A new Salvadoran restaurant has opened in Providence's Olneyville neighborhood, and it is already drawing lines out the door on weekend mornings. El Comal, named for the traditional flat griddle used to cook pupusas, brings a taste of El Salvador to a neighborhood that has become one of the most diverse in all of New England.

The Pupusa: El Salvador's Gift to the World

For the uninitiated, the pupusa is El Salvador's national dish: a thick corn tortilla stuffed with cheese, beans, pork, or a combination thereof, cooked on a comal until golden and served with curtido (a fermented cabbage slaw) and tomato salsa. When done right, it is one of the most satisfying foods on earth.

El Comal's pupusas are done very right. Owner and head cook Doña Rosario Hernández learned to make them from her grandmother in Sonsonate, El Salvador, and she has been perfecting the recipe for 30 years.

"The secret is in the masa," she says, patting a ball of corn dough between her palms with practiced ease. "You have to feel it. It has to be just right — not too wet, not too dry."

Beyond Pupusas

While the pupusas are the star attraction, El Comal's menu extends well beyond them. Yuca frita (fried cassava) with chicharrón, sopa de res (beef soup), and tamales de elote (sweet corn tamales) round out a menu that is both authentic and accessible.

Community Hub

In just its first months of operation, El Comal has already become a gathering place for Providence's growing Salvadoran community. Weekend mornings bring families from across the state, many of whom have been searching for a taste of home.

"When I eat here, I close my eyes and I am back in El Salvador," said customer Carmen Flores of Central Falls. "That is the greatest compliment I can give."

El Comal is located at 1247 Westminster Street in Olneyville and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 7 AM to 8 PM.