El Cholo Turns 100 !
In 2023 we reached an epic milestone in the 100 years since my mother’s parents left the territory of Arizona, took the 4 day trip over dirt roads to Los Angeles seeking basically the only thing that people in that era could even dream of…..pursuing the American Dream of owning a small business that you could both be proud of as well as provide a good living.
The small cafe they opened at the corner of Moneta and Santa Barbara near the soon to be erected LA Coliseum in 1923 was the simple beginning of that dream.
So it was that in 2023, when we celebrated the 100th anniversary with now a family group of 10 restaurants the thought was constantly with me of wishing that they were with us and our family to appreciate what they had given birth to and the standards they set that guide us to this day.
First and foremost the city permanently naming the intersection at 11th and Western Avenue “ The Alejandro and Rosa Borquez Square” was certainly the high point. But I believe that they would have also been deeply proud of us raising $1,000,000 for providing for children’s cancer research highlighted by a $100,000 contribution for naming rights to The Cannery jellyfish aquarium and a benefit concert with country western legend Dwight Yoakum in which he donated his services.
My son Brendon and I were interviewed on the Today Show and our story was featured in the NY Times food section and Los Angeles Magazine as well as over a dozen other reviews.
We added a new dish to our menu with a mole enchilada, a Taste of History plate, a $100 margarita featuring rare tequilas and dedicated personalized brass plaques were placed in our iconic wood booths with a generous donation to CHLA and CHOC for cancer research.
Of course anyone 100 years old or older were our guests and ate free all year long!
And every day, every time I visited any of the restaurants the thought was always with me….. what would that young couple who would never even understand what television was think of what they gave birth to?