El Paso was founded in September 1993, in New York as one of the first restaurant's in the United States to serve exclusively the Cuisines of Mexico.

By the late 1990’s El Paso became a genuine hit, attracting customers from across the city and state. It all started in a wood pushcart, 7 by 4 feet who was bought from a Puerto Rican man who sold alcapurrias [fried appetizers] in it, Rodrigo Abrajan and Porfidio Grande both originally from Cholula in the state of Puebla, Mexico, had first worked here for three years in a couple of city restaurants. They started washing dishes, one making his way up to busboy and the other as short-order cook.

But when the restaurant on the upper East Side where they both worked started doing poorly, Grande thought back to his youth in Mexico.

The one with the idea to sell tacos was Grande, because he had been a 'taquero' in Mexico City, They began with just tacos, later adding burritos, tortas, then soups (like goat consomé and beef tripe), followed by tamales and horchata (rice milk) and aguas (fresh fruit juices).

But after three years on a pushcart on Third Ave. and 103rd St., braving the freezing cold and unbearable heat, without a permit, and dealing with vandalism and "all types of aggressions," they pooled their money and upgraded to a truck.

With a hard-earned $32,000 investment - which fell short, so they had to work three more months on the truck - they rented the place on 104th St. and opened that summer.

Three years later, a third partner joined them, the uncle of Abraján's wife, David Garnelo, and together they bought the lease to a storefront on 97th St. between Madison and Park Aves. and unveiled their second restaurant.

Two years ago, they did the same on 116th St. between Second and Third Aves., where the tacos árabes - a succulent Puebla dish made with slow-cooked pork served on a flour tortilla - is one of my favorite, though it's rarely listed on the menu or even in the daily specials.

Today El Paso Taqueria is a prime destination restaurant, a place where culinary connoisseurs, art lovers, and visitors from all over the world can come to enjoy its distinctive cuisine.