What started off as a pop-up has grown into a full service restaurant which has gotten recognition from several media outlets.
Not only was Popoca featured in the San Francisco Chronicle but was also listed on Bon Appétit’s “The 20 Best New Restaurants of 2024” which is pretty cool for Oakland’s dining scene. Chef Anthony Salguero did numerous pop-ups before opening his brick and mortar location in 2023 where he pays homage to his Salvadoran roots while incorporating Californian cuisine.
Popoca has a fun bar program so I knew I had to try one of their cocktails.
Pina Loca (Bacardi Ocho, Overproof Rum, Pineapple, Cream of Coconut, Coconut Whipped Cream, Relajo).
This is one of their signature cocktails which serves two and it was quite delicious and slightly boozy. I especially loved the whipped coconut cream topped with relajo, a Salvadoran spice mix. Since Tommaso and I don’t drink often, this was more than enough for us to share.
Their menu isn’t very large so we were able to try multiple dishes.
Ceviche de Atun (7/10).
We started off with the big-eye tuna ceviche with tomato, cucumber, and radish on top of a crispy tortilla. While ceviche should be acidic, it felt a little unbalanced as it needed something to offset the acidity.
Guaca-mol (8.5/10).
This was their take on guacamole with herbs, asiento (pork oil), and smoked egg yolk shavings served with a warm tortilla. It might look unassuming but it was on of my favorite dishes of the night.
Pupusas (9/10).
The strongest dish of the meal was the pupusas. We got one with Jimmy Nardello peppers and cheese and the other with oyster mushrooms and cheese. While these were delicious, I wish they had brought these out later as a main dish.
Tamal Pisques (Did Not Try).
Tommaso got the mushroom tamal with peppers, black beans, salsa roja, and cheese. He said it was good but not mind blowing.
Pollo “Campero” (7.5/10).
While these chicken wings were super crispy, they were so difficult to eat. I definitely would have preferred if they were broken down into smaller pieces. The pickled vegetables added a necessary acidic component while their homemade hot sauce added some heat without being overpowering.
Yuca Con Anchoa (8/10).
This was another favorite of the night. The fried yuca pieces were piping hot and topped with cream cheese, marinated anchovy, and salsa seco. Since this was a small appetizer, I would have preferred if this came out earlier along with the ceviche.
Green Beans (7.5/10).
The last dish to arrive was the green beans which I wish came out with the pupusas or the tamal. They were dressed in a salsa negra with Queso and with a pickled egg.
While service was friendly, I could tell they were understaffed, an ongoing issue within the restaurant business. Perhaps the kitchen was also understaffed as well since there were some lags in between dishes and I also didn’t care for how they coursed out the dishes. A lot of the smaller and lighter dishes such as the yuca with anchovy and the green beans should have come out earlier while the pupusas, tamal, and fried chicken should have come out towards the end of the meal. Of course I’m being nitpicky but this does play a part in the overall dining experience. While Popoca is worth trying, there are some kinks that still need to be worked out so my rating is a 7-7.5/10.