As a native Angeleno, I was crushed at the recent passing of Los Angeles Times food critic Jonathan Gold, who made a career of venturing deep into SoCal’s interior in search of ethnic hidden gems, then describing them in beautiful prose. Gold would have loved this pupusa spot way up Gallatin Pike. The whole place feels like Anywhere, California — strip mall next to a laundromat, only white guy in there (always a good sign), etc. And the pupusas? They’re not only the tastiest take on the salty-and-sweet Salvadoran specialty I’ve had in Nashville, but probably the best Latin American food here, period. CHARLIE ZAILLIAN
Best Portal to California
El Pulgarcito, Madison
