Prepare yourself to be completely mind blown with the out of this world food experience I am about to introduce you to... Baos! Yep, you read it right! Hamsa, an ethnic restaurant in Ciudad Juarez, provides you with some of the most fresh, innovative, and delicious food in town! You can go find them at Paseo De La Victoria #2118 A9 at Pueblito de Don Cuco.

Innovation is really important for the chef at Hamsa, Jacob R. An opportunity came up for him to open a new business, but with this new opportunity came the challenge of having to create something new and different. So if you ask Jacob how he came up with the idea of baos, his first answer will be "by accident," and yet I can grantee you this is the most delicious accident I've ever tasted. 

As a plus, for all you sci-fi/fantasy lovers out there (cough* cough*, starts with St... and ends in ..rs), Hamsa really gets inspiration from and tries to incorporate this greatly loved space opera into their decorations and their menu. So not only will you enjoy their food, but their space as well.   

If you're still asking yourself, what the hell are baos?! Don't worry you're probably not the only one. Baos are a Vietnamese dish that consists of a hand made steamed bun with an assortment of fillings. For Hamsa specifically, these steamed buns are filled with pulled pork in different sauces and a variety of ingredients. Even better, Hamsa has added fresh handmade noodles to their menu, which I hear are just as delicious. For desert, you can enjoy their mouthwatering Beignets, which are a French pastry super popular in New Orleans. 

Don't be put off because Hamsa serves food you're probably not used to, on the contrary plan a trip to try something new (which will not disappoint you!). Personally, I recommend trying all the different baos that they offer, because they are all equally yummy. One think that you cannot miss is the beignets, they are heavenly. 

Make plans this weekend to go get your dose of yumm at Hamsa!

​In need of healthy drink options for your morning and afternoon? Well worry no longer because I have the solution and it is called Fresco Juice & Fruit Bar! This fairly new juice bar is located in a fairly new building  in downtown El Paso that only helps give the juice bar a very modern, big city feel. You can find this delicious and affordable juice bar at 212 E. Mills Ave. 

The owner, Rebeca Talamantes got inspired to open a juice bar like Fresco because she believes that it is important to create new healthy eating and drinking habits for the city. She wants to help the community realize that healthy can definitely mean tasty and that people should be interested in the food and drinks they consume.

Like I mentioned, Fresco has a very urban modern feel and this is not a coincidence. Talamantes created the concept for the juice bar after a trip she took to New York. She realized that New York had many healthy options available, while El Paso sadly did not. She took the New York concept and also applied it to the names of her drinks. All the names are inspired by museums, avenues, buildings, Boroughs, hotels and other attractions found in New York. Talamantes decided a downtown location would be ideal because just like New York, she wanted to be surrounded by historical buildings and all the new renovations that are happening. 

You may be asking yourself, what makes the menu at Fresco so great? Well Fresco strives to give its customers as much variety as possible. They want to cater to different tastes and benefits that people are looking for. They provide drinks that have benefits involving antioxidants, vitamins, protein, weight loss, digestion, immune system, healthy skin, energy, brain boost, minerals, among many others. The menu has been perfectly selected to provide customers with as many benefits as possible. 

You can go to Fresco and enjoy many of their smoothies, raw juices, cold pressed juices, along with fruit bowls, acai bowls, and wraps. I recommend trying the Metropolitan, the Broadway, and the Empire. Don't be afraid to try something new, and don't be afraid to ask for help when choosing a drink!

As Talamantes says "The first step to a healthier lifestyle is creating a routine, it is incredible what our bodies and minds can do if we take proper care of them, and that is our mission, embracing a healthy lifestyle and spreading it everywhere we go."

Go make a trip downtown and try one of their yummy drinks!
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Have you ever had the feeling like you're craving something yummy and no matter how much you try to find it, you still can't? Well that is the exact feeling that Norma C., the chef at Le Mal du Pork, had when she came up with the idea of her yummy menu. 

One day, Norma was realizing that what he really craved was a baked potato, not just any baked potato though. She craved something on another level, a baked potato topped with meat among many other delicious ingredients. This led the chef to try to create that image she had in her mind, and when she did she realized she had just created a master piece!

You know that feeling you get when you eat way too much and afterwards you start getting sleepy? (Don't lie, I know you've gotten this feeling at least once in your life!) That is exactly where the chef got inspiration from for the name of her restaurant. In Mexico, there is a saying that people use to explain this exact feeling and it is called mal del puerco, or bad of the pig. She decided to use the name is French as a reminder of the feeling you get after an amazing meal. And believe me, after you have tasted their delicious food you'll also have el mal del puerco!

Five years later, Norma has realized just how much other people enjoyed her creations that came to be just because she was craving something different! For the past two years, she has been located in Pueblito de Don Cuco, where her menu has taken more shape. Now, you can find a variety of tacos, gringas*, and of course, the loaded baked potatoes. Of course, her specialty are and will probably always be the loaded potatoes, which I highly recommend. 

So if you are craving some delicious loaded potatoes, or simply some amazing tacos (or Gringas*!) make sure you give Le Mal du Pork a visit, and I bet you you won't regret it... even if you leave with your own case of mal del puerco!

You can find them at Paseo de la Victoria 2118 Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua!

PS. In case you didn't know, Gringas are basically quesadillas (YUM) with your choice of beef.