Pupusas and parrilladas: this local food stand is serving up Salvadoran delicacies

Ily Plisch’s food once brought a customer to tears.

As she tells it, the moment he dug into the casamientos she made, tears were streaming down his face.

He told Plisch he hadn’t had casamientos — a Salvadoran combo dish of rice and beans — like that since he visited his sister back in El Salvador, and that the dish brought back memories of his childhood.

Those are the customer interactions Plisch gets on the daily.

With just a grill and everyday ingredients, she's been able to transform a modest lot on South Sixth Avenue into a little piece of El Salvador. From the family recipes used, down to the seasonings, everything she creates is a love letter to her country.

Hidden in an alley that’s shared with a car wash, Asaditos Zulmytas Juayua-Tucson, 1120 S. Sixth Ave., has been serving up cheesy pupusas and other El Salvadorian delicacies since October. As soon as you have a mouthful of pork and cheese, you won’t be overlooking their tent again.

Plisch grew up in Juayúa, El Salvador, where she could be found right by her mother’s side, helping her run their food stand.

Her mother, Zulma Maye, was an award-winning cook and helped start various food festivals in their hometown. Beside her the whole time was Plisch, learning what it took to craft the perfect pupusa.

To make classic pupusas, masa dough is stuffed with different fillings like carne asada or pork, then flattened and cooked on a griddle. When they’re finished, you are served a perfectly crispy corn cake that oozes cheese and other savory flavors.

The pair had dreams of opening a food stand in America, just like they did back home. With Plisch’s help, Maye was able to “get her papers” and move to Tucson to reunite with her daughter once again.

Soon, Plisch was able to find the spot on South Sixth Avenue and Asaditos Zulmytas Juayua-Tucson was born.

A giant inflatable version of Plisch waves in the wind outside of their tent, welcoming customers in. Salvadoran flags hang from the top of the tent along with strings of lights. Red-checkered tablecloths cover each table, topped with colorful flowers and of course, more mini-Salvadoran flags.

Their whole set-up is a beautiful ode to their homeland, and you can feel the pride Plisch has for the country near and dear to her heart.

Plisch stands behind the griddle, stuffing balls of masa with cheese, pork and beans, carefully crafting her pupusas. She then delicately flattens the ball, pushing around the edges to create the perfect circle.

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As the pupusas sizzle on the griddle, a warm smell of fresh corn fills the air, like you just stepped into a corn tortilla factory. Your mouth might start to water as you watch your meal cook on the grill, developing an exquisite golden-brown crisp on top.

The pupusas come to you looking like a delicious, savory pancake on a plate, with a bright tomato salsa and pickled veggies to put on top, adding a tangy element to the dish.

The outside of a pupusa is like a soft, fluffy corn cake, then you’re suddenly hit with an explosion of flavors. Gooey cheese paired with refried beans and pieces of crispy pork meld to create a luscious filling.

Whether the sun is rising or setting, I could scarf down one of their pupusas any time of day.

Plisch also has Salvadoran BBQ and other grilled meats on the menu. Now, these aren't your average pieces of cubed up carne asada thrown on a tortilla; it’s an experience.

A picture-perfect plate was set in front of me, featuring a thick corn tortilla covered in giant slices of carne asada, a side salad, casamientos, veggies and chorizo.

Here, Plisch uses a special marinade for the steak that is her mom’s secret. In fact, her mother barely shared the recipe with her.

I dug into the carne asada and took in all of its tastiness. The meat was cooked excellently, and you can taste the zest from the marinade, making the whole dish burst with flavor.

The side dishes also didn’t disappoint, each complementing the carne asada.

(DO NOT leave without trying their Salvadoran horchata — it tastes exactly like marzipan!)

Seeing people enjoy her food and come together to appreciate Salvadoran culture and flavors is why Plisch continues to serve up grade-A cuisine.

Though she may be in a whole new country, she can still be found where it all started for her: underneath a tent serving up food that makes customers hungry for more.