An increasing number of Latin American restaurants in St. Louis are turning out authentic, varied aspects of the foods of South and Central America. El Guanaco Taqueria & Pupuseria (10633 Page) is one of the leaders of this trend.
The restaurant, which opened in May 2020, just after the beginning of the pandemic, has remained under the radar, situated next to a check-cashing storefront on Page in Overland. Soccer’s on the TVs, and Modelo bottles are on the table. Don’t bother asking for the wine list.
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There’s some Mexican fare, desultory tacos, burritos, and such. Instead, concentrate on the offerings from Honduras and El Salvador. There are enough of each that you can forget about getting even a sampling with one visit. There are at least a dozen dishes here that we’ve never seen in any other local restaurant.
That said, we could dine here several times and never get tired of one meal and its variations: those wonderful pupusas. If you’ve had Mexican gorditas you’re close. They’re fat rounds of cooked masa with fillings, everything from beans to cheese to loroco (a plant whose buds look like tiny bean pods and taste like fresh asparagus.) Pupusas have a fluffiness and an unmistakable corn-fragrant aroma. Don’t miss the variation loaded with ground pork chiccharon. Alongside are heaps of curtido—shredded, lightly pickled cabbage.
Another side are cebollas encurditas, onions pickled to a deep beet redness, with lime juice that has a serious kick. They decorate several plates, including carne asada con tajadas. Tajadas are sliced plantains, fried, with a starchy soft interior and a pleasantly chewy exterior; the carne asada is, in this case, a marinated skirt steak, another player in the dish meant to be matched with those plantains and pickled onions.
Baleadas are like Honduran calzones. Handmade flour tortillas are folded over into half-moons, filled with everything in the larder: scrambled eggs, shredded beef, red beans, sour cream, and cheese. If you can finish one by yourself, El Guanaco might throw a fiesta in your honor.
The empanadas at El Guanaco are like pizzas. Every country, every region has its own variation of empanadas. In El Salvador, they’re not even called empanadas—they’re pastelitos (see lead image), about the size of a big grapefruit wedge, crusty rather than doughy like, say an Argentinean empanada, and they’re bulging with finely shredded chicken and drizzled with a garlic smacked cream. They make a splendid starter.
It’s hard to pick a stand-out here, but if you want to look like Mr. Cool Connoisseur—and enjoy a spectacular meal—try the pescado frito con tajadas. If you’ve been awed by the fantastic seafood platters at Mariscos El Gato, El Guanaco’s fried whole fish is in the same extravagant style. A red snapper sits on a bed of fried plantains and pico de gallo, with a dip spiked with habanero peppers and lime that balances sweet and spicy with garlic. The fish, from the crunchy crust to the tender flesh, is exquisite.
As for sides, you know how rice and beans at a Latin American–style eatery are often just sort of garnishes? At El Guanaco, however, the pair are spirited additions. The beans are as black as chocolate, creamy but firm enough to give a smooth, luscious bite. The rice is touched with a hint of garlic; instead of overwhelming the dish, the garlic and chicken broth seduces, with each grain separate, flecked with cilantro.
The horchata is far above average, the fragrance of almonds is intoxicating. How something best described as ground chalk mixed with almonds in water could be so delicious is one of life’s mysteries, but horchata is simply wonderful. Speaking of mysteries, consider trying the michelada, beer with lime, tomato juices, and chili spices served in a chilled salt-rim glass.
Like we said, El Guanaco ain’t fancy, but it’s worth adding to your list of regular eateries.
