STORY AND PHOTOS BY ABIGAIL BELL
The El Paso Potato Co. is a newly opened sister restaurant of local barbeque restaurant Desert Oak Barbeque. This smokehouse, which was featured on The Food Network’s show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives with Guy Fieri, was started by the Funk family from El Paso, and is continuing to serve quality and delicious food.
El Paso Potato Co., 3589 Rich Beem
El Paso Potato Co. is a build your own stuffed potato bar located on the eastside of El Paso at 3589 Rich Beem Suite 101. They offer dine-in, take-out, and drive through as well as UberEats and DoorDash. They are open all week from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and Fridays.
When I walked in, I was immediately impressed by the atmosphere of the restaurant. It was
clean, polished and immersed me in a western aesthetic. Country music played in the background and Americas Funniest Home Videos played on the television, adding to the family friendly style of the restaurant.
It was easy to spot the beginning of the line and see how to order. El Paso Potato Co. serves build your own potatoes, bowls, and burritos. I decided to go with two potatoes. The price is determined by the choice of smoked meat; turkey, brisket, or pulled pork.
Pulled Pork and Brisket Loaded Potatoes.
I picked the brisket, which was about $13, and the pulled pork,
which was about $12.
They also have an array of extra toppings to add to the potato. In addition to the traditional
butter, sour cream, cheese, and chives, they have pinto beans, pico de gallo, green Chile avocado sauce, and more. My pulled pork potato had butter, cheese, sour cream, chives and pico de gallo. The pulled pork was flavorful and smokey and complimented the buttery potato well.
The brisket potato had pinto beans, barbeque sauce, green chile avocado salsa, butter, sour
cream, chives and cheese. The brisket was my favorite out of the two meats. It was tender and had a great smokey flavor. The barbeque sauce was slightly sweet, nicely complimenting the smokey flavor of the meat. The green chile avocado salsa was light and added a nice spice kick to the mix of flavors.
Pulled Pork Build Your Own Potato.
I was also impressed by how well the beans went on the potato. I had never had beans on a baked potato and was presently surprised how the flavor added to the overall dish. The large potatoes were cooked perfectly soft and hot. The server did not skimp on any of the toppings, and I ate enough to satisfy myself and had some leftover.
Overall, I had a great experience at El Paso Potato Co. and give it a 4.5 out of five-star rating for delicious food and spectacular atmosphere. If you are looking for a hearty loaded baked potato and delicious smoked meat, El Paso Potato Co. lives up to its name as a “one stop build your own potato shop.”