June 28, 2025 • 8 mins
My mate Don in Canberra shares with us the scoop on a well-loved food institution. For two and a half decades the same food stall has provided consistent comfort to Canberrans. Every Sunday at the Southside Farmers Market you can get your hands (and mouth) onto delicious pupusas and tamales at the El Salvador food stall.
Other yummy food to try in Canberra
Episode 10. Canberra x Burns Club (Kambah) & The Public Place (Chisholm)
Episode 7. Canberra x Brew Bar (Tuggeranong), Cartel Taqueria (Queanbeyan East) & Zaab (Braddon)
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Jaz (00:10):
Hey there, and welcome to this episode of My Mate In...
This podcast is a good vibesonly recommendation of nice
places to get something to eator to have a drink, and it gives
me an excuse to catch up withgood value folks I haven't
actually had a chance to speakto in a while, I am absolutely
(00:33):
thrilled to be able to be herewith my mate, Don, from
Canberra. Hey there, Don.
Don (00:38):
Hello. How's it going?
Jaz (00:40):
It's going good. Do you know that it's crazy that we
were at each other's sixteenthbirthday parties?
Don (00:46):
I forgot that fact. That's crazy. Actually, maybe I do
remember it now.
It's going back to me now. Yes.
Jaz (00:59):
So so pleased to have an excuse to have a chat with you
and and to hear about a placethat, you know, means a lot to
you or that you really like inCanberra. I believe it's at the
Southside Markets. Set the scenefor us.
Don (01:14):
Yeah. So at the Southside Farmers Markets in Canberra near
Phillip, there's a Salvadorianfood stand that sells pupusas,
which are these cornbread basedpancakey things with beans and
cheese in them, covered in abeautiful chilli sauce involving
coriander. It's kind of like theclosest thing we have to
(01:36):
religion because we go therealmost every Sunday to eat them
and have been doing that forabout sixteen years. And yeah,
it all goes back to when wefirst moved to Canberra in 2008.
There was something called theGorman House Market, which was
in Braddon on the North Sidenear the main city area.
And that's where the food stallwas back then, way back when,
(02:00):
which is seventeen years ago.There's this old man there, I
don't even know his name, andhis wife. And they make these
beautiful cheese and beanpupusas, which are just
amazingly delicious. Yeah, onthis old barbecue that's two
metres wide and it's the samebarbecue, it's been the same
barbecue all these years.Nothing has changed about it in
the last seventeen years.
Actually, they've been makingthem for longer than that.
(02:22):
They've been making them for, Ithink, twenty six years, he
said. The only thing that'schanged is they've moved from
the Gorman House markets in theNorth to the South Side Markets
in the South. I think there areprobably thousands of Cambarians
who know and love pupusas fromthe Salvadorian food stall. And
yeah, we're just some of thosepeople, but everyone should try
them.
They're amazing.
Jaz (02:42):
So quite an institution for Canberra, but also, it sounds
like, for you.
Don (02:47):
Yeah.
Jaz (02:47):
How did you originally find them? Did you just kind of
stumble across? Or...
Don (02:52):
Yeah. There was just, you know, it was like a very humble
little market, and there waslike a gozleme stand and like a
taco stand or whatever, likejust various food stalls, we
just kind of tried them. Andthey were yum. And we were like,
yum, that's so good. And then wejust kind of kept going back to
them.
And they're just really, reallygood. I can't really... It's
also the simplicity of it,I think. Like, it's just this, I
think there are two things onthe menu. You can either get a
(03:13):
pupusa or a tamale. I've neveractually tried the tamales.
Just I started with the pupusasand have had them for seventeen
years. Yeah. Anyway, so Iprobably had, I don't know,
I could do the maths on it, butat least a thousand of them over
my life. So yeah, very good.
Jaz (03:34):
So when you order the pupusa, is it like the kind of
food market kind of stallsituation where it's like, this
is how it comes, or is therecustomization? Do you have any
recommendations of how peopleshould order?
Don (03:52):
Yeah. So I think you can get cheese and bean ones, and
you can get spinach and cheese.I think that's the only two
options. There might be otherones. You sort of just get in
this very long line of peoplebecause there's always a long
line of people who want them.
And then you just basically justsay "cheese and beans", and then
he just knows what you mean.Then at this stage, I just say
(04:13):
"two cheese and beans", and thenI just transfer him because I
know his bank details nowbecause it's like cash only, but
he's he's given me his bankdetails, so I just do a transfer
now. It's like intravenouspupusa, just like set up. I
always ask for extra chillisauce and the chilli sauce has
(04:35):
coriander and it's got thisbeautiful fresh tomatoey chilli
coriander, beautiful spiciness.They're about 15 centimeters in
diameter and they're verycrispy.
There's like burnt cheesedripping out of the edges of it.
And they're very crispy and it'slike kind of crispied up cheesy
(04:55):
bean corn pancake with, like,little pockets of cheese and
bean throughout it. They gotmelted and then covered in,
like, this beautiful chilisauce, it's just, yeah,
ineffable. Yeah.
Jaz (05:09):
Sounds amazing. Especially in winter. Real comfort, warm
food.
Don (05:14):
Yeah. But also summer, I feel, because it's like a
summery vibe as well. Any funtime really.
Jaz (05:19):
The freshness is the coriander and stuff?
Don (05:21):
Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. They're definitely an
institution. There would bethousands of Canberrans who know
and love pupusas and the familywho run it.
I think they're getting a biton, they're getting older. I
feel like they deserve a statue,and eventually just like a
statue of him holding a spatulaand a pupusa. I feel like that
would be warranted, such is theextent of their awesomeness in
(05:43):
the community. You know? Like,half the like, quarter century
of, like, providing this amazingfood.
That's what I think.
Jaz (05:49):
Yeah. Yeah. I think that's awesome. It's part of what I
love about doing this podcast isfood is so important, and it's
an important in-family thing,but it also connects us. Even if
you don't know the other peoplestanding in line, you have this
shared appreciation and ritual,and that creates a sense of
(06:09):
community.
It's actually really beautiful.
Don (06:12):
Yeah. I guess the constancy of it over so many decades, just
like nothing has changed aboutit. Like, it's the same spatula,
it's the same barbecue, it's theexact same food item, and they
just churn them out and everyoneloves them and nothing's changed
about it. I think that's,there's something nice about, in
such a quick, ever changingworld, to have something that's
(06:34):
so consistent and nostalgic andyummy and heartwarming is nice.
Jaz (06:39):
Agreed.
Don (06:40):
It's like some kind of grounding thing. Yeah.
Jaz (06:42):
Oh, I love that. I'm gonna try.
Don (06:44):
Excellent. Do it.
Jaz (06:45):
I'm gonna try and hopefully I can make it there... It's like
I'm getting this sense whereyou're you know, the thing that
you're sharing with listeners islike, it's been there for a long
time. It's awesome, but it's notalways gonna be there. So go and
support it and try it.
Don (06:59):
Yeah. And they might be passing it down a generation or
something because I think thekids are there helping them
sometimes. For anyone listening,it's the Southside Farmers
Market in Canberra, and thestand is called I think the
stand's name is just ElSalvador, and then they've got
this picture of a TropicalVolcano Island or whatever. And
(07:20):
then they just have this bigbarbecue and they're selling
pupusas and tamales.
Jaz (07:24):
Amazing. Anything else you want to say before we round out?
Don (07:29):
Yeah, I recommend ordering extra chilli sauce on the
pupusa. And yeah, the cheese andbean option is my favorite.
Yeah, cash only, unless you havehis bank details. If we can put
in the show notes maybe, no? Iprobably wouldn't do that
actually.
Jaz (07:50):
But it's a good mention. I'll do... I I'm not sure if
this place in particular willhave an online presence, but if
they do, I'll make sure I linkit in the show notes.
Don (08:00):
Yeah. I think the farmer's market event has a Facebook
page.
Jaz (08:05):
Beautiful.
Don (08:06):
That's pretty much all there is to be said. I think the
rest is just up to people to gothere and try them.
Jaz (08:10):
I love that. Thanks so much, Don. Absolute pleasure to
to have chat with you and tohear all about these delicious
pupusa.
Don (08:18):
My pleasure. Great to talk.
Hey there, and welcome to this episode of My Mate In...
This podcast is a good vibesonly recommendation of nice
places to get something to eator to have a drink, and it gives
me an excuse to catch up withgood value folks I haven't
actually had a chance to speakto in a while, I am absolutely
(00:33):
thrilled to be able to be herewith my mate, Don, from
Canberra. Hey there, Don.
Don (00:38):
Hello. How's it going?
Jaz (00:40):
It's going good. Do you know that it's crazy that we
were at each other's sixteenthbirthday parties?
Don (00:46):
I forgot that fact. That's crazy. Actually, maybe I do
remember it now.
It's going back to me now. Yes.
Jaz (00:59):
So so pleased to have an excuse to have a chat with you
and and to hear about a placethat, you know, means a lot to
you or that you really like inCanberra. I believe it's at the
Southside Markets. Set the scenefor us.
Don (01:14):
Yeah. So at the Southside Farmers Markets in Canberra near
Phillip, there's a Salvadorianfood stand that sells pupusas,
which are these cornbread basedpancakey things with beans and
cheese in them, covered in abeautiful chilli sauce involving
coriander. It's kind of like theclosest thing we have to
(01:36):
religion because we go therealmost every Sunday to eat them
and have been doing that forabout sixteen years. And yeah,
it all goes back to when wefirst moved to Canberra in 2008.
There was something called theGorman House Market, which was
in Braddon on the North Sidenear the main city area.
And that's where the food stallwas back then, way back when,
(02:00):
which is seventeen years ago.There's this old man there, I
don't even know his name, andhis wife. And they make these
beautiful cheese and beanpupusas, which are just
amazingly delicious. Yeah, onthis old barbecue that's two
metres wide and it's the samebarbecue, it's been the same
barbecue all these years.Nothing has changed about it in
the last seventeen years.
Actually, they've been makingthem for longer than that.
(02:22):
They've been making them for, Ithink, twenty six years, he
said. The only thing that'schanged is they've moved from
the Gorman House markets in theNorth to the South Side Markets
in the South. I think there areprobably thousands of Cambarians
who know and love pupusas fromthe Salvadorian food stall. And
yeah, we're just some of thosepeople, but everyone should try
them.
They're amazing.
Jaz (02:42):
So quite an institution for Canberra, but also, it sounds
like, for you.
Don (02:47):
Yeah.
Jaz (02:47):
How did you originally find them? Did you just kind of
stumble across? Or...
Don (02:52):
Yeah. There was just, you know, it was like a very humble
little market, and there waslike a gozleme stand and like a
taco stand or whatever, likejust various food stalls, we
just kind of tried them. Andthey were yum. And we were like,
yum, that's so good. And then wejust kind of kept going back to
them.
And they're just really, reallygood. I can't really... It's
also the simplicity of it,I think. Like, it's just this, I
think there are two things onthe menu. You can either get a
(03:13):
pupusa or a tamale. I've neveractually tried the tamales.
Just I started with the pupusasand have had them for seventeen
years. Yeah. Anyway, so Iprobably had, I don't know,
I could do the maths on it, butat least a thousand of them over
my life. So yeah, very good.
Jaz (03:34):
So when you order the pupusa, is it like the kind of
food market kind of stallsituation where it's like, this
is how it comes, or is therecustomization? Do you have any
recommendations of how peopleshould order?
Don (03:52):
Yeah. So I think you can get cheese and bean ones, and
you can get spinach and cheese.I think that's the only two
options. There might be otherones. You sort of just get in
this very long line of peoplebecause there's always a long
line of people who want them.
And then you just basically justsay "cheese and beans", and then
he just knows what you mean.Then at this stage, I just say
(04:13):
"two cheese and beans", and thenI just transfer him because I
know his bank details nowbecause it's like cash only, but
he's he's given me his bankdetails, so I just do a transfer
now. It's like intravenouspupusa, just like set up. I
always ask for extra chillisauce and the chilli sauce has
(04:35):
coriander and it's got thisbeautiful fresh tomatoey chilli
coriander, beautiful spiciness.They're about 15 centimeters in
diameter and they're verycrispy.
There's like burnt cheesedripping out of the edges of it.
And they're very crispy and it'slike kind of crispied up cheesy
(04:55):
bean corn pancake with, like,little pockets of cheese and
bean throughout it. They gotmelted and then covered in,
like, this beautiful chilisauce, it's just, yeah,
ineffable. Yeah.
Jaz (05:09):
Sounds amazing. Especially in winter. Real comfort, warm
food.
Don (05:14):
Yeah. But also summer, I feel, because it's like a
summery vibe as well. Any funtime really.
Jaz (05:19):
The freshness is the coriander and stuff?
Don (05:21):
Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. They're definitely an
institution. There would bethousands of Canberrans who know
and love pupusas and the familywho run it.
I think they're getting a biton, they're getting older. I
feel like they deserve a statue,and eventually just like a
statue of him holding a spatulaand a pupusa. I feel like that
would be warranted, such is theextent of their awesomeness in
(05:43):
the community. You know? Like,half the like, quarter century
of, like, providing this amazingfood.
That's what I think.
Jaz (05:49):
Yeah. Yeah. I think that's awesome. It's part of what I
love about doing this podcast isfood is so important, and it's
an important in-family thing,but it also connects us. Even if
you don't know the other peoplestanding in line, you have this
shared appreciation and ritual,and that creates a sense of
(06:09):
community.
It's actually really beautiful.
Don (06:12):
Yeah. I guess the constancy of it over so many decades, just
like nothing has changed aboutit. Like, it's the same spatula,
it's the same barbecue, it's theexact same food item, and they
just churn them out and everyoneloves them and nothing's changed
about it. I think that's,there's something nice about, in
such a quick, ever changingworld, to have something that's
(06:34):
so consistent and nostalgic andyummy and heartwarming is nice.
Jaz (06:39):
Agreed.
Don (06:40):
It's like some kind of grounding thing. Yeah.
Jaz (06:42):
Oh, I love that. I'm gonna try.
Don (06:44):
Excellent. Do it.
Jaz (06:45):
I'm gonna try and hopefully I can make it there... It's like
I'm getting this sense whereyou're you know, the thing that
you're sharing with listeners islike, it's been there for a long
time. It's awesome, but it's notalways gonna be there. So go and
support it and try it.
Don (06:59):
Yeah. And they might be passing it down a generation or
something because I think thekids are there helping them
sometimes. For anyone listening,it's the Southside Farmers
Market in Canberra, and thestand is called I think the
stand's name is just ElSalvador, and then they've got
this picture of a TropicalVolcano Island or whatever. And
(07:20):
then they just have this bigbarbecue and they're selling
pupusas and tamales.
Jaz (07:24):
Amazing. Anything else you want to say before we round out?
Don (07:29):
Yeah, I recommend ordering extra chilli sauce on the
pupusa. And yeah, the cheese andbean option is my favorite.
Yeah, cash only, unless you havehis bank details. If we can put
in the show notes maybe, no? Iprobably wouldn't do that
actually.
Jaz (07:50):
But it's a good mention. I'll do... I I'm not sure if
this place in particular willhave an online presence, but if
they do, I'll make sure I linkit in the show notes.
Don (08:00):
Yeah. I think the farmer's market event has a Facebook
page.
Jaz (08:05):
Beautiful.
Don (08:06):
That's pretty much all there is to be said. I think the
rest is just up to people to gothere and try them.
Jaz (08:10):
I love that. Thanks so much, Don. Absolute pleasure to
to have chat with you and tohear all about these delicious
pupusa.
Don (08:18):
My pleasure. Great to talk.
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