Growing up in west Contra Costa County alongside my Salvadoran friends, Panes con Pavo became a staple of the Thanksgiving season.
Xinia’s Bakery
3550 San Pablo Dam Rd., San Pablo
Open Monday through Saturday 8 a.m to 8 p.m., Sundays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Panes con Pavo is an opened-face sandwich that typically features slow-cooked turkey on a breadroll with a combination of tomato, cucumber, radish and curtido — a type of vinegar slaw often seen atop pupusas.
Everytime I eat it I’m transported to those large family-and-friends holiday gatherings and, as Thanksgiving quickly approaches, I often find myself longing for those flavors.
Xinia’s Bakery, tucked into the Plaza Sobrante along San Pablo Dam Road in El Sobrante, has always been my go-to spot to satisfy those cravings.
Though not turkey, Xinia’s serves an all-year round chicken version of Panes con Pavo, called Pan con Pollo, for $13.13 that always takes me back to my time as a youth.
Before you dive in, you must make sure to drown your sandwich in the savory, non-spicy sauce that incorporates tomatoes, chiles and pumpkin seeds among a host of other spices.
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At the first bite, you are taken in by the flavors of the soft bolillo roll filled with tender roasted chicken that help compliment with the crunch of the cucumbers, radishes and curtido.
If you’re also craving a sweet treat after your Pan con Pollo, Xinia’s also offers a good variety of sweet Salvadoran bread and coffee all day long.
