Our last day in Phoenix, Bob and I had just run into town to return something when Bob said, "I feel like getting a bite to eat." It was around lunchtime and sounded like a good idea, so we drove around the open malls on East Ray Road in Ahwatukee, and on the corner of one, spied
El Paso Bar-B-Que Company. That "B"-word is guaranteed to intensify Bob’s hunger pangs, no matter how long (or recently) it’s been since his last meal. So we parked and walked on over.
An L-shaped patio runs around the front and side of the El Paso, with a big fireplace in the corner. Balmy weather and partial clouding persuaded us to sit outside, where dining is sheltered from the street by a waist-high wall, leafy green trees, and the massive fireplace. Indoors, distinctive Texan-style decor features open ceilings; big, rough-hewn wooden support beams; and comfortable booths and tables for small and large parties. Accents include large potted plants; whimsical painted pigs; and long-legged, Stetson-hatted cowgirl posters by David DeVary.
El Paso is open for lunch and dinner. House specialties include baby back ribs (full rack $20), slow-smoked prime rib (16 oz $22), Porterhouse steak (20 oz $24), barbecued salmon ($17), and a pulled tequila pork sandwich ($8). On this particular day, though, we tried to keep our eating to less-filling choices, so decided to split a barbeque-chili nachos platter ($8), accompanied by schooners of Fat Tire beer ($5.50 each). The red, white, and blue tortilla chips were piled high with mildly spicy chili with chunks of tasty, tender beef, diced tomatoes, green onions, jalapeño pepper slices, shredded jack and cheddar cheeses, and sour cream. Our server brought extra sour cream on request. There weren’t many other customers, and we chatted with her after we’d polished off the nachos and were finishing our Fat Tires.
Ironically, no El Paso locations are found in Texas; they’re only in Arizona, with six in the greater Phoenix area and one in Tucson. Although El Paso Bar-B-Que Company has a CEO, Bill Prather, meeting criteria of corporate ownership and standardized menus, I hesitate to call a group of restaurants with less than 10 locations, none out-of-state, a chain. They also produce sauces and rib rubs, which you can buy when visiting their restaurants or order online. The classy posters are also for sale.
El Paso does full-service catering and deliveries, with per-person rates and combination packages. They offer individually boxed lunch specials as well: sandwich of choice plus one or two sides, pickle, napkin, utensils, and apple or brownie for dessert – for only $8.45 to $9.45 per person. Six desserts are offered on the in-restaurant menu: from old-fashioned cobblers to cowboy chocolate cake to mocha mud pie, with an average price of $4. El Paso’s full bar offers two happy hours daily, Monday through Friday, from 4pm to 7pm and 9pm to closing. There are $1- to $2-off drinks, and all appetizers are half-price.