Hidden-gem pupusa spot Eben-Ezer opens in Oceanside
Bistec encebollados or peppered steak is a specialty at Eben-Ezer in Oceanside. Credit: Newsday/Andi Berlin
There are only a few tables Eben-Ezer, a charming new Salvadoran spot in Oceanside. But what the place lacks in space, it makes up for in hospitality; service is friendly and inviting. And the deli makes a mighty fine pupusa.
Owner Sandra Gomez said the name is a bible reference to "the stone of help," which also refers to Jesus. Originally from Santa Ana, El Salvador, Gomez opened her first restaurant in Inwood in 2011 after working two jobs as a house cleaner and selling watches at Macy's. With not much money, she found herself working all hours of the day to keep the restaurant open and eventually moved to a new location in Oceanside.
"God put me in a higher place, so that's why we're closed on Sundays--because we go to church," she said.
The new shop has a small deli at the front, but you can also order from a menu that includes Central American classics like sopa de mondongo or beef tripe soup ($13) and fritters made from deep-fried palm flowers and green beans ($13).
Every meal starts with a basket of toasted Central American tortilla chips, a precursor of the deliciousness to come. The thick chips are warm to the touch and snackable when dipped in a mild tomato salsa. They are even more satisfying when slathered in refried black beans, which come as a side dish with many plates. Order the beans with bistec encebollado, tender strips of steak bathed in a reddish sauce with peppers and onions. It's a classic recipe that's found all over Central America, but executed well here, and thoughtfully presented alongside a square pyramid of rice and ripe avocado slices.
Pupusas at Eben-Ezer II restaurant in Oceanside. Credit: Newsday/Andi Berlin
Or you could go straight for the pupusas. The griddled cakes are just thick enough to give each bite a hearty corn flavor, and just thin and crispy enough to highlight the cheesy center. For $3.50 apiece, you can get them stuffed with ingredients like beans or Salvadoran loroco flower. The spicy "loco" pupusa gets its heat from jalapeños.
Eben-Ezer, 230c Atlantic Ave., Oceanside, 516-226-3107. Open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, closed Sunday.
Andi Berlin is from Arizona and does not know where she is going. But when she gets there, she’ll find something beautiful and delicious that the world needs to taste.
