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No one’s going to raise an eyebrow upon learning of Spain’s culinary legacy in Mexico, so why does El Paso’s Old World New World menu feel so surprising? Perhaps it’s the rustic formality of its presentation. On the low-ceilinged, dark-paneled first floor, black-vested waiters await your order (preferably in the native tongue) as you mix and match Iberian standards such as shrimp al ajillo and a bountiful paella with staples from south of the border such as frothy guacamole and an enchilada combo platter. There’s nothing revolutionary about pairing parent and child in terms of cuisines, but with strange Don Quixote sculptures acting sentinel near the small wood tables, you might want to lance into your neighbor's shrimp a la plancha. — Drew Pisarra