Chef Rulis Gonzalez opens fusion taqueria Chin-Gon-Chow on Taco Tuesday

Maria Cortes Gonzalez, El Paso Times

El Paso Chef Rulis Gonzalez continues his track record for fusion cuisine with the opening of the innovative Chin-Gon-Chow restaurant on El Paso's East Side.

Gonzalez, who owns Ruli's International Kitchen, 4176 N Mesa St., and helped open Benny Frank's, 3041 N Zaragoza Road, will split his time between the West Side and East Side as he embarks on building a new taqueria with an Asian twist.

The chef, who had a media tasting at the restaurant June 20, said he was inspired by the rich history and flavors brought by Asian immigrants to the borderland.

The grand opening will be on a Taco Tuesday, June 25, at 11360 Montwood Drive. Doors open at 11 a.m.

Chef Rulis holds a plate of chicken chicharron tacos that are prepared at the Asian-inspired Taqueria, Chin-Gon-Chow, on Thursday, June 20, 2024. The restaurant will open on Taco Tuesday, June 25, at 11360 Montwood Dr. in East El Paso.
Chef Rulis holds a plate of chicken chicharron tacos that are prepared at the Asian-inspired Taqueria, Chin-Gon-Chow, on Thursday, June 20, 2024. The restaurant will open on Taco Tuesday, June 25, at 11360 Montwood Dr. in East El Paso.

"This was an idea that was born about 12 years ago. Some of the tacos that are on this menu are at Ruli's but this was all-in on this concept of a taqueria inspired by the Asian immigrants of the region," he said. "I tell a lot of the story of the Chinese and the railroads and how important they were for our Southwest cuisine."

"The Chinese and the Mandarin crepe is crucial for Southwest cuisine because Southwest cuisine without flour tortillas is not Southwest cuisine but the reason it is popular in that region is because of the railroad," said Gonzalez, who added that he has done research on the Asian history and has held six-course dinners tied to different time periods.

Gonzalez was able to hone the menu by having a pop-up last summer at Ruli's on the weekends.

Chicken sriracha tacos are prepared at the Asian-inspired Taqueria, Chin-Gon-Chow, on Thursday, June 20, 2024. The restaurant will open on Taco Tuesday, June 25, at 11360 Montwood Drive in East El Paso.
Chicken sriracha tacos are prepared at the Asian-inspired Taqueria, Chin-Gon-Chow, on Thursday, June 20, 2024. The restaurant will open on Taco Tuesday, June 25, at 11360 Montwood Drive in East El Paso.

Among the restaurant's intriguing tacos are the Chicken Chicharron tacos, inspired by the chicken skin dish at Shangri-La in Juárez. The restaurant is widely popular in Juárez and known by many El Pasoans who like dining across the border.

"We've rendered down the fat and deep fried it and serve it with pico de gallo, a faux avocado sauce because it tastes like avocado but it's made with squash, micro-greens and pickled red onions," Gonzalez said. "It's a Mexican taquero secret, well, not so much anymore."

Each taco tells a story, combining the best of two worlds, often with a kick of spice. Gonzalez likes how Asian cooking has heat but also balances it out with sweet ingredients.

The restaurant will offer an accessible menu of about 13 different taco plates that are quick to prepare, including some vegetarian cauliflower tacos and four popular aguas frescas. It will also offer posole and menudo on Sundays.

Chef Rulis holds a plate of chicken chicharron tacos that are prepared at the Asian-inspired Taqueria, Chin-Gon-Chow, on Thursday, June 20, 2024. The restaurant will open on Taco Tuesday, June 25, at 11360 Montwood Drive in East El Paso.
Chef Rulis holds a plate of chicken chicharron tacos that are prepared at the Asian-inspired Taqueria, Chin-Gon-Chow, on Thursday, June 20, 2024. The restaurant will open on Taco Tuesday, June 25, at 11360 Montwood Drive in East El Paso.

Must-try menu options at new El Paso restaurant

  • The Chichen Siracha Taco has charred chicken with a tasty siracha-lime sauce topped with a crunchy, refreshing apple slaw with cilantro, lime, sea salt and micro-greens.

  • The Edamame is toasted shelled soy mixed with toasted almond slivers, siracha lime sauce and a touch of tajin. It's a healthy treat you will return to again and again.

The Muchu is Gonzalez's signature taco, which features power greens such as kale, cabbage and brussel sprouts, with a garlic, ginger and toreado teriyaki sauce.

Chicken chicharron tacos are prepared at the Asian-inspired Taqueria, Chin-Gon-Chow, on Thursday, June 20, 2024. The restaurant will open on Taco Tuesday, June 25, at 11360 Montwood Drive in East El Paso.
Chicken chicharron tacos are prepared at the Asian-inspired Taqueria, Chin-Gon-Chow, on Thursday, June 20, 2024. The restaurant will open on Taco Tuesday, June 25, at 11360 Montwood Drive in East El Paso.

The restaurant, which used to be Elotes Don Pepe, is small, about 1,000 square feet, with a capacity of about 20 people for dining in. However, Gonzalez expects to be able to balance dining in with plenty of to-go orders.

Gonzalez envisions expanding the taqueria to other parts of town, including Horizon City, the far West Side and the Northeast, by 2026.

"I started Ruli's over 16 years ago and I have some people that have been with me for a long time and just one restaurant — we're kind of topping out. But their opportunities are limited and the only way I am able to offer more for these people that have had my back for so long is to expand."

More: Opening of Dion's Pizza delights pizza lovers in El Paso

María Cortés González may be reached at 915-546-6150; mcortes@elpasotimes.com, @EPTMaria on Twitter; eptmariacg on TikTok.

If you go

  • What: Chin-Gon-Chow

  • Where: 11360 Montwood Drive, Ste. B.

  • Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Mondays closed for summer.

  • Cost: $-$$.

  • Information: Instagram.com/chingonchow

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Chin-Gon-Chow opens on Taco Tuesday with Asian-inspired menu

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