I will be the first to admit that I’m not knowledgeable about Salvadoran food. I’ve been to a few restaurants and even a food truck that serves Central American pupusas, but that is the extent of my venture into their cuisine. I recently learned of Loroco Bistro and decided to visit them.
Loroco Bistro is located in South Whittier just north of Imperial Hwy. It looked like the owners renovated the building prior to their opening. The interior and exterior was freshly painted in bright colors. The interior was filled with booths. They added plexiglass partitions and bottles of hand sanitizer available for use.
Due to COVID-19, the operation transitioned to take-out only and despite my early 10:30 a.m. arrival on Sunday, a few people entered and placed orders. Each dish is made to order and it took approximately 35 minutes to receive my food. Despite English being her second language, the server managed to politely thank me for waiting.
Pastelitos are similar to empanadas, but are made with a lighter dough. They are available filled with chicken or beef, diced onions, and carrots and best paired with curtido, a Salvadoran tangy slaw and salsa.
The pupusa is the national dish of El Salvador. You can think of it as a round flatbread that is filled with various ingredients. The Pupusa Revuelta is their most popular and is filled with beans and cheese. Other pupusas are filled with cheese and other ingredients such as spinach, chiles, pumpkin or loroco, an edible flower. The majority of their pupusas are priced at $2.75 ea.
Some of their dishes are uniquely spelled. An example is their Carne Azada Salvadorena. This is essentially a Salvadoran version of carne asada. The skirt steak was perfectly grilled, tender and moist. It came with rice and black beans and a side salad. This is a terrific deal for only $11.95!
A surprise for me is to see Chaomin Salvadoreno ($10), their version of chow mein. While the flavor of the sauce didn’t quite match the Chinese version, it was still very tasty. Strips of beef, shrimp, squash, and carrots were tossed with the noodles.
Pinchos Pollo was another surprise. Seasoned chunks of chicken breast were skewered with green and red peppers, onions, celery, and tomatoes. This was served on a bed of white rice that was prepared with chicken broth. It included a side salad and a small serving of bean soup.
Before my visit, I noticed the inexpensive prices and didn’t anticipate that the portions would be large. Including the pupusas, each of the entrees was enough food for a very hungry person. The food is well prepared and despite placing them in styrofoam “to go” boxes, the presentation was quite remarkable.
Loroco Bistro is both delicious and a terrific bargain. I highly recommend them.
Loroco Bistro, 13344 Meyer Rd, Whittier, CA 90605; 562.358.4041
lorocobistro.com