{"id":63064,"date":"2025-03-08T23:01:11","date_gmt":"2025-03-09T05:01:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=63064"},"modified":"2026-04-06T11:49:18","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T17:49:18","slug":"elemi-el-paso-texas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=63064","title":{"rendered":"ELEMI &#8211; El Paso, Texas"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_69709\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-69709\" style=\"width: 850px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-69709 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 850px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 850\/700;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi01-1-e1741560746633.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"850\" height=\"700\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi01-1-e1741560746633.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2392w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi01-1-e1741560746633-300x247.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 300w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi01-1-e1741560746633-1024x843.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1024w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi01-1-e1741560746633-150x124.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 150w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi01-1-e1741560746633-768x633.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi01-1-e1741560746633-1536x1265.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1536w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi01-1-e1741560746633-2048x1687.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2048w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi01-1-e1741560746633.jpeg?size=384x316&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi01-1-e1741560746633.jpeg?size=512x422&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi01-1-e1741560746633.jpeg?size=640x527&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 640w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-69709\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Elemi At Its Second Location in East El Paso<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>My friend Steve Coleman, owner of the well-written and impeccably researched <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stevesfoodblog.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Steve&#8217;s Food Blog<\/strong><\/a> has become quite a culinary anthropologist.\u00a0 Not only does he provide his readers with comprehensive reviews of restaurants throughout the fruited plain, he explores the genesis of the foods he writes about.\u00a0 One of his passions is to define what constitutes El Paso style Mexican cuisine&#8211;its provenance and the cultural role that cuisine has played over the generations.\u00a0 As he&#8217;s discovered, El Paso style Mexican style is still evolving and redefining itself.\u00a0 Some of that has occurred organically as other cultures have influenced dynamic changes.\u00a0 Evolution has also been forged by the rediscovery of ancient ingredients and cooking techniques, some of which may once have been traditional.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_69710\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-69710\" style=\"width: 850px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-69710 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 850px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 850\/638;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi02-1-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"850\" height=\"638\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi02-1-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2560w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi02-1-300x225.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 300w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi02-1-1024x768.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1024w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi02-1-150x113.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 150w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi02-1-768x576.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi02-1-1536x1152.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1536w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi02-1-2048x1536.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2048w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi02-1.jpeg?size=384x288&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi02-1.jpeg?size=512x384&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi02-1.jpeg?size=640x480&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 640w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-69710\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Elemi Dining Room<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>To Steve&#8217;s dismay, El Paso&#8217;s restaurant scene doesn&#8217;t seem to garner the type of adulation and respect accorded to more voguish and dynamic Texas cities such as Austin, Dallas and Houston.\u00a0 It&#8217;s disconcerting to him that even when El Paso restaurants and chefs are nominated for James Beard awards, those restaurants make it no further than the semi-finals.\u00a0 Steve has traveled extensively throughout Texas and is familiar with the culinary offerings at the chic, anointed cities.\u00a0 In his estimation, El Paso is being overlooked, maybe even disrespected.\u00a0 He&#8217;s frequently invited me to visit him in El Paso so he could introduce me to some of the foods that make the Sun City&#8217;s culinary scene formidable.\u00a0 We began planning my visit when we learned that two El Paso area chefs had been nominated for the prestigious James Beard Best Chef-Texas award.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_69712\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-69712\" style=\"width: 730px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-69712 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 730px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 730\/800;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"730\" height=\"800\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2337w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04-274x300.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 274w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04-935x1024.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 935w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04-137x150.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 137w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04-768x841.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04-1402x1536.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1402w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04-1870x2048.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1870w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04.jpeg?size=384x421&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04.jpeg?size=512x561&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04.jpeg?size=640x701&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 640w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 730px) 100vw, 730px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-69712\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Elemi Kitchen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The first restaurant on our agenda\u00a0 was the swanky ELEMI, described by <a href=\"https:\/\/thecitymagazineelp.com\/elemi-a-modern-take-on-maize\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>The City Magazine <\/strong><\/a>as\u00a0 &#8220;<em>at the heart of the El Paso downtown renaissance<\/em>.&#8221;\u00a0 Steve regaled me with accounts of the area&#8217;s growth and change, a renovation that&#8217;s made the area an inviting hub of activity.\u00a0 As for the restaurant&#8217;s name, ELEMI is actually a conjunction formed from a term of endearment co-owner Krista Marentes has\u00a0 for her husband and the restaurant&#8217;s revered chef Emiliano.\u00a0 The Marentes&#8217; goal is to &#8220;<em>cultivate an eatery that could bridge the gap between traditional Mexican food and modern sensibilities<\/em>.&#8221;\u00a0 It&#8217;s an exemplar of the type of evolution Steve and I discuss about Mexican cuisine.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_69713\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-69713\" style=\"width: 850px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-69713 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 850px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 850\/512;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"850\" height=\"512\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2560w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05-300x181.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 300w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05-1024x616.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1024w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05-150x90.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 150w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05-768x462.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05-1536x925.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1536w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05-2048x1233.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2048w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05.jpeg?size=384x231&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05.jpeg?size=512x308&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05.jpeg?size=640x386&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 640w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-69713\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">In 2024, Texas Monthly Ranked ELEMI as Home to the Second Best Taco in Texas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I first became acquainted with ELEMI thanks to the premiere episode of Padma Lakshmi&#8217;s series &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hulu.com\/watch\/b104d74f-a7bb-4115-8e19-2cc81c7d7f93\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Taste the Nation<\/strong><\/a>,&#8221; on the Hulu streaming service. Taste the Nation is a travel and food docuseries that follows her on a journey across America to sample a diverse array of ethnic foods made by people like her, who came to this country as immigrants. Not only does Padma sample those foods, she spends time getting to know the people behind the food and the fascinating stories that made the people who they are \u2014 and the food what it is. At ELEMI, the Marentes showed Padma how to grind nixtamal into masa for homemade blue-corn tortillas. She also helped make ELEMI&#8217;s El Campesino tacos. The tacos are made with confit portobello mushrooms, grilled eggplant, avocado, queso and black beans in the blue-corn tortillas.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_69711\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-69711\" style=\"width: 648px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-69711 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 648px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 648\/800;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03-1-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"648\" height=\"800\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03-1-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2072w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03-1-243x300.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 243w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03-1-829x1024.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 829w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03-1-121x150.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 121w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03-1-768x949.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03-1-1243x1536.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1243w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03-1-1658x2048.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1658w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03-1.jpeg?size=384x474&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03-1.jpeg?size=512x632&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03-1.jpeg?size=640x790&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 640w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 648px) 100vw, 648px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-69711\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Portrait of Francisco &#8220;Pancho&#8221; Villa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>ELEMI was nothing like we expected.\u00a0 We were escorted past the bar made with large slabs of beetle kill pine (pinewood naturally stained blue by bark beetles) which our server told us was built by the chef himself.\u00a0 Obviously if he couldn&#8217;t make it as a chef, Chef Marentes would make a fantastic carpenter.\u00a0 Though not the restaurant&#8217;s cynosure, one eye-catching aspect of the restaurant is a large framed portrait of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata.\u00a0 That portrait is fitting in that Zapata was a champion of agrarianism, a social and political philosophy that stresses the primacy of family farming.\u00a0 Based on the compendium of ingredients, it&#8217;s likely Chef Marentes was inspired by Zapata.\u00a0 He may not have been as inspired by Francisco &#8220;Pancho&#8221; Villa, a smaller portrait of whom also hangs on a wall.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_63068\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-63068\" style=\"width: 628px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-63068 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 628px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 628\/650;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"628\" height=\"650\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2472w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03-290x300.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 290w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03-989x1024.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 989w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03-145x150.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 145w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03-768x795.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03-1483x1536.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1483w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03-1977x2048.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1977w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03.jpeg?size=384x397&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi03.jpeg?size=512x530&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 628px) 100vw, 628px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-63068\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pepinos<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Our server was ambassadorial and knowledgeable about the restaurant&#8217;s menu and history.\u00a0 We connected immediately when he noticed the wallpaper on my iPhone screen which depicts our ginger dachshunds Tim and Callie.\u00a0 Our server has dachshunds, too, as well as a Yorkie.\u00a0 Quite naturally, I had to show off photos of our Lardycake, the most beautiful Yorkie ever conceived.\u00a0 Even when Steve (he&#8217;ll tell you it was me) spilled a glassful of jamaica agua fresca all over the floor, our server was cheerful and quick to clean up Steve&#8217;s (er&#8230;my) mess.\u00a0 The diners at our adjacent table weren&#8217;t impressed by my oafish display.<\/p>\n<p>We were certainly impressed by the menu, a melange of mostly familiar ingredients employed in unusual combinations.\u00a0 Steve noted the fusion of traditional (including per-Colombian) and contemporary Mexican ingredients he had not previously experienced.\u00a0 To declare the menu &#8220;creative&#8221; is to undersell how inspired and innovative it is.\u00a0 This is a menu perhaps unlike any other in El Paso.\u00a0 Food selections rotate with seasons and availability of fresh ingredients. All tortillas for our tacos are made and cooked to order, always!\u00a0 ELEMI is a restaurant I would want to explore just to make sure I didn&#8217;t miss a thing.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_63069\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-63069\" style=\"width: 644px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-63069 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 644px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 644\/700;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04b-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"644\" height=\"700\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04b-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2355w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04b-276x300.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 276w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04b-942x1024.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 942w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04b-138x150.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 138w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04b-768x835.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04b-1413x1536.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1413w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04b-1884x2048.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1884w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04b.jpeg?size=384x417&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04b.jpeg?size=512x557&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi04b.jpeg?size=640x696&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 640w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 644px) 100vw, 644px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-63069\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Esquites<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Eight &#8220;botanas&#8221; (appetizers) festoon the menu.\u00a0 It would be easy to make an entire meal out of four or five botanas, but we limited ourselves to three so we could experience tacos.\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.texasmonthly.com\/restaurant\/elemi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Texas Monthly<\/strong><\/a>confirms the wisdom of our decision: &#8220;<em>With high-quality meats and fish, vegetables grown nearby, and house-made corn tortillas, Marentes serves outstanding made-to-order tacos<\/em>.&#8221;\u00a0 Texas Monthly&#8217;s &#8220;Taco Editor&#8221; (where can I get a job like that?) Jose Ralat expounded further: &#8220;<em>Like the Jua\u0301rez tortillerias, Elemi uses the centuries-old practice of nixtamalization, in which corn is cooked, soaked, and ground into masa. The resulting corn tortillas are the foundation of the taco-focused restaurant, which has only eight tables inside, creating an irresistible intimacy<\/em>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>1st Visit: 2 February 2023<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p>The first of our three botanas sports the name &#8220;<em><strong>Pepinos<\/strong><\/em>,&#8221; a term that translates from Spanish to &#8220;cucumbers.&#8221;\u00a0 In actuality, there was only one cucumber, but it was sliced so impossibly thin it reminded us of a fat apple that&#8217;s been peeled into just one long slice like a ribbon.\u00a0 The skill (and patience) to do that is remarkable.\u00a0 The menu indicated the Pepinos botana was vegan, but with one of the ingredients being &#8220;sal de hormigas chicatanas,&#8221; Steve pondered when and why hormigas chicatanas were classified as vegan.\u00a0 When we pointed it out to our server, he indicated the faux pas was caught after the menu had gone to print. Hormigas chicatanas, by the way, are a species of large flying ants considered a rare seasonal delicacy from Oaxaca.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_63070\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-63070\" style=\"width: 525px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-63070 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 525px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 525\/700;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05b-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"525\" height=\"700\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05b-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1920w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05b-225x300.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 225w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05b-768x1024.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05b-113x150.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 113w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05b-1152x1536.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1152w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05b-1536x2048.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1536w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05b.jpeg?size=384x512&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi05b.jpeg?size=512x683&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-63070\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Quesabirria<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Other ingredients used to create the Pepinos were lime, chile de arbol oil and roasted sesame seeds.\u00a0 I half expected the Pepinos to resemble cucumbers in the manner used at Thai and Vietnamese restaurants.\u00a0 Instead, the organic cucumber inherited the salty, smoky flavor of the &#8220;ant salt&#8221; and the lip-pursing sour qualities of the lime.\u00a0 We didn&#8217;t discern much of the chile de arbol oil, but maybe that&#8217;s because we can both eat lava and not be fazed.\u00a0 Because we didn&#8217;t finish the Pepinos, I took the remainder to our hotel room for Kim to enjoy. Not a fire-eater, she immediately discerned heat emanating from the chile de arbol.<\/p>\n<p>We\u00a0both enjoyed the <strong><em>Esquites <\/em><\/strong>(Mexican white corn, lime aioli, butter, queso cotija, chile pequin) much more.\u00a0 Esquites is a term for Mexican street corn served off the cob and in a cup, whereas elotes is Mexican street corn served on the cob.\u00a0 Our server told us Elemi uses only sourced corn from Mexican farms renowned for producing the best maize for corn tortillas.\u00a0 The esquites looked like a bowl of sunshine and indeed, they had the same effect a ray of sunshine has on a cat perched on a window.\u00a0 With just the right amount of creaminess from the butter and queso cotija paired with plenty of personality from the lime aioli and chile piquin, the esquites were a fabulous melange of ingredients and tastes that go so well together.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_63071\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-63071\" style=\"width: 525px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-63071 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 525px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 525\/700;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"525\" height=\"700\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1920w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07-225x300.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 225w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07-768x1024.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07-113x150.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 113w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07-1152x1536.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1152w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07-1536x2048.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1536w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07.jpeg?size=384x512&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07.jpeg?size=512x683&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 525px) 100vw, 525px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-63071\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Campechano Taco<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Our third botana was a unique take on <em><strong>quesabirria<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0 When it was delivered to our table, I thought it was\u00a0 stuffed crepe.\u00a0 Quesabirria, as everyone in America now knows, is a portmanteau, a compound word joining queso (cheese) and <em>birria<\/em>, the traditional Mexican stew.\u00a0 Essentially quesabirria is. a beef birria taco with melted cheese, a sort of cross between a taco and a quesadilla. Typically quesabirria is served with a rich consomme.\u00a0 ELEMI&#8217;s version is mde with local black trumpet mushrooms, birria style mushroom broth, quesillo and avocado fanned out.\u00a0 This is wholly unlike any quesabirria either of us had ever experienced.\u00a0 In so many ways, it may have been better, especially if (like me) you&#8217;re a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/mycophile\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>mycophile<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Our server told us the most popular of the seven tacos on the menu is the <em><strong>Campechano <\/strong><\/em>(suadero, chorizo verde, chicharron, pico de gallo).\u00a0 If you&#8217;re not acquainted with suadero, it&#8217;s confit native American beef as tender as my Kim&#8217;s heart.\u00a0\u00a0 The suadero was moist and flavorful, inheriting porcine qualities from the chorizon and chicharron (ground up into a crispy topping similar to a crunchy streussel).\u00a0 The pico de gallo had a piquant personality but not so much that it didn&#8217;t allow other ingredients to shine.\u00a0 Chef Marentes&#8217; reputation for blue corn tortillas non-pariel is well earned.\u00a0 The nixtamalized blue corn tortillas were superb, the perfect canvas for tacos that also earn accolades.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_63073\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-63073\" style=\"width: 581px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-63073 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 581px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 581\/700;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi06-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"Conejito Pibil\" width=\"581\" height=\"700\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi06-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2124w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi06-249x300.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 249w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi06-850x1024.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 850w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi06-124x150.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 124w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi06-768x926.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi06-1274x1536.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1274w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi06-1699x2048.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1699w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi06.jpeg?size=384x463&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi06.jpeg?size=512x617&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 581px) 100vw, 581px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-63073\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Conejito Pibil<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As is usually the case when visiting a new restaurant, my eyes train on dishes I haven&#8217;t previously experienced.\u00a0 The <em><strong>Conejito Pibil <\/strong><\/em>(achiote-citrus marinated rabbit, salsa xni pec, pickled red onions) jumped out at me.\u00a0 It&#8217;s been years since I&#8217;ve had rabbit, a protein some people won&#8217;t touch because bunnies are so cute.\u00a0 Rabbit has, in fact, been a very popular protein since pre-Colombian times..and it does not taste like chicken!\u00a0 As with the saudero, the conejito is absolutely tender with no hint of gaminess.\u00a0 Only enough red onions were presented to give the rabbit a contrasting flavor profile, but the star ingredient was the rabbit.\u00a0 Don&#8217;t hate me because I love rabbit.\u00a0 Try this taco and you might forget how cute bunnies are.<\/p>\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>2nd Visit: 8 March 2025<\/strong><\/h1>\n<p>It&#8217;s amazing just how much can transpire a scant two years after an inaugural visit.\u00a0 During those two years between visits, ELEMI relocated from its downtown location where Steve and I first visited to a new home on Eastlake Boulevard.\u00a0 That new home is on the eastern outskirts of the sprawling city, about fifteen miles from its first home.\u00a0 As with ELEMI&#8217;s first home, the space isn&#8217;t especially expansive.\u00a0 Reservations are no longer required but it&#8217;s advisable to arrive early to ensure you&#8217;re seated comfortably.\u00a0 ELEMI does require that the full party must be available in order to be seated.\u00a0 Our full party not only included my Kim and our debonair dachshund The Dude (he&#8217;s a service pet), but our &#8220;other Steve&#8221; friend Stephen Jones who composes some of the most beautiful Christian music you&#8217;ll ever listen to.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_69714\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-69714\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-69714 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 600\/800;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi06-1-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"800\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi06-1-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1920w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi06-1-225x300.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 225w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi06-1-768x1024.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi06-1-113x150.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 113w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi06-1-1152x1536.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1152w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi06-1-1536x2048.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1536w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi06-1.jpeg?size=384x512&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi06-1.jpeg?size=512x683&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-69714\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Oaxamole<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In the two years between visits, Chef Marantes was a James Beard Foundation &#8220;Best Chef &#8211; Southwest&#8221; finalist twice&#8211;in 2022 (after our visit) and in 2023.\u00a0 As of this writing he is a three-time semifinalist with finalists yet to be determined.\u00a0 Perhaps as significant (especially if you&#8217;re a Texan) is that in its &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.texasmonthly.com\/food\/50-best-tacos-texas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>50 Best Tacos in Texas<\/strong><\/a>&#8221; feature, Texas Monthly Magazine declared ELEMI home to the second best tacos in Texas.\u00a0 Considering, the Magazine&#8217;s &#8220;Taco Editor&#8221; Jose Ralat visited some 1,200 taquerias over a distance of 14,000 miles, that&#8217;s a formidable accomplishment.\u00a0 Ralat indicated &#8220;<em>If El Paso is the epicenter of New Tejano cuisine (and it is), Elemi is New Tejano\u2019s beating heart.<\/em>&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Though much of the menu was familiar, ELEMI expanded the number of botanas and tacos as well as adding a &#8220;platos fuertes&#8221; (main courses) section to the menu.\u00a0 Among the new botanas is <em><strong>Oaxamole<\/strong><\/em> (chile pasilla mixe, pepitas, chapulines, tostadas).\u00a0 Served in a molcajete (a traditional Mexican tool for grinding spices, chiles, seeds and nuts) mountainous enough for our entire party, it&#8217;s a thing of beauty though I did fear that no one in our party would even sample the gargantuan guacamole dish on account of the chapulines.\u00a0 Chapulines, as you might recall from Spanish 101, are grasshoppers.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_69715\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-69715\" style=\"width: 761px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-69715 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 761px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 761\/800;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07-1-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"761\" height=\"800\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07-1-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2434w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07-1-285x300.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 285w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07-1-974x1024.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 974w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07-1-143x150.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 143w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07-1-768x808.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07-1-1461x1536.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1461w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07-1-1948x2048.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1948w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07-1.jpeg?size=384x404&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07-1.jpeg?size=512x538&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi07-1.jpeg?size=640x673&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 640w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 761px) 100vw, 761px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-69715\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Papitas Fundidas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As the website <a href=\"https:\/\/chapulines.us\/history-of-chapulines\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Chapulines<\/strong><\/a> explains, &#8220;<em>Chapulines are not only culturally significant but also offer impressive nutritional benefits. They are high in protein, with some studies suggesting that grasshoppers contain between 50% to 75% protein, significantly higher than traditional protein sources like lean beef. Additionally, chapulines are rich in healthy fats, fiber, and essential minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, and magnesium<\/em>.&#8221;\u00a0 Not only that, chapulines are delicious as my intrepid friends and spouse discovered.\u00a0 I had feared trying to consume the entire guacamle mountain by myself, but my fellow foodies merrily joined in.\u00a0 There was consensus that the chapulines added textural and deliciousness elements.\u00a0 My Kim found it too piquant, but bravely tried the gourmet grasshoppers and didn&#8217;t declare them &#8220;icky.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Because of my Kim&#8217;s sensitivity to piquant foods, our server pointed out &#8220;safe&#8221; foods for her to order.\u00a0 Among them are the <em><strong>papitas fundidas<\/strong><\/em> (roasted baby potatoes, quesito fondue, local full circle mushrooms, chorizo, avocado salsa).\u00a0 We&#8217;ve had a few thousand portions of queso fundido over the years.\u00a0 This botana is a highly elevated version of the fabulous Mexican cheese dip (which, by the way, is at least a thousand times better than con queso).\u00a0 A layer of bubbling molten queso blankets the amalgam.\u00a0 Salty and stringy, the queso infiltrates every element of this composition, elevating the papas and melding with the mushrooms to bring a bit of joy with every bite.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_69716\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-69716\" style=\"width: 672px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-69716 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 672px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 672\/800;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi08-1-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"672\" height=\"800\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi08-1-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2149w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi08-1-252x300.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 252w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi08-1-860x1024.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 860w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi08-1-126x150.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 126w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi08-1-768x915.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi08-1-1290x1536.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1290w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi08-1-1719x2048.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1719w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi08-1.jpeg?size=384x457&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi08-1.jpeg?size=512x610&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi08-1.jpeg?size=640x762&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 640w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-69716\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brusellas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In 2011, <a href=\"https:\/\/slate.com\/human-interest\/2011\/01\/brussels-sprouts-america-s-most-hated-vegetable.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Slate Magazine<\/strong><\/a> declared Brussels sprouts &#8220;t<em>o be universally loathed, practically: They make it to the top five in surveys of the most-hated vegetables around the world<\/em>.&#8221;\u00a0 Subsequent years have not been kind to the humble vegetable some call &#8220;Satan&#8217;s gumdrop&#8221; or worst.\u00a0 The internet is replete with articles purporting to help make Brussels sprouts taste and smell better.\u00a0 \u00a0Some of those techniques mask the inherent bitterness of the hated vegetable, essentially changing its flavor profile to be more agreeable.\u00a0 Usually the most tried and trusted way is caramelization, making them sweeter.<\/p>\n<p>ELEMI&#8217;s <em><strong>Brusellas<\/strong><\/em> (Brussels sprouts, salsa macha, goat cheese crema, balsamic-agave) doesn&#8217;t necessarily obfuscate those elements that make Brussels sprouts so universally disagreeable.\u00a0 Instead, ELEMI lends complementary elements that bring flavors to light.\u00a0 The salsa macha lends a pleasant piquancy; the goat cheese crema a salty tartness; and the balsamic-agave a sweet-tangy lightness.\u00a0 These are the Brussels sprouts you only thought you hated.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_69718\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-69718\" style=\"width: 733px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-69718 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 733px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 733\/800;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi10-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"733\" height=\"800\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi10-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2344w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi10-275x300.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 275w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi10-938x1024.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 938w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi10-137x150.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 137w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi10-768x839.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi10-1406x1536.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1406w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi10-1875x2048.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1875w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi10.jpeg?size=384x419&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi10.jpeg?size=512x559&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi10.jpeg?size=640x698&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 640w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 733px) 100vw, 733px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-69718\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Flautas Costillas de Res<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Among the platos fuertes are <em><strong>flautas costillas de res<\/strong><\/em> (slow grilled beef short rib, salsa de jitomate crema, avocado salsa, greens, radish, red onion, queso fresco).\u00a0 Solely through its name, few of us could discern just what this dish would be.\u00a0 Is it a plate of flautas stuffed with beef short ribs?\u00a0 Is it beef short ribs served with a side of flautas?\u00a0 \u00a0And what exactly is &#8220;jitomate?&#8221;\u00a0 \u00a0Let me answer the easy one first.\u00a0 According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gastronomiavasca.net\/en\/gastro\/glossary\/jitomate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Gastronomia Vasca<\/strong><\/a>, &#8220;<em>Jitomates, wrongly called tomatoes, are fruits that originate from Mexico. They have a red, smooth and shiny skin, juicy pulp and yellow flat seeds<\/em>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>As to the construction of this dish, it&#8217;s a delicious contradiction within an enigmatic plate of flavors that go very well together.\u00a0 While &#8220;flautas&#8221; (literally little flutes) are usually rolled and deep-fried corn tortillas stuffed witha protein, ELEMI&#8217;s flautas are somewhat larger and not nearly as fried.\u00a0 They&#8217;re stuffed with the beef short ribs and enrobed with a luscious tomatoey salsa.\u00a0 Queso fresco and radishes are sprinkled liberally atop the flautas.\u00a0 \u00a0There&#8217;s a pleasant piquancy to the salsa de jitamate crema, but you&#8217;d probably not describe this dish as &#8220;hot.&#8221;\u00a0 It is, however, deeply flavorful.\u00a0 Despite appearances, the jitamote doesn&#8217;t mirror the tomato for its acidity.\u00a0 It&#8217;s somewhat sweet and would probably go very well with your favorite pasta, but this is a Mexican element not an Italian one.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_69719\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-69719\" style=\"width: 668px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-69719 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 668px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 668\/800;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi11-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"668\" height=\"800\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi11-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2136w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi11-250x300.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 250w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi11-854x1024.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 854w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi11-125x150.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 125w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi11-768x921.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi11-1281x1536.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1281w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi11-1708x2048.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1708w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi11.jpeg?size=384x460&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi11.jpeg?size=512x613&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi11.jpeg?size=640x766&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 640w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 668px) 100vw, 668px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-69719\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Enmolada<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Recognizing the size of the platos fuertes, Steve and I decided to share the <em><strong>enmolada<\/strong><\/em> (24-hour brined roasted chicken, mole coloradito, black bean refritos, crema).\u00a0 We both love mole, a term<span class=\"article-featured-image-caption\">\u00a0derived from the Nahuatl\u00a0<em>m\u014dlli<\/em>, meaning \u201csauce.\u201dAs Texas Monthly&#8217;s &#8220;Taco Editor&#8221; Jose Ralat explains &#8220;<em>mole is not just a sauce. It is the entire main dish<\/em>.&#8221; Further, he praises it as &#8221; <em>one of the most sought-after and beloved Mexican dishes. It\u2019s considered one of the best expressions of traditional Mexican gastronomy, if not its pinnacle<\/em>.&#8221;\u00a0 He stresses that &#8220;<em>Contrary to popular belief, most preparations of the classic dish don\u2019t include chocolate.<\/em>&#8221;\u00a0 \u00a0Indeed, it&#8217;s one of the most diverse&#8211;and delicious&#8211;dishes you can have.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>ELEMI&#8217;s enmolada showcases mole coloradito, a variant of mole colorado.\u00a0 This mole usually includes the usual mole melange of chiles, nuts, seeds, spices and sometimes chocolate.\u00a0 This slightly-sweet sauce is more subtle than mole negro and less spicy than mole rojo.\u00a0 Most of the large plate in which the enmolada is served at ELEMI is a quarter-inch deep in mole.\u00a0 For Steve and I, that&#8217;s a blessing.\u00a0 The roasted chicken is nestled in soft corn tortillas.\u00a0 Neither its brined nor roasted flavors of the chicken are lost within so much mole.\u00a0 Instead, they&#8217;re brought to life.\u00a0 This is an invigorating dish showcasing Oaxaca quality mole.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_69721\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-69721\" style=\"width: 679px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-69721 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 679px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 679\/800;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi13-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"679\" height=\"800\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi13-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2173w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi13-255x300.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 255w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi13-869x1024.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 869w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi13-127x150.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 127w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi13-768x905.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi13-1304x1536.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1304w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi13-1739x2048.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1739w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi13.jpeg?size=384x452&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi13.jpeg?size=512x603&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi13.jpeg?size=640x754&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 640w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 679px) 100vw, 679px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-69721\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Arroz Con Leche Mexica<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Only three desserts adorn the menu.\u00a0 First is the <em><strong>arroz con leche Mexica<\/strong><\/em> (spiced coconut milk-chia pudding, pineapple-piloncillo, seasonal fruits, praline pecans, roasted coconut flakes).\u00a0 Had I worn my reading glasses and studied the composition of this dessert, it&#8217;s the one I would have ordered.\u00a0 Thankfully Stephen is smarter than I am and he&#8217;s a generous guy who shared some of his bounty with the rest of us.\u00a0 Stephen described the arroz con leche Mexica as &#8220;<em>horchata on a plate<\/em>.&#8221;\u00a0 \u00a0Indeed, it had several elements in common with horchata though very few with traditional Mexican arroz con leche.\u00a0 Those of us who love berries, candied pecans, roasted coconut flakes and delicious surprises will love every bite of this delectable dessert.<\/p>\n<p>Not that the <em><strong>chocolate tamale <\/strong><\/em>is any consolation prize.\u00a0 This tamale wasn&#8217;t wrapped in corn husks or banana leaves.\u00a0 Instead, it is presented as a dark chocolate cake resembling a brownie topped with a single scoop of ice cream and a raspberry.\u00a0 It was a good dessert, but 20\/20 hindsight tells me the arroz con leche would have been fabulous.\u00a0 That&#8217;s how I felt in 2023.\u00a0 Two years later, I advised my Kim to order this terrific tamale.\u00a0 She loved it, maybe especially the banana ice cream.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_69722\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-69722\" style=\"width: 850px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-69722 lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 850px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 850\/638;border: 4px solid black; margin-top: 3px; margin-bottom: 3px;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi14-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"850\" height=\"638\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi14-scaled.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2560w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi14-300x225.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 300w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi14-1024x768.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1024w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi14-150x113.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 150w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi14-768x576.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 768w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi14-1536x1152.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 1536w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi14-2048x1536.jpeg?lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 2048w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi14.jpeg?size=384x288&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 384w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi14.jpeg?size=512x384&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 512w, https:\/\/b4385483.smushcdn.com\/4385483\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Elemi14.jpeg?size=640x480&lossy=2&strip=1&webp=1 640w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-69722\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chocolate Tamale<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>ELEMI is a small restaurant with huge flavors and a festive atmosphere.\u00a0 Should you find yourself in El Paso and you want to experience something a little different, a little superior to your favorite Mexican joint, let a James Beard best-chef nominee feed you.<\/p>\n<p><strong>ELEMI<\/strong><br \/>\n13500 Eastlake Blvd<br \/>\n<strong>El Paso, Texas<\/strong><br \/>\n(915) 532-2090<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/elemirestaurant.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Website<\/strong><\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/Elemi-Restaurant\/384604305515438\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Facebook Page<\/strong><\/a><br \/>\n<strong>MOST RECENT VISIT<\/strong>: 8 March 2025<br \/>\n<strong>1ST VISIT:<\/strong> 25 February 2023<br \/>\n<strong># OF VISITS<\/strong>: 2<br \/>\n<strong>RATING<\/strong>: <span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Outstanding<\/strong><\/span>\u2013A stand-out; delivers a memorable dining experience through a harmonious blend of exceptional food, attentive service, and consistent quality<br \/>\n<strong>COST<\/strong>: $$$ &#8211; $$$$<br \/>\n<strong>BEST BET<\/strong>: Pepinos, Esquites, Quesabirria, Campechano Taco, Conejito Pibil, Chocolate Tamale, Enmolada, Arroz Con Leche Mexica, Flautas Costillas de Res, Papitas Fundidas, Brusellas, Oaxamole<br \/>\n<strong>REVIEW #1322 <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My friend Steve Coleman, owner of the well-written and impeccably researched Steve&#8217;s Food Blog has become quite a culinary anthropologist.\u00a0 Not only does he provide his readers with comprehensive reviews of restaurants throughout the fruited plain, he explores the genesis of the foods he writes about.\u00a0 One of his passions is to define what constitutes El Paso style Mexican cuisine&#8211;its provenance and the cultural role that cuisine has played over the generations.\u00a0 As he&#8217;s discovered, El Paso style Mexican style is still evolving and redefining itself.\u00a0 Some of that has occurred organically as other cultures have influenced dynamic changes.\u00a0 Evolution has also been forged by the rediscovery of ancient ingredients and cooking techniques, some of which may once have been&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":69718,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3629,3627,4782,2836,57,561,727,35,553],"tags":[4804,2766,4801,2756,4799,2758,2757,2759,4803,758,4802,3127,2760,2765,4800,2764,4798,2755,2762,765,857,2763,2761],"class_list":["post-63064","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-james-beard-foundation-best-chef-texas-semifinalist-2023","category-james-beard-foundation-best-chef-texas-semifinalist-2024","category-james-beard-foundation-best-chef-texas-semifinalist-2025-james-beard-award-best-chef-restaurants","category-james-beard-award-best-chef-restaurants","category-mexican","category-rating-outstanding","category-tacos","category-texas","category-across-america","tag-arroz-con-leche-mexica","tag-blue-corn-tortillas","tag-brusellas","tag-campechano","tag-chapulines","tag-chocolate-tamale","tag-conejito-pibil","tag-emiliano-marentes","tag-enmolada","tag-esquites","tag-flautas-costillas-de-res","tag-james-beard-best-chef-texas-finalist-2023","tag-krista-marentes","tag-nixtamalization","tag-oaxamole","tag-padma-lakshmi","tag-papitas-fundidas","tag-pepinos","tag-pre-colombian","tag-quesabirria","tag-tacos","tag-taste-the-nation","tag-traditional"],"yoast_head":"<!-- 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