Salvadoran Restaurants in Siloam Springs, AR

“My first time trying pupusas and I’m a fan! He recommended the pork/cheese and the loroco/cheese. (Loroco is a vegetable kind of similar flavor to asparagus). The pupusas were soft, cheesy, flavorful, and came with very good spicy sauce and spicy coleslaw-ish side. Affordable and tasty warm food. We will be back!“

“La Chele 2. Interesting name for a restaurant.For me, it is hard to accurately evaluate ethnic foods if you don’t know what the authentic taste, composition or presentation should be. Most of the Central American food that I have had is very lightly seasoned. The foods rely almost solely on the flavors of the vegetables, fruits and meats in the dish with very limited strong spices such as the chili peppers and other spices that stand out in Mexican food.As for La Chele 2. The food is made with fresh ingredients, prepared when you order it. The Arroz con Pollo was as expected, unseasoned or very lightly seasoned. It was simply the flavors of the chicken, mushrooms, onions and cheese. The menu says the chicken was cooked in a special salsa. It may have been, if so, it was very mild. After a couple of bites, my wife who seldom eats hot sauce, was reaching for the bottle to flavor up her plate. The portions were large, the food hot and fresh!A few minutes later my Pollo Guisado (Salvadorean style chicken pot roast) arrived at the table. I immediately asked for the house made salsa picante. This dish (recommended by the owner) had chicken thighs and all the vegetables you would expect in a pot roast and a few more: carrots, onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, and potatoes. The house salsa picante really helped. The black beans were excellent! The sauce with the Pollo Guisado was very rich. Made that way from the fat rendered from the stewed chicken during cooking or possibly added oil or butter. The broth had a distinct yellow color with the noticeable taste of chicken flavoring added. A delicious, rich meal. Both meals were served with thick house made corn tortillas. I could have made a meal of the tortillas, black beans and the house salsa picante.La Chele 2 is located in a modest, repurposed suite in a declining strip mall just north of Hwy 412 on Mt Olive St. Order and pay at the counter. A mom-and-pop operation with limited service. They do a lot of take-out business. They have a fair-sized menu. If you are not a Salvadorian food expert, check the menu here before you go. It will save you some time!The Salvadorian cuisine will unlikely be my favorite As for La Chele 2, the freshness of the food and the large portions made it worth trying. I liked it.This review was first posted on Yelp 6/29/2022 by me Spike Speedwell“