Cheap Eats: La Papusa Guanaca

Who doesn't love melted cheese? La Papusa Guanaca is a small restaurant on Centre Street in Jamaica Plain that focuses on the food of El Salvador, including the delicious, hot and melty papusa. The little crispy corn pancakes ($1.25), about the size of your palm, are stuffed with cheese, cheese and pork, or cheese and beans, and then fried on a griddle. They're really hot, though, when they come out, so save yourself from a burn and wait a minute before eating.

Between the papusas and the other goodies on the menu, it's easy to make a meal for next to nothing. Try the tostada ($1.00), a tiny, perfectly crisp tortilla topped with black beans and a sprinkle of cheese; the empanadas ($1.25), little pockets jammed tight with fillings like shredded chicken; or the fried plantains ($3.50), incredibly sweet, crispy on the outside, and creamy on the inside.

La Papusa Guanaca is located at 378 Centre Street in Jamaica Plain. They are open daily 10am to 11pm and are cash only.

For more local food writing from Pam Aghababian, check out Cave Cibum.