bombazo’s reasonably priced appetizers. The first dish to arrive is the yuca frita ($5); similar to potatoes, the yuca is a starchy staple vegetable in Latin America. Fried and served in medium-cut wedges, the dish is accompanied by curtido (a Salvadoran condiment consisting of pickled cabbage, onions and carrots). Crisp and perfectly fried, this dish is a great starter to any Latin feast.

Next up are the pupusas. It’s my first time trying these Salvadoran wonders. Made with hand-made corn tortillas, pupusa’s are typically filled with cheese and either pork, squash or refried beans. Tonight we’re having a mix: cheese and loroco (a vine flower bud from Central America, $2.25 each), cheese and pork ($2) and cheese with zucchini ($2). Each variety is fantastic. The cheese is creamy and rich; the tortillas are flavourful and fresh. Topped with salsa and the aforementioned curtido, pupusas are definitely a new favourite of mine.

Moving on to our mains, two of us have the chicken enchiladas with mole sauce ($11) — a rich Mexican sauce of bitter chocolate, chilies and spices. It’s served with refried beans, rice and a hearty ladle of mole. While it’s not the best mole I’ve ever had, it’s not bad either. Featuring a hit of heat and a rich, almost gravy-like flavour, it’s lovely on the enchiladas.

My boyfriend tries the pescado frito trout ($15). Served with a basket of warm corn tortillas and pico de gallo, the pan-fried trout with its skin intact makes for a tasty platter of fish tacos.

Rounding out our night, my friend samples the chicken tostadas ($10). Served on crisp, round tortilla shells, the tostadas are topped with sour cream, cheese, finely-chopped iceberg lettuce and well-seasoned shredded chicken. Accompanied by optional rice and beans, this is one heck of a value for $10. The chicken isn’t stringy, the ingredients are fresh and the taste is spot-on delicious.

On the verge of being rolled out of El Bombazo, we say our goodbyes to our gracious host and call it a night. Everyone in the group agrees it was a fantastic meal. And cheap. The bill works out to about $25 per person.

With service by the No. 1 bus line, and just minutes from downtown, a taste of Latin America is closer than you think. There’s even a small Latin market next door. You should go.