El Cometa

As Authentic as You Can Get We were road tripping and got into El Paso about 9:00 pm. We were famished and really wanted some authentic Mexican food. This might have been the only place open. And they're open from 10:00 am to 4:00 am! This place is located just a few blocks away from the border, right off of Hwy 10 on Viscount Blvd. We pulled up and it was packed with diners. Young and old, individuals and couples, and quite a few children. The menu selections are on the wall above and behind the counter. There are pictures of the items, but they all basically look the same. No real descriptions. The counter help was friendly, but very English language limited. I asked a few questions and I don't think they understood me. Orders are placed and paid for at the counter. You're given a stand with a number to take to your table and staff brings out the order. As we sat waiting we watched the activity in the dining area where diners were getting condiments from what may have been a small salad bar in the past. I had to check it out. This was incredible. Fresh cilantro, diced onions, radishes, grilled whole jalapenos, limes, red and green salsas, pico de gallo, sliced cucumbers, shredded lettuce and my favorite - a creamy smooth guacamole sauce/salsa. It had the flavor of traditional chunky guac, but smooth and the consistency of a thick gravy. Small plastic cups and paper boats are on the bar so you can take as much as you like back to your table. Our food was brought to us in just a few minutes. I ordered a Burrita ($10.43), two flour tortillas sandwiched together stuffed with seasoned grilled beef and cheese. I loaded up by Burrita with all the 'salad bar' fixin's and sauces and thoroughly enjoyed my dish. My wife ordered Tacos Al Pastor ($9.96), four tacos built on four flour tortillas with mounds of flavorful Al Pastor Pork, topped with fresh cilantro and diced onion. She used the guacamole sauce to add even more flavor to her tacos. The staff in the dining room never quit moving. They cleared off empty tables, kept the floor and salad bar area neat and tidy, and while a little hard to understand, asked if we needed anything else. There was a steady stream of customers coming in still at 10:00 or so when we left. This is a gem that deserves your visit and your taste buds will thank you.

Food/Taste/Flavor: 5/5 - Las Originales Flautas Cometa which are tortillas filled with shredded beef and fried (think taquitos but longer) with cream, Pamela cheese, raw onions, tomatoes, and avocados. We ordered 4 which is the regular size and thought it was a bit plain at first but their salsa/sauce is absolutely amazing with it! They provided a red, a green, and two avocado based salsa which were all great but with different spice and acidity levels Ambience: n/a - ordered food to go. Lots of Valentine’s Day decorations up and fairly loud music playing. First thing in the morning so the salsa bar looked great Service: 5/5 - quick and friendly. Switched to English for us with no difficulties Value for price: 5/5 - just under $9 for the dish that was delicious