Papalote Mexican Grill
3409 24th Street
(between Poplar St & Valencia St)
San Francisco, CA 94110 (415) 970-8815
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Fri-Sat 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Sun 11:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
89 reviews
Neighborhood: Mission
"Can you believe, right on crack alley near all of the indigents, there is this unbelievable gem. A typical El Salvadorian menu, I think…" read more »
556 Reviews for Papalote Mexican Grill
What I like about Papalote is that it's feel like a Mission taqueria, but with an added sense of attention to cleanliness and service. The people that work here are friendly and if you treat them with some respect, they'll bend over backwards for you because they want you to walk away happy.
I'm thankful that Papalote has baby burritos, at a lesser price than the regular burritos. This allows me to have a tostada or taco while still enjoying my burrito and not have to leave anything on my place.
With so many choices of great Mexican foods nearby, Papalote has earned a place on Mission Street.
Papa made me fat what with all his yummy burritos and guac.
Even man boobs don't make me quit eating my favorite Papa.
Maybe I go gym so to make man boobs A-cup and still eat Lote. Success!
That pork thingy dish (horse testicles) me like best.
Salsa I like more than best. But I ask for more, they no give me. No they change policy and now make charge on me. I say - "I don't pay" - I just take it. "Hey lady, Look! Your donkey gets loose and run away down Valencia!" I Grab Salsa for myself.
Success!
Jagshemash!
I love me the chapotole with chips and the chicken mole burrito. This is by far the best burrito/gourmet mexican food in the city. Seriously. I shit you not.
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In our fair city, innocent chat about who makes the best burrito can spiral into passionate debate. It's like religion or politics: sometimes it's better not to know how someone feels, because you could end up losing all respect for them.
So let's get something straight: yeah, you got me. Papalote does not resemble any kind of Taqueria you'd find south of the border. But that's OK with me, cause I don't eat meat. Especially not meat that's been stored in a car trunk and grilled on a dusty street corner. And Papalote has all kinds of crazy delicious vegan options: marinated tofu, tofu mole (HOLY CRAP!!!) and soyrizo. And for a mere dollar you can go flossy flossy and make it a super (cheese, sour cream and guac).
The wait can get long, especially after the Bart commuters unload. But I hadn't had mole sauce since Michael Jackson was cute, and to be able to again enjoy this delightfully rich and chocolately deliciousness, I would do anything. You heard me.
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God do I love Papalote. To the extent that I sometimes have to stop myself from flying to SFO to lunch. I was pointed here by a dear friend months ago, and her suggestion was bolstered - deservingly so - by the reviews here. Boy am I glad that I made that trip!
My favorite thing to order is the Chicken Mole. Now, I'm no mole-expert, but I enjoy the hell out of this one. The salsa is pretty much the best salsa I've ever had. I even tried to mail myself a few jars (Goddamn you, FedEx!). I am to understand that the soy-rizo is excellent, also, but I'm stuck on the mole. Add a mexican Coke to the mix, and it's perfect.
Atmosphere wise, I really dig the place, too. it's small, but clean and comfortable. It doesn't feel super-hip inside, nor is it some filthy shithole. It's also very conveniently located to my favorite mode of mass-transport, BART.
If you can't tell, I love Papalote. I think it's reputation is well-deserved, and you should at least check it out once.
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omg - the salsa!
omg - this line!
omg - that was quick!
omg - this chicken mole quesadilla!
omg, omg, omg, omg.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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05/30/2008
The black bean dip. Need I say more? I think not.
P.S. This place actually got written up in the… Read more »
Walking by this place on a breezy afternoon, I noticed quite a stir circulating on the inside of this "drama-red" interior. I made a note of returning that day.
Papalote's is divided into two parts, one room has the cashier and restaurant, while the other is a small dining area. This is a good combination for those who just to order to go or eat in.
The menu is a dose of familiar with the more ethnic cuisine recipes. I ordered a chicken mole taco dish ($5.25, two tacos). The tortilla of the tacos are about ten inches diameter. The soft tortilla is topped with shredded chicken, tomatoes, and lettuce, with a rich brown colored mole. Oddly enough there is also a side onion salad that's about the small size of half a scoop. The best part of the tacos is of course the mole - rich, flavorful, and well balanced. The worst part would have to be the chicken itself - dry, stringy, and jerky-like. Luckily, the chicken is drenched in mole. If the chicken was moist, these tacos would definitely be knocked up a notch.
Served alongside every dish are some tortilla chips and salsa. The chips aren't anything to write home about. The salsa really reminds me of San Jose's La Victoria "Orange Sauce". I'm not a fan of this sauce since it's over the top with the spicy heat. It tastes like it has some sort of artificial heat to it, but I could be wrong.
___
The tacos hit the spot. I would be interested to see how their other dishes fared. Hopefully the other meats aren't as dry.
Tried the fish burrito on the recommendation of Jeremiah W. and was not dissapointed. I was skeptical that you would be able to taste the fish, but it was excellent. The salsa was also good and unique, but I wish it were spicier.
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I had to check out Papalote after hearing my friends rave and rave.
It was 7:30pm on a Thursday night and there was a line out the door. The place is broken up into two sections - a dining room and the order line where you order to dine-in or take-out.
It's the same ingredients across the board that you can get in quesadilla, burrito and taco? form. Some very tasty-sounding vegetarian options.
I ordered the super soyrizo burrito. Super = $.99 = sour cream, guacamole, etc etc.
And I did not regret it one bit. IT WAS SO GOOD. Down to the last bite that I knew I shouldn't have had but couldn't help myself.
The wait was horrific as I had enough time to order, wait five minutes, leave the place to go to my friend's house to pick up some dishes, clean those dishes and come back and STILL wait another ten minutes. But it was well worth it.
Papalote FTW!
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This place is pretty damn good. The soyrizo burrito is great (and I'm not veggie), the mole is great, and steak is good. The shrimp isn't as good as La Corneta, but this is a great place for burrito diversity if you're sick of the same old ricy overstuff in the mission. It 's also nice when you don't feel like falling into the mexi-coma before you even get home (aka reasonable portions)...
I love the crispiness of the tortilla around my burrito!! The chips and salsa is SOOOO good that I have a hard time not getting full off of it before my burrito even gets here. But even still, I'd finish my burrito until I have to stand up so my stomach can expand some more. Free water is a plus, walking distance from USF is a plus, fast and great service is a plus. Only minus are the chairs. Not quite comfy.
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To those who decry the lack of salsa choices at Papalote, I say why waste a bunch of little plastic cups on substandard sauces when you could have a single, stainless steel cup of the best?
This is truly the height of California-style Mexican fast food in the Mission.
I can take vegans, dieters, and people that won't eat tacos from a truck in Fruitvale (my personal favorite) here and I still get to eat pretty well. I'm a little old-school with the Mexican food. I like a torta so greasy the bun's almost transparent and tacos loaded with pleasure-nubbed lengua. Even so, the relatively light and uber-fresh food at Papalote agrees with my belly, my wallet, and my more sensitive, less lard-loving friends.
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Papalote is in my speed dial.
I am sure that there are many tasty tasty things that they make at Papalote. But the Super Soyrizo Burrito is SO good that I can't bring myself to order anything else.
I always have a really hard time because the salsa is also SO good... and I want to fill up on chips and salsa before the burrito comes and then it's even harder to finish the whole thing. If I go alone next time, and no one's looking, perhaps I'll just drink the salsa and skip the chips...
Seriously though, it is often distressing to me because I wish I could eat a whole super burrito without getting to the pants unbuttoning level of stuffed-ness. Don't get me wrong, I still eat the whole thing, it's hard to stop, I just deal with the consequences.
I have also tried the vegan mole tacos which were a tad salty but super yummy and the mole burrito which was a little drippy but good also.
I wish it were open later than 10.
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The best part about this place is their salsa. The salsa is both sweet and spicy at the time. The tacos are good but a little too healthy tasting (bland) for me. If you like doing the healthy thing or are a vegetarian, you'll like this place a lot but if you're looking to have a delicious greasy burrito, pack on a few pounds, and schedule in a nice nap afterwards, I would recommend looking elsewhere.
So Papalote is literally the closest restaurant to my house. I admit to eating here at least once a week. The fish tacos are fantastic. I love that there are lots of other non-lard/veggie options--that's the main reason to come here. If you want a big fatty burrito, they are good here, but probably better elsewhere and you don't need to go far...
People rave about the salsa, I personally am not into it. Does it have cream in it? My friend visiting from New York thought it tasted like Doritios--I agree.
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Two random people I met on the N line recommended this place (hey, the N might be good for something after all). The carne asada quesadilla is amazing. The wait took FOREVER, but to be fair there were about a bazillion orders before mine. Chips and salsa were good. I might venture out to the Mission more often, now that I've been exposed to some decent Mexican food.
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Papalote is my favorite burrito place in the Bay Area by a long shot! They have so many vegetarian options, including the phenomenal grilled veggie burrito (potatoes and carrots!) and the equally amazing soyrizo burrito (soy chorizo!). Make sure to order things "super" so that they come with sour cream/guac/etc.
They don't cook veggie stuff (beans, rice, vegetables) with lard, so all is fair game for vegetarians. I love that the burritos are a bit healthier than the standard Mission taqueria, so I don't feel quite as terrible when I leave.
The salsa is fantastic--people come for the salsa alone! The bean dip is yet another thing to rave about. I love this place. Best burritos ever.
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Phone Conversation:
Me: I would like to order fish taco's with extra salsa.
Papalote: Anything else?
Me: Yes, I didn't get my extra salsa yesterday so I'd like you to not charge me for it today.
Papalote: We can't do that, sir.
Me: Wha? I still have the receipt from yesterday.
Papalote: You have to bring the bag back so we can check.
Me: Cancel my order, then.
In fact, cancel my next 100 orders. That is how many time's I've eaten there in the last couple years. There is a kid there who always - and I mean *always* comes up short on my orders. I guess he doesn't like me. Oh well.
Papalote. Decent food. But, be on your best behavior, or they won't let you eat it.
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Would've given zero stars, but the review page wouldn't let me leave it blank.
Two of the three times I've visited Papalote, I've been treated with attitudes ranging from indifference to downright rudeness by the staff. One would say this isn't against the law, but in this case, it is. The two times I did eat the food, it wasn't all that great. It's definitely not worth being treated so poorly.
Here's the deal: We have a 4.5 lb. chihuahua, who's registered with the State Of California as an assistance animal, and we have the appropriate medallion which represents that fact. Our dog is very sweet, quiet, and clean, and never leaves the shoulder bag we use to carry her in when we are out to eat in a restaurant.
The last two times I've visited this place, I encountered very strong opposition to my having the dog inside at all. Glares, frowns, stone faces ensued. Then the statement that I must order to go only. They do have a sign up that says either "No Dogs" or "No Pets"--not sure which, and they apparently have nothing better to do than harbor an idea that they themselves can control something like state law. It is required by California State law that eating and drinking establishments MUST allow licensed assistance and service animals
to accompany their guests.
Last night, the staff at Papalote actually took the money of our four friends ahead of us in line, then said in no uncertain terms that since it was now exactly 9:45pm, all subsequent orders would have to be to go. We said "oh, but we're all together--we're six people". She said no. We protested. She said "you should have told me before that you were six people". Okay, you're being ridiculous...We, the two people left standing there, waiting to order food could see our other friends sitting there in the dining area. We were the two left standing there, not being served-- I am sure of it--because of the fact that we had a dog with us, NOT because it was the stroke of 9:45. We came in all together, after all!
My girlfriend was quite upset by this treatment and promptly left the place. When our other friend discovered we were being refused service, he (a very loyal Papalote customer and advertiser) was upset too, and asked for his money back, which they refused to give him. He had paid for two burritos, and had just ordered them. Still, they refused to return his money for food not made. Also, Papalote doesn't give receipts with your order, so friend has no way to prove he got ripped off. Given all this, our loyal Papalote customer friend vowed never to return to the restaurant.
It's a competitive market out there these days, kids, and this kind of uppity bullshit won't stand. We know a lot of people, and we will spread the word about being treated badly there.
I've contacted the appropriate agencies, and Papalote will be reported for discrimination.
The salsa and the grilled chicken are my favorites. It gets incredibly crowded after yoga tree lets out in the evening. Also I live dangerously close which has led suspicious bulging in key areas of my body, and I'm not saying a boner. Well maybe.
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P-lote is a good burrito, but by no means is it great. For SF, this is definitely one of the top three burritos i have had (i made the two burritos that were better), but it is in no way worth the money you will spend on it. I guess its normal for SF carne asada burritos to not come with guacamole, but where i come from, that is an integral part of the burrito! To get a carne asada burrito with guacamole will cost you near 8 bucks... for that i would rather buy 15 frozen burritos at Lucky's, they're almost as good! P-lote does have very good salsa, congrats...
"Son of a bitch Riggs!"
Danny Glover
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mad props for feeding my department on e-day.
the food was yummy, and not to mention we had a huge variety of it!
it was like a plethora of quesdillas, i was so happy.
beef, chicken, soyrizo, veggie...
i liked the veggie the best.
i haven't actually been inside the restaurant itself, my co-worker picked up the food and brought it back to work.
Papalote's, I SALUTE YOU! Thank you for supporting our hardworking department. =)
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I hath my friends who go ape shit for this place. Flipping ape shit. They say "Braden you MUST go to Paplote- it's the best Mexican food in the Mission, the best Mexican food in the CITY!" So - I grab a foodie friend of mine who also hasn't tried this place and we bee-bop over there. It's conviently close to BART and it smells great when you walk in the door.
So my foodie friend "foodgasms" over the fish tacos- she says- 4 stars- I say 3 because I don't do fish, and even though the food is cheap - for SF standards, my food was blah, bland, and just not impressive enough to rock the vote as the "Best Mexican" food in SF.
Salsa was actually the best I have tasted in SF. We have an issue with salsa in the city folks. There IS NO GOOD SALSA here- ok, well, there's GOOD salsa, but is there AMAZING APE SHIT salsa!???? If you've found it PLEASE let me know!
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the best burrito in san francisco hands down. definitely not your typical mission taqueria and that's why it's awesome. lots of veggie options, killer hot sauce and guacamole, and they never ever mess up your order. if you just drop in and order you'll have to wait a while for your food, so is best to call ahead or eat in!
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I don't understand why my friends like this place.
Mediocre food.
Nasty, "you're lucky to be eating here" attitude & not worth the price.
There are TONS better within blocks.
One of the best vegetarian burritos I've ever had! Everything was delicious. The salsa kicked ass too.
5 stars for their fish tacos!!
3 stars for everything else.
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The camarones quesadilla is the only thing I get here because it's so damn good. As is the salsa you get with the chips. Can't vouch for the rest, but I'm hooked.
I wanted to not like it, I really did. I heard about the elitist attitude the people who work here have. I walk by every day and see the ridiculously long lines and tons of people ALWAYS waiting, but in my quest to find the best burrito spot in the mission I had to try it. When I walked by and the front door wasn't overflowing with hungry San Franciscans I knew it was now or never. I ordered a Carne Asada Super Burrito. "Do you mind waiting 20 minutes?" she asks. What? For a burrito?! But they are supposed to be good... "Uhm, OK..." So I walked around the corner to my house and waited patiently for the 20 minutes to pass then went back, waited five minutes more, and headed home. I tried a chip on the way (the best tell tale sign of a good burrito spot!) and... god damn it. Fresh, crunchy, delicious. I get home and open up the fancy little salsa tub... oh no! It's delicious too. I intrepidly peel back the foil and take a bite of the burrito, and my worst fears are realized: hot, flavorful, juicy steak. Wonderfully grilled tortilla... tasty rice and beans. Its good... its really good.
I don't think the attitude or ridiculously long wait time was excusable, but these people have a hot commodity on their hands and everybody wants some. I noticed a lot of people had called in their orders and didn't have to wait at all, which would be perfect for, oh I dunno, someone whos back door is about 40 yards away from Papalote? I'll be back. God damn it... I'll be back...
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"Super grilled chicken burrito with refried beans and both kinds of salsa" = best burrito in the city. Call ahead, though, and take it home.
Local, good burritos, good chips, great salsa, basic service, people in and out as soon as they finish, and there are always a few people waiting to go in...
Fish tacos were awesome. I went there for lunch today with some friends and everyone was extremely pleased with their seafoody selections: a shrimp quesadilla; fish burrito, and two of us ordered fish tacos. I actually split mine with a friend and one was totally satisfying.
Salsa was great and we had a good time--I will definitely remember to stop by again and maybe bring some salsa home.
I hail from a city which borders East Los Angeles. What does this mean? It means I eat a shitload of Mexican food. I like all of it, including the somewhat more obscure fare like menudo and lengua (tongue). My best friend who is Mexican won't even eat lengua. She claims I am browner than she is (I am yellow).
On a recent weekend jaunt to the bay area, the aforementioned friend and her bf asked me what I wanted for dinner Saturday night. After a couple days of light meals, I was ready for something that would leave me full for the rest of the week. Thus, I suggested Mexican food. First we tried to get to some spot that supposedly features bomb ass carne asada burritos, but alas, they are only open for lunch. So we traipsed on over to Papalote, which they assured would be just as good.
Upon arriving, the place was way packed. Albeit a small space, that shit was pretty ridiculous. The way it works is, you order at the counter. As my friends and I were dining in, we proceeded to wait in the doorway, watching like hawks at people who are taking their sweet ass time eating, finally scrambling when a couple leave only to sit down at their dirty table. Btw, it took us roughly 30 minutes after ordering to get a table. And apparently, if you're dining in and aren't seated, they won't bring out your food (which means it was probably ready a while ago and is now getting cold). However, this is hearsay, and as Lavar Burton would say, "you don't have to take my word for it".
Wow, I haven't even reviewed the food yet. It's subpar and the best way to describe it is as glorified Baja Fresh. I'll even say that BF is tastier, and without the gaggle of hipsters and long ass wait. I had shrimp marinated in butter and something else tacos and a side of rice. The shrimp was so disappointing, lacking flavor and spice. The side of rice could feed four people. Too bad it was super dry and needed a load of lime and salsa to punch it up.
I'll agree with everyone else that the salsa was good, but that was the only thing remotely noteworthy.
Papalote is my local burrito joint. It's healthier than your average Mexican joint and offers soyrizo, tofu, and fish and shrimp options in addition to the more pedestrain (but no less tasty) carne asada and chicken options. It's really great -- and the salsa is to die for - it's spicy and creamy and complex -- I get it in the large mason jars that they offer and lug it home along with my super burrito of choice. The only complaint I have is that the chips are not overly flavorful and are oftentimes overfried. I'm alson not a big fan of the guacamole - it's not chunky enough and isn't really "avocado-y" enough for me.
This morning I woke up and knew that if I did not consume a burrito before the end of the day, all would not be right with the world. But where should I procure said burrito? Do I go with the tried and true El Farolito deliciousness, or do I try something new and branch out? Felt a bit adventurous today, so figured I'd try something new. I heard about Papalote from my sister and she couldn't stop raving about it, so bring it on.
As the other reviewers have noted, their food is definitely more fresh than your standard taqueria fare. Bonus points for feeling good about eating "healthy" while indulging in my burrito. The carne asada was really flavorful and I especially liked how they put the burrito on the grill so that it'd be toasty instead of the mushy tortilla you get at other taquerias that put their tortillas in that steam thingy.
Last, but definitely not least, their salsa is insane good. I've always been partial to Zona Rosa's red sauce, but this salsa could possibly be my new favorite. The only negative about this place is that they know how good their salsa is and ration it out. They only give you a set amount of salsa, and if you want more, they may charge you $0.50. Seriously? Charging for what amounts to be a condiment? But honestly, I thought about paying up...it's THAT good.
Papalote, a hipsterized taqueria with colorful walls and an impressive array of veggie options (mmm...soyrizo), is clearly a darling of the Mission scene. Even in the middle of the afternoon with half the tables empty, there was a takeout line going out the door. But I have to go with Maria D on this one: you're paying for this trendiness with small portions. Like my prawn burrito with hardly any prawns in it. And yes, that creamy orange salsa is awesome, but you have to pay extra for chips & salsa, and even then you only get a tiny bowl of chips. I could get the same delicious sauce by ordering the fajitas at El Toreador in West Portal. Otherwise, I'll stick to the authentic taquerias for my burrito fix--soyrizo or no.
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not too sure if this place is as cracked up as people say it is. BUT i think i didn't order the right things though. it was my first time here on Sunday and my expectations were high - considering all of my friends rave about this place. first of all, i didn't know their burritos came with no cheese. however, that was probably more my fault considering i was a little slow and hungover to really read the fine print and ask any questions. anyways, i ordered the grilled veggie burrito. bad move on my part. the burrito was dry and had no flavour. to fix that problem i ran up to the cash with my mouth full of food and order a side of sour cream and she asks me if i want it for here or to go? i was very confused - considering i JUST ordered food "for here" from her a few minutes ago and i had a mouth full of food , which mean't i was eating inside the restaurant. so anyways, she charges me $2 for a side of sour cream. REALLY?
so anyways my gf got soyrizo tacos and they were ok, but she actually makes a better one than they do. i enjoyed the "complimentary" side of chips and salsa, but i agree with some other reviewers on here, why are you so stingy on the salsa? if i go back and ask for more, are you gonna charge me $2? the salsa isn't your typical chunky tomato-wee cilantro type - it's more like a tomato-wee creamy kind. not much zip to it, but still good.
anyways, i'm thinking i didn't order the right thing from here because my friends seem to know good food. i'm thinking i need to quit being a pussy and order a burrito with meat in it - most probably carnitas! mmm ...
I have eaten at this restaurant since it opened. Last night 6 of us walked in together. They would only serve 4 of us citing the fact that only take out was now available. The treatment was rude. They would not refund my money so I could leave with my friends who they would not seat and would only acknowledge our confusion and ultimately anger with shrugs and vague dismissal. I liked this restaurant and have talked it up on many many occasions over the years, but never ever ever again. I'd rather get my salsa from a jar.
I've got one word for you....SALSA!
I could seriously put that salsa on burnt bread and it would taste better than a slice of black forest cake
Papalote's burritos are just okay, they are not incredible. But when you coat them in Papalote salsa they are the best damn burritos you will eat in your life!
Thank god you can buy a jar of their salsa. Whenever I do, my meals are centered around it. 'What can I eat with Papalote salsa?' Mostly everything, you'll be happy to know.
