Papusa me!

Papusas are going to be my new tacos. $1.70 for a round of fried dough stuffed with cheese, chicken, and whatever else I like would totally take down a taco in any cart-side snack battle.

Quressa and I joined Gabe and his friends outside of El Rio. They were on their way to get food a few doors down, and we were going to join them, even after having eaten across the street at Cancun, where I had a very cheesy carne asada super quesadilla that was left unfinished. There were twelve of us and the restaurant was already filled with people, just like them, who had left El Rio in search of carbohydrates to soak up those cocktails. We had to split up, six on one side of the restaurant and six on another.

As everyone around me ordered in Spanish, I timidly ordered my single chicken papusa and Tecate (the only things that I knew would be able to find their way into my belly) in English with a meek voice that was somehow audible enough for the waitress to understand. We waited for our food and waited some more. We watched our friends across the room gobble up their plates of beans, rice, and whatever splendid edible else up as we satiated ourselves with chips and salsa. I was far from hungry but those chips looked so good and were so close. Gabe started to yell across the restaurant, people turned their heads, and a lovely bouquet of red roses was sent Gabe’s way when our food finally arrived.

My lone papusa on its plain white plate looked a bit sad. It was a pale tan color and I could see it glistening with the signs of fried dough. I cut it with my fork and dug in. The chicken was not of a sort that I’d usually eat. It had the look and consistency of what I would assume canned chicken would be, but I couldn’t figure out why anyone would purchase, serve, or eat canned chicken. I tried to not let it bother me as I took another bite. Gabe then suggested that I top it with the cabbage slaw. The cabbage slaw was crisp shreds of cabbaged tossed in a vinegar dressing. It was good on it’s own but even better with the papusa. The cool, acidic crunch of the cabbage worked well with the warm, salty chewiness of the papusa. I mmm’ed my whole way through that good-sized papusa and even some of Gabe’s. They were so tasty.

Also, in my journey to becoming an honorary gay Latina, I learned how to mix Tecate with lemon and salt to make a beer rather surprisingly similar to a hefeweizen. It sounds like an odd and disgusting combination but it was deliciously refreshing and vibrant. Tecate and papusa--one awesome $5 meal.