Los Jarrones

In 2019 Los Jarrones moved from its long time location at 120 E. Redd Road to a new restaurant at 170 E. Redd Rd (just up the hill and around the curve of the street). In my opinion Los Jarrones serves high quality, authentic Mexican food at reasonable prices (of course these are subject to interpretation, but I have tried quite a few Mexican restaurants in the border area).

As of this writing I have not eaten at the new location, so I will not comment about the atmosphere or the service, but only the food (which should be the same as it has been during the years that I went to the old restaurant).

Los Jarrones seems to be modeled after a Ciudad Juarez style family restaurant with as many items on the menu as they could manage. Breakfast plates are listed and a kid’s menu is available. Seafood is served, and they seem to have items that appeal to the taste of just about anyone. While only Mexican food is served, the restaurant begins to approach some of the Mexico City style restaurants with a wide variety of food including steaks, different types of soups, tortas, and non-spicy entrees that some may not necessarily think of as being Mexican.

I believe beer is served, but since I did not write it in my notes, I have not listed alcohol under the “restaurant details.” I tried to get aguas frescas drinks but could not. I ended up with Jarritos, a brand of Mexican soda, that I thought was good.

The bakery at the old location

A bakery is attached to the restaurant, and this is a good source for dessert or take-home treats. I have not been to all the Mexican bakeries on the west side, but the two I frequent are here and the Valley Super Market. Of these I think Los Jarrones is better overall, although I prefer the empanadas at Valley Super Market.

Chips and Salsa

Chips and salsa

Both the chips and salsa have been standouts, with the salsa being puréed (not chunky) with a jalapeño flavor.

Mexican Plate

Mexican plate

A good introduction to the food here is with the Mexican Plate, which includes some of the most popular items in Borderland restaurants.

The Chile Relleno in my opinion is the best item on the plate and possibly on the entire menu. They use an excellent asadero cheese inside and the chile is almost devoid of seeds (bonuses to the already high quality chile).

The Red Enchilada holds its own to the ones in other good restaurants, although I cannot say it is particularly remarkable. I should point out, though, that I think the red chile used is more typical of the local El Paso restaurants that the true Chihuahua style food, with the richness and spiciness that people in the area expect.

The Shredded Beef Taco was a little greasy but very good quality otherwise.

The Rice had a nice tomato flavor, and was about the closest to a home made flavor I have found in El Paso restaurants. The Beans were not greasy.

Barbacoa

Tacos de barbacoa

Tacos de Barbaoca can be quite flavorful when good, but quite dried up when not done properly. On the advice of the waiter I got an order, and when trying them I thought they were correctly listed as one of the “Los Jarrones Mexican Favorites.” These were moist and flavorful, making them better than the barbacoa at some restaurants at which it is supposed to be a specialty. This is not usually on my list of things to try at restaurants, so I do not have a wide universe from which to compare.

The menu gives patrons the choice on this dish and the tacos de bistec of baked potato and salad or rice and beans, but with my bad eyesight in the poor light I did not see the word “or,” and ended up with rice and beans. The waiter did not point out the fact that there was a choice, and when I pointed out that I was expecting a baked potato, the owner gave me one. It turned out to be one of the better baked potatoes I have had (so is the choice I recommend to those who are not set on having rice and beans).

Tortas

Torta de milanesa

Tortas make a smaller meal than the dinner plates (but not a very much less expensive one), and several choices are available. I tried the Torta de Milanesa con Aguacate with a breaded beef cutlet and avocado. I have to refer back to the milanesa steaks at Lucy’s Restaurant as the standard I use, with the one at Los Jarrones in comparison being rather dry and less flavorful.

The French fries seemed greasy to me, and forgettable.

Mole

Chicken and mole

The Chicken and Mole plate was one of the best I have eaten, with some at other restaurants that were formerly my favorites being of lesser quality recently. I look for good quality, freshness, and flavor in the mole, and I found all of them here. The type of chicken used is not as big a concern to me, but I thought the chicken here was very good. I do not try mole at very many restaurants because it is so easy to be disappointed with this dish, but I am very glad I tried it here.

One of my friends says that the mole here is too sweet, something I really did not notice when I tried it but I will pass along this information to readers in case anyone is looking for mole that is less sweet.

Flautas

Flautas

I thought the Flautas had very good beef, and the shells were not greasy. This is about all I ask in a flauta, although it would have been nice if the guacamole had been more flavorful.

Additional Notes
So far enough items have been a standout that I think this is a very good Chihuahua style restaurant. The lack of lemonade and other drinks prepared from scratch is a negative for saying this is a truly authentic restaurant, but ultimately I think the food is more important than the drinks.

With the exception of the chile relleno, the items on the Mexican plate did not impress me as much as at several other restaurants (enchilada, taco, etc). I would have to add rice to the list, though, of items that are better than at most other restaurants.

The list of “Los Jarrones Mexican Favorites” seems to be a good starting point for finding the items that the restaurant does best.

RATING: 24

Mexican Food Details

Chile Index:
Cooking Oil:	N/A

 

Special Ratings

	Tacos de Barbacoa
	Red Enchiladas
	Chile Relleno
	Chicken Mole
	Beef Flautas
	Shredded Beef Taco
	Lentils
	Torta de Milanesa
	Baked Potato
	Rice
	Beans
	Chips
	Salsa

The German Pub

9530 Viscount Blvd.
El Paso, TX
(915) 595-8888

German Pub

I understand that The German Pub (or simply “German Pub” as it says on the sign) used to be a popular place on Fort Bliss, particularly with the many German personnel who were stationed there. I think it was always meant to be a drinking place where you could get some good food rather than the other way around. Either way, though, the food is pretty impressive for a place that is this small and this focused on good beer.

The menu selection is somewhat limited, and it seems that about half the items are different types of schnitzel. It does list several types of fish, though, as well as bratwurst and sausages, and even potato pancakes.

The atmosphere here is basic as would be expected in a pub. It is lacking some of niceties that would be evident in many German restaurants such as table decorations, etc. I did not think the noise level was too bad but apparently it is noticeable at times.

Schnitzel

Wiener schnitzel with home fries

Schnitzel seems to be a specialty of The German Pub–there are different toppings and they even have a chicken schnitzel. I thought the Wiener Schnitzel was one of the better ones I have eaten. The meat was good quality, and I particularly liked the breading. For flavor this was certainly a very good choice.

Jagerschnitzel with sauerkraut

Jagerschnitzel has a mushroom sauce on top, and is usually my number one choice for schnitzels. In this case I am not sure, since the regular wiener schnitzel was so good, but this one was good as well. It had the same excellent breading as the regular schnitzel, and of course the only difference is the topping. As for the sauce, I have to say that I think Peter’s (in west El Paso) has a sauce that is more flavorful. There is not enough difference, though, that I would prefer going to one restaurant over the other.

Cordon bleu with home fries

I thought the Cordon Bleu was overall the best dish I tried, but I do not have an analysis of it other than to say the flavors came together very well and the quality was very good.

Side Dishes
The Home Fried Potatoes were a very good choice for a side dish. These are cooked with bacon, and I think have all the flavor that would be expected in German style potatoes.

I did not think the Sauerkraut was one of the best ones I have tried, but it was fresh and had the characteristics of one that was house made.

Summing It Up
The food here compares favorably with German food I have had in other cities, with the exception that the menu was more limited than usual. I think this is especially true of the vegetables and side dishes.

El Paso has a very limited choice of German restaurants, but the quality of the food is good because of the fact that Fort Bliss has a hosted the German Air Force for a number of years in joint training missions. The German Pub and other restaurants have proven the test of satisfying their German customers as well as the American ones.

I have not tried the German beer at The German Pub, but this is obviously one of its main attractions.

RATING: 23

 

Special Ratings

	Cordon Bleu
	Wiener Schnitzel
	Jagerschnitzel
	Home Fries
	Sauerkraut

Mekong Thai

Mekong Thai represents both the frustration I have with El Paso Asian restaurants and the surprise that we get Asian food this good in a city where most people know little about authentic Asian cuisine.

My frustration stems from the fact that this restaurant is called Mekong Thai, Vietnamese, and Sushi (the Mekong River runs through two of these countries so that part at least makes sense). My philosophy is almost always that if a cook is from a certain country, that is the cuisine I want to try in that restaurant. I also know that if I ask for the authentic version there is a good chance it can be specially prepared, or that I will be pointed to the best menu choices for the type of food I want.

At this restaurant I was trying to ask these questions but I really do not think they understood what I wanted. The waitress told me that pad thai was a very popular dish and therefore that is what I should order (which was not the question I was trying to ask). I did order it, though, and afterward one of the chefs came into the dining room and I was able to ask him what had been my real questions. I found out that this was in fact one of their better dishes and that I had been given a good recommendation. Thai food was the chefs’ specialty, and at least the name “Mekong Thai” and the fact that most of the menu was Thai food gave a good indication of this.

Further conversation revealed that at least one of the chefs is from Laos, and the “native” food for both of them is Lao/ Northern Thai (Isan) style food. A former restaurant called True Thai on Fred Wilson Avenue across from Fort Bliss had an owner from this area, and she once made a special order of Isan style pad thai for me which I really loved and have been seeking out ever since. I believe the pad thai at Mekong is what I have been seeking, and perhaps it could be made a little bit more authentic if I request it, but the version they served me seemed really close.

Pad Thai

Pad thai

Pad Thai is supposedly one of the most popular dishes at Mekong, and this makes me think that people in El Paso (as in most other places) appreciate authentic and well prepared Asian food when it is made available. I think this surpasses the flavor in most pad thai dishes, although I could not say specifically what ingredients are in it unless I asked the chef. The color makes me think tamarind paste is prominent in the sauce, and the other ingredients are what I would expect in a good pad thai. In any case I thought this was a very good version of the dish.

My notes say I ordered the pad thai at a three star chile level, but I do not know the maximum amount of stars they have. To me the 3 star level was not enough, and I used the chile they gave me on the side to supplement it. It is always necessary to experiment with the chile level when I try Thai food in a new restaurant, and I made it right by adding my own. At least I am fairly confident that they will not surprise people by making the food too spicy for them (I have had this happen on occasion, and restaurants are probably following good policy by erring on the side of making it too mild rather than too hot).

Lao Food
On one hand I was upset that the wait staff could not give me enough information to know that the chefs were Lao, so that I could have ordered this type of food. On the other hand, though, I got one of the best pad thai dishes I have ever had (at the waitress’s suggestion), and I do think it was northern Thai (Isan) style based on what I can remember about the pad thai I had at True Thai Restaurant.

My belated conversation with the chef did give me some good information for next time, though, or just for general knowledge. He indicated that a couple of items on the menu are Lao dishes–papaya salad and a beef dish (I did not get the name of it but I think it was written on a special menu board they had).

The chef also indicated that there are several dishes on the menu that you can ask to be prepared “Lao style” so that they will have a little different flavor than the normal version. One thing he mentioned is that Lao food has more egg in it than the Thai version.

Some Further Comments
With Thai food I need to try several dishes before I can determine what I think is their best dish. What I can say, though, is that the pad thai was one of the top ones I have had anywhere.

I am not giving a rating to the restaurant yet because of the small sample size of food I have tried. In addition, I have not tried the Lao food, and I do not know if there are any “special dishes” which I could try. I do know, though, that the regular menu has some solid choices of delicious food.

They apparently have Vietnamese food as well, but I have not tried it and I do not even know what dishes are offered. I do think, though, that these chefs have good expertise with Asian food.

RATING: N/R

Asian Food Details

Tea:	Thai Tea
MSG:	N/A
Buffet:	No

 

Special Ratings

Pad Thai

Tony’s The Pit Bar-B-Q
1700 Myrtle Ave.
El Paso, TX

(915) 546-9140

Tony’s Bar-B-Q

Although I have lived in some of the country’s barbecue meccas such as Oklahoma City and Austin, I have only recently been on a quest to purposely seek out the best barbecue, catalog it, and really enjoy what they have compared to large parts of the country which are lacking in such amenities.

Just like in Oklahoma and Austin, though, I took it for granted that El Paso also had great barbecue. Today I no longer assume that good barbecue will be everywhere, but I do appreciate the fact that Tony’s Bar-B-Q is still going strong. Open since 1958, it has primarily served the downtown lunch crowd by specializing in sandwiches and barbecue plates that are just the right size for this time of day. Located just off of Interstate 10, though, it also makes a good stop for those who are just passing through.

I think that the brisket sandwich is really the thing to order, and I was reminded recently that it is really difficult to get brisket this good outside of Austin. There are several aspects of Tony’s that for me fall short of what I expect in a good barbecue restaurant, but the brisket is seriously some of the best you will find anywhere.

The Barbecue

Brisket on the chopping block

When you approach the counter you get to look at the choices before you order, and a menu board also lets you know about any specials. On my last visit they had a special for ribs and a brisket sandwich, along with a side order and drink. This seriously makes a better meal for two persons than one, which was an excellent choice for my dining partner and I.

Brisket sandwich

I think the Brisket Sandwich is not only the best item here, but along with a side dish is really the perfect size for lunch. I have to confess that we ordered an extra sandwich so that each of us would have our own, but sharing a half sandwich along with some ribs is not bad either.

The brisket was tender and had an excellent flavor–they cover all the points of having good meat and cooking it the right way. Brisket is sub-par in so many barbecue restaurants (even otherwise good ones) that I think it is important to take advantage of the ones that are as good as Tony’s.

Ribs

To me the Ribs were somewhat disappointing compared to the ones in Oklahoma, as much so as the brisket in Oklahoma is disappointing compared to Tony’s. The ribs are still excellent and is cooked to the right texture with a good sauce, but for some reason I found the flavor a little lacking.

The sauce at Tony’s is less sweet than in Oklahoma and less robust, but I still found it to be good. I believe the barbecue is cooked according to the methods used in Austin, and I know that in Austin the sauce is really de-emphasized with the belief that the meat can stand on its own without adding sauce to it. I think the meat at Tony’s is better with the sauce (on the ribs they already add it and on the brisket you add your own). It is good to know, then, that the sauce has a good flavor.

Side Dishes
The Chili Beans were excellent with a good flavor that was not over the top in spiciness as I found it to be at Great American.

The Potato Salad was a little lacking in flavor but was good.

I think great barbecue restaurants should offer a large selection of excellent side dishes, but at Tony’s the sides are limited. I wish they had more sides and desserts such as pudding, cobbler, etc., but I think what they have will satisfy most people.

Sweet tea comes from a large jar while the regular tea is refilled at the soda machine. I got the latter and was expecting some sort of commercially produced tea, but I actually really liked what they had.

Additional Comments
Tony’s is located on a one-way street in an industrial neighborhood, and is not a place people would likely pass by unless they were specifically looking for it. It has very good access to the Interstate, though, and is worth seeking out for a good and inexpensive lunch.

Everything here is good, but for me the brisket is one of those special meals that allow me to feel that my blog can really provide a public service by publicizing it.

I have read many comments on sites such as Yelp saying that the employees here are quite helpful, and I also feel that this is another reason you will want to come.

RATING: 23

Cuisine: Barbecue
Cost: $$
Hours: Lunch only; Closed Sun. (open to 5:00 p.m. weekdays)
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No smoking
Alcohol: No

Most Recent Visit: Jun. 21, 2018
Number of Visits: 10+
Best Items: Brisket, Chili Beans

Special Ratings

	Brisket
	Ribs
	Chili Beans
	Potato Salad
	Sauce

Rosco’s Burger Inn
3829 Tompkins Rd.
El Paso, TX

(915) 564-9028

Rosco’s

The business card from Rosco’s Burger Inn a few years ago stated that it had been “serving El Paso for over 50 years,” and just about everyone who has lived in the Sun City knows about the burgers here. What makes Rosco’s different is the fact that it hasn’t changed since I first started going there (I remember the original owner who I assumed was Roscoe but it appears to have gone through at least a couple of management changes since then).

The grill

Rosco’s small business card was large enough to list the entire menu: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese, caldillo, chili bowl, meat burritos, fries, and onion rings. Most or all of these are cooked on a large grill behind the counter, and patrons associate the sound and smell of the burgers cooking with the Rosco’s experience as much as the good taste of the food. I enjoyed the good flavor of the caldillo on several visits, but the burgers are by far the most popular item.

Burgers are grilled the old fashioned way

The Burgers

Cheeseburger

The major decision at Rosco’s seems to be whether you are having a burger with or without cheese. I have mostly ordered the Cheeseburger, with the grilled meat, heated bun, and fresh toppings reminding me of the typical burgers that would have been served close to a half century ago (not that I remember that far back, of course). The quality of Rosco’s burgers is something that has been lost at so many other places, especially the franchise hamburger restaurants. The meat has real flavor and everything else is fresh. Probably the buns are the one feature that could use some updating from fifty years ago, but they are good.

Burgers come with a choice of a single or double patty, and patrons can choose their own toppings. I recommend getting everything that comes with it (the cheese costs extra but I think it is a good enhancement).

Hamburger

Ordering the regular Hamburger, though, offers a somewhat different enjoyment experience. The flavor of the meat is more pronounced than when it is topped with cheese, and I eat so few hamburgers I really want to enjoy the flavor of the good ones (as this one is). It is safe to say, though, that both the hamburger and cheeseburger are good choices.

Hamburger and fries

I was disappointed with the Fries on my last visit because the oil seemed to have too much of an aftertaste. I am on the fence about whether to order them again, but there are not many options for side dishes here.

Caldillo

Caldillo

Caldillo is one of the three Mexican style dishes here, and is the one I have ordered the most. This used to be one of my favorite caldillos in the city, but my most recent experience was of one with chile that was so spicy I could hardly eat it. I do not enjoy extremely spicy chile as much as in the past, but I can still eat it. I think the problem with the caldillo is that it is mostly liquid (it is a soup), and I usually use starches to cool down my mouth after eating hot chile. Rosco’s gives you a flour tortilla, and the caldillo contains some potato, but for me this was not enough to make it so that I enjoyed eating something this spicy. Thus the caldillo is a “maybe” for ordering in the future, even though I have really enjoyed it in the past.

Additional Comments
I have heard comments from others that they like the food but dislike the dining room, and I cannot disagree. The few tables do not accommodate all the patrons at lunch time, and the counter would be considered uncomfortable by many. As an El Paso institution, though, people do not go to Rosco’s for the atmosphere. Actually I could argue that many people do like the atmosphere that is so familiar, everyone is treated as if they are a guest at a home cooked dinner, and you can see and smell the food cooking on the grill.

I do not know of any place in town that has burgers that I consider more enjoyable.

RATING: 23

Cuisine: Hamburgers
Cost: $$
Hours: Closed Sun. & Mon. (lunch only except Fri. & Sat.)
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No smoking
Alcohol: No

Most Recent Visit: Jun. 5, 2018
Number of Visits: 10+
Best Items: Hamburger, Cheeseburger

Special Ratings

	Cheeseburger
	Hamburger
	Caldillo
	French Fries

New Clock Restaurant

8409 Dyer St.
El Paso, TX
(915) 751-6367

New Clock Restaurant

Every once in a while when visiting restaurants I like to return to some of my old favorites, such as New Clock which is located in northeast El Paso a few blocks from where I used to live. Although it has been around as long as I have been in El Paso, it was called “New Clock” back then. To find the “Old” Clock I think you have to go to the Oasis Restaurant at Pershing and Copia which was the inspiration for the restaurant and where the original owner Lyle Dautrich worked before opening what became a chain of Clock Restaurants (the one on Dyer is the only one that is still open).

The iconic “clock” sign in front

I really do not have any idea how many times I have been to New Clock, but it was enough that I knew I wanted to go back. If the food has changed at all I think it for the better, because I have memories of it being a “greasy spoon” which is really not the case now. An old menu on the wall shows that it was mainly an American family style restaurant with an emphasis on breakfast items. It still has a coffee shop concept, but the Mexican menu has been greatly expanded so that they have a wide choice of items. The Mexican food in particular seems to have lost the greasy taste I experienced before, and I think it is competitive with the best Mexican restaurants in town.

For those who would like a review in a nutshell I will compare it to other coffee shops. Good Luck Cafe, for instance, served a Mexican plate on which I thoroughly enjoyed everything that was served. New Clock, on the other hand, has hits and misses. In my opinion the good items at New Clock are really at a level that I would call some of the best in El Paso (I did not find this at Good Luck Cafe), while some of the items at New Clock are below the standard of Good Luck. I tend to go to restaurants such as New Clock because there are certain things I especially like, while Good Luck Cafe would be a good choice if my main emphasis was variety rather than one specific dish I was craving.

Breakfast

Enchiladas montadas

Enchiladas Montadas are a popular dish at New Mexican restaurants, but at the New Clock they are served on the breakfast menu. This is because they have an egg on top and they come with hash browns. The enchiladas are served flat and come with either red or green sauce (or it can be served half and half as I got it). The red part of the enchilada was one of the most flavorful I have ever eaten. In addition to being served flat as in New Mexico, it was spicy like New Mexican food and the flavor was very comparable as well. This is definitely an excellent choice.

I liked the Green Enchilada as well, but not as much as the red. I thought the green sauce was more of a border style with some type of filler, although the green chile itself seemed to be the real deal (and probably came from New Mexico).

The eggs are cooked the way you want and were very good as well. I thought they added to the overall flavor, and were a good way to cut what would have been a very spicy dish.

The Hash Browns were a very big disappointment compared to the last ones I had (at El Camino in Socorro, NM). Granted that I have a limited number of hash brown experiences recently, but I know that the ones at New Clock are really not the best you can find.

The Beans were good but did not seem to be among the best in El Paso.

Huevos rancheros

I also sampled the Huevos Rancheros topped with chile con queso (there is an extra charge for the chile con queso). I thought the flavor of the chile con queso was a little subdued compared to the two sauces on the enchiladas, but it makes a good choice when you want something less spicy than the enchilada sauces. The green chiles on top were not terribly spicy, so overall this is a pretty mild dish but still with a border flavor.

Chips and Salsa

Chips and salsa

The chips and salsa were so good this influenced me to give New Clock a rating more toward the high end of the scale (thinking that the hash browns were an anomaly). It also made me think that the Mexican food is really what this restaurant does the best.

Other Notes
Although there is a large choice of menu items, I think Mexican food is really what is most popular here. I know that I can really recommend the red enchiladas. I do not know if they purposely serve the food New Mexico style, but the enchiladas were closer to this style than the typical ones served in El Paso (especially because of the spice level).

I believe the breakfast menu is available all day, or at least it was available when I went at lunch time. For some of the items, such as the enchiladas montadas, the only thing that really distinguishes them as a breakfast item are the fact that they are served with hash browns and that there is an egg on top. I think breakfast is their most popular and quite likely their best meal, with the understanding that the breakfast menu is quite varied and many of the items are suitable for other meals.

RATING: 23

Mexican Food Details

Chile Index:
Cooking Oil:	N/A

 

Special Ratings

	Red Enchiladas
	Green Enchiladas
	Huevos Rancheros
	Rice
	Beans
	Hash Browns
	Chips
	Salsa