El Cholo Spanish Cafe

The El Cholo Spanish Cafe is a Los Angeles restaurant serving Mexican food. Founded in 1923, the restaurant is credited with the introduction of the burrito to the United States in the 1930s. The restaurant has expanded to a chain with six locations in Southern California. It celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2023.[2]

El Cholo Spanish Cafe
El Cholo Spanish Cafe neon sign
Restaurant information
Established1923
Owner(s)Ron Salisbury[1]
Food typeMexican food
Street address1121 South Western Avenue
CityLos Angeles
StateCalifornia
Postal/ZIP Code90006
CountryUnited States
Websitewww.elcholo.com

History

In 1923, Alejandro and Rosa Borquez opened the Sonora Cafe at Santa Barbara Avenue and Moneta Avenue in Exposition Park, near where the Coliseum now stands.[3] In 1925, a guest came into the restaurant and drew a caricature that he called a 'El cholo' – at that time referring to "field hands" of the Spanish settlers.[4] Alejandro liked the image and changed that name of the restaurant to "El Cholo" with the drawing becoming its mascot.[4] Alejandro and Rosa's daughter Aurelia, and her husband George Salisbury, later opened a second location at 1107 Western Avenue at the western edge of the city (now Koreatown). In 1931, the restaurant moved across the street to its current location.[3]

When it opened, the restaurant advertised that it specialized in "Spanish food", which was a whitewashed euphemism for Mexican food.[5] It is credited with the first restaurant-style burritos in U.S.[6][7] El Cholo is considered a forerunner of other Mexican restaurants.[1] Carmen Rocha, a waitress at El Cholo, is credited with introducing nachos to Los Angeles in 1959.[nb 1] The dish – made of layered tortilla chips, melted cheddar cheese, and slices of jalapeno peppers – was a recipe learned in her native San Antonio, Texas.[9]

The Borquez family has roots in the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora, and the food offered by the restaurant (e.g. enchiladas, tamales, albondigas, chile rellenos, refried beans) reflects the regional cuisine.[10] Items on the menu note their times of introduction (e.g. flour tortilla [1923], chile con carne [1923], nachos [1959], chimichangas [1967], crabmeat enchilada [1971], and filet mignon tacos [2009]).[3][11] The restaurant is also known for its green tamales.[3]

Its proximity to Hollywood made the restaurant popular with those in the entertainment industry, though its clientele represented all parts of the community.[12][1] Louis Zamperini used memories of the restaurant to keep up his spirits while being held at a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp.[13] The restaurant has expanded to six locations in Southern California,[1] starting in 1962 with its second location on Whittier Boulevard in La Habra.[14]

Further reading
El Cholo Spanish Cafe in 2008
  • El Cholo Spanish Cafe. 2002. p. 71. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)

Notes
  1. Nachos are credited to Ignacio Anaya in the 1940s in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico.[8]

References
  1. Shindler, Merrill (February 2001). Comfort Food. Archived from the original on May 20, 2005. Retrieved February 20, 2021. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  2. McKenna, Kevin (January 4, 2023). "Celebrating El Cholo Restaurant in L.A. on Its 100th Anniversary". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  3. Filipek, Suzan (November 1, 2018). "El Cholo turned 95 with original recipes still on the menu". Larchmont Chronicle.
  4. Ade-concept. "Best mexican restaurant | Los Angeles | El cholo". ../index.html. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  5. Elliott, Farley (April 15, 2019). "Racism Forced LA's Oldest Mexican Restaurants to Call Themselves 'Spanish'". Eater Los Angeles.
  6. Smith, Andrew F. (2004). The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America. Vol. 1. Oxford University Press. p. 171. ISBN 0-19-515437-1.
  7. Woodean, Bailey (June 8, 2020). "The history of tacos and burritos". Food and Drink Magazine.
  8. Smith, Andrew F. (March 2009). The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink. Oxford University Press. pp. 209–10. ISBN 978-0195387094.
  9. Rourke, Mary (October 17, 2008). "Waitress credited with introducing L.A. to nachos". Los Angeles Times.
  10. Shatkin, Elina (October 22, 2018). "El Cholo Offers Awesome 95-Cent Throwback Deal To Celebrate Its 95th Birthday". LAist. Southern California Public Radio. Archived from the original on August 6, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  11. Morse, Chuck (December 19, 2017). "Mixed Feelings at El Cholo, L.A.'s Original 'Spanish' Café". L.A. Taco. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
  12. "1963: here's johnny". El Cholo Restaurant.
  13. "70s: change and growth". El Cholo Restaurant.
  14. "60s: Adapting". El Cholo Restaurant.
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