My family moved to downtown Jersey City when I was a kid in the 80s. As a result, I tend to cover downtown more than any other area because I know it like the back of my hand.
Recently, however, my favorite restaurants — the ones I’ve been most excited to eat at — have been located outside of downtown. I’m talking about small restaurants, which typically don’t have a presence on Instagram. Eateries that can’t afford a dedicated PR team.
So I’m kicking off a new column where I highlight an “under the radar” restaurant that I recommend. The first restaurant I’m spotlighting is El Rey del Sur in the Heights. It’s a tiny, family-run eatery dishing out excellent — and authentic — Central American food.
Part Salvadorean, Part Honduran
El Rey del Sur opened in late 2018/early 2019. The space is small with just a few tables and a TV.
The music at the restaurant is in Spanish, most of the staff/customers speak Spanish, and if they’re not showing fútbol — chances are you’re watching a Spanish telenovela.
But trust me when I say the food is excellent. I’ll start off with the pupusas. Pupusas are a staple at any Salvadorean restaurant. They’re thick, corn tortillas stuffed with cheese ($2.50), chicharrón (fried pork belly, $2.75), pork and cheese (revueltas, $2.75), cheese and beans ($2.75), or a mix of all three (mixta, $3).
I was born in New York, so as a kid I got exposed to a lot of Central American food (among other cuisines). My favorite spot for pupusas is El Izalco in Queens. El Rey del Sur comes very close to topping El Izalco.
Crispy, Cheese Pupusas
The pupusas at El Rey del Sur are made to order (expect the kitchen to take awhile if you order a few). They’re shaped and stuffed by hand and then grilled till golden brown on each side. I’m partial to the cheese pupusas, which are stuffed with quesillo, a stringy mozzarella-like cheese.
Served with a small side of curtido (spicy/fermented cabbage slaw) and tomato salsa, they’re excellent as an appetizer or as a meal if you order a stack of them. That crispy, burnt cheese is the highlight of any cheese pupusa. It’s like eating the crunchy corner of a grandma slice of pizza.
The chicharrón pupusas are good, but instead of using shredded pork belly, mine were stuffed with ground pork. Equally delicious, but a slightly different take, which causes the pupusa to break/rip easier than it should.
Seafood, Tamales, and More
Another dish I recommend is the Pargo (Red Snapper, $16). They lightly fry it and serve it with a few wedges of lime. (You have the option of adding rice and beans for an extra $1). The fish is perfectly crisp outside with juicy and tender meat on the inside. The accompanying rice and refried beans may look plain, but they’re a tasty side to the fish. (You can ask for a side of the tomato salsa to drizzle on the beans to give them a nice little kick).
On another occasion I had the Tamal Pisque ($2.75) — which is made with seasoned corn masa and stuffed with refried beans. It’s then wrapped in a banana leaf and steamed. The tamal is moist, just a little crumbly, and has the slightest hints of corn. It didn’t taste greasy, so my guess is they didn’t mix it with lard, but vegetarians should double check.
Also on the menu are tacos, soups, and churrasco (skirt steak).
El Rey del Sur offers local delivery in the Heights via Seamless and delivery to downtown via GrubHub. It’s a delicious slice of Central America right here in The Heights.
El Rey del Sur | 115 Bowers Street (btwn Central Ave. & Cambridge)
