wandrlust – discover the undiscovered

H & H Car Wash and Coffee Shop embodies a such a stark juxtaposition of contradictory elements; It is a fairly squalid looking Car Wash — one that gives the impression that if you were to have your vehicle washed here, it would emerge dirtier than when it entered — as well as being a noted eatery of repute:

They must do a fine job washing the cars, that or people wash their car as an excuse to eat the food. The register for the Car Wash is inside the cafe, tempting even the strongest of wills to dive into an order of Huevos Rancheros. See, this place, although charming, clearly could care less about aesthetics. Lately I have come to find that even some of the reputable greasy spoons are one and the same. Rarely do they reach the heights of their more gourmet counterparts.

I was fairly convinced that this James Beard Award Winning eatery might have more of a nostalgic appeal than one for the palate and eyeballing around this feeling I surmised seemed to apply to some items such as the cheeseburger. Through my reading I was told the Huevos Rancheros was the way to go. I am not huge on the Tomatillo sauce generally found on the dish and much to my delight their version is smothered in a delicious con queso sauce:

To be perfectly honest this was the most sublime Huevos Rancheros I have ever had. What I hope this photo conveys is that although they may not care about the aesthetics of the restaurant, those potatoes were cooked to such a crispy perfection that it is almost an art-form. Without skin, these potatoes are cooked in such a way that it embodies both the best quality of a french fry (with a lighter, crispy outside) while having a texture and taste more akin the home style potatoes one is accustomed to at breakfast. The huevos are served with side of fresh tortillas that are soft and piping hot with an exquisitely rendered black and brown char.

And don’t get me started on their Salsa Verde. Oh Jesus. Again something I am usually underwhelmed  by, H&H’s Salsa Verde was through the roof good, as spicy as it was tangy, it was a perfect accompaniment to the cacophony of greatness that I was wrapping into that tortilla. Despite it’s location, which by the way is just down the street from Jay J. Armes’ The Investigators office,

H & H Car Wash and Coffee Shop is not only a must stop destination, but their Huevos Rancheros is one of the great roadside dishes in the United States.

H & H Car Wash and Coffee Shop is located at: 701 E Yandell Dr. El Paso, TX 79902

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