Pupuseria La Familiar

Could it be? Someplace where I love the papusas AND the tamales?! I was craving chicken tamales and stumbled across La Familiar...and wished that it could've been sooner. They put a generous amount of chicken that had this delicious red sauce on it. Not sure what it's called but I loved it. They were thick, hot, and spiced beautifully. The elote tamales were, in a word, impeccable. They offered a fried option which was surprisingly delicious. The steamed ones set the bar pretty high yet here we are. Meeting and exceeding. You have the option of w/wo crema. The papusas were fluffy, filled just enough, and came with interesting fillings. I'm used to seeing pork, bean, and cheese. They offered squash (a touch of sweetness), bean and mint (literally blown away with how much I love this), and chipilin (adore). For context, Chipilin tastes like spinach and watercress had a baby. I noticed the cheese having a slight tang, but it wasn't off putting. Just different than other places I've tried. My only "gripe" (if you even want to call it that) was the curtido. It tasted good but something was off. Not off enough where I would avoid it, but it just wasn't the same. This is coming from someone who is extremely picky about that condiment. Not too fond of cabbage so maybe that's why. Now, the best for last...PASTELITOS! These amazing little pockets of happiness are stuffed with either chicken or beef and OMG OMG OMG. Every bite was pure happiness. It kinda reminded me of kibbeh.The handmade tortillas were amazing the next morning with some eggs and ricotta salata. So, if you're deciding on where to eat today, tomorrow, or next week...come here. I promise there will be something you love :D

Food was great. I'm glad they opened up here. I used to frequent the College Park location often during undergrad. Service was exceptional. The music selection is on point and I was vibing while eating pupusas. Will definitely come back here for more pupusas.