by The Great Foodini

The only place I can find authentic Honduran food in this part of the world is at Dona Blanca Pupuseria in Gulfport. Some would ask, so what. The reason for my excitement for sharing this place with you is that if you haven’t had an authentic pupusa, then you haven’t lived.

Pupusa’s, pardon the unfortunate name in English are simply thick, handmade corn tortillas filled with your choice of beans and cheese or chicken or fried pork rinds (my favorite) or just plain cheese or what is called mixtas, which is a blend of pork, beans and cheese. If I had to liken the importance of this dish to the culture of Honduras or El Salvador, I would put them up there with the same importance cornbread or biscuits in the south….pork rind pupusas and gravy….gonna try that one soon.

Don’t expect Mexican or Tex Mex when you come here, you won’t get it. You won’t be disappointed though. If you order Honduran tacos…they aren’t the Americanized version with the flour tortillas. These might be a new habit for you if you give them a chance. Honduran tacos are fried, rolled corn tortillas stuffed with chieck or shredded beef covered with cabbage, cheese and drizzled with Honduran sauce, which I believe is tomato based, but I can’t confirm it due to a bit of a language barrier and some nonsense about a family recipe. Instead of the Honduran sauce, I like to drizzle cheese sauce because hey, I’m American and that’s how we roll. Cheese on everything.

Besides the pupusas, my favorite might be the Baleadas, Dona Blana, which are fresh handmade flour tortillas with steak, eggs, cheese, beans and avocado. A close second is the Baleadas with beans, eggs with chorizo and cheese. If you have never had chorizo and eggs. Go to your local Walmart, buy chorizo. Cook it and crack a bunch of eggs in it and then eat it in a burrito. Life changing.

I am a plantain fan, the tajadas de platano verde con carne molida is a bunch of plantain slices topped with ground beef, cabbage, onions, dry cheese all dressed in Honduran sauce. This dish is for someone who really wants to taste the culture. You won’t find this dish in any other restaurant round these parts.

For dessert, try the Platanos Maduros con Frijoles/Crema. This is simply fried plantains with beans and cream….trust me. Sounds weird, but trust me.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or comments at (228)224-6781 or editor@thegazebogazette.com.