The G & R is one of El Paso's longest-running restaurants and it serves the traditional "old style" Mexican food. For better or worse the traditional food is becoming less common, with people desiring new dishes (new to the border, that is-- actually most of the "new dishes" come from the interior of Mexico or other parts of the country such as California).

G & R also uses the traditional El Paso cooking style-- that is, with lard. Like MSG in Chinese food, lard enhances the flavor and gives the taste that many associate with El Paso food. Some restaurants have switched to vegetable oil apparently with good results, but the flavor at G & R is one that I would call more traditional of the way border cooking used to be.

One comment people always seem to have about G & R is that they love the Chile con Queso, as do I, and that this may be the best in El Paso. Served in a very hot green chile, the chunks of cheese floating around in it seem to have just the right flavor and texture. Served as part of the combination dinner (#20 on the menu for as long as I can remember), this is actually a great deal and comes with two of my other favorite items-- guacamole and a chile relleno.

The Guacamole is fresh, spicy, and delicious.

The Chile Relleno is one of the items made with lard (which can be good or bad, depending on your viewpoint). It is one of the few in the city served without sauce on top, though, and to me this makes it one of the better ones.

G & R is now one of the oldest Mexican restaurants in the city which has been continuously operated by the same family, and its status as a "local institution" keeps patrons coming despite its somewhat "off the beaten path" location. I am not sure what type of alcohol is served, but it seems to be almost as popular for its bar as for the food. I cannot blame people for wanting to linger in a place that is so comfortable and so much a part of the city's history.