By Slate Lambert

El Caporal. Photo credit: User captbob via Tripadvisor.

When you walk into El Caporal Family Mexican Restaurant on Eastridge Road, you are greeted by many friendly faces, the aroma of burrito panfilos, and kitchen staff members singing some Mexican tunes. El Caporal is a Mexican restaurant that has been in the area since 2004. El Caporal, or “El Cap,” has become a popular restaurant frequented by many teens in the Richmond area, especially from Collegiate and other nearby schools. I am no exception to this, often visiting 3-4 times a week. Part of what attracts so many people to the restaurant is the wait staff, especially José Bravo.

José. Photo credit: José Bravo

José was originally born in Mexico and immigrated to the United States at the age of five with his family. They settled down in Richmond with his grandmother. José learned English and enrolled in public school. He graduated from Patrick Henry High School in 2019 and now is engaged to his high school sweetheart, who he met his freshman year. 

El Cap, as the name implies, is a family-owned restaurant, owned by José’s uncle Sergio. Since it is family owned, José has been able to work there for a long time. He started working at El cap his freshman year of high school in 2015. Ever since then, it has been hard to find a time when José is not at El Cap. He works the lunch and dinner shift almost every day, with a break in between. While this grind of serving up the best Mexican food in the greater Richmond area sounds exhausting, it is something that José truly loves. He finds that work at El Cap “doesn’t feel like work; it is fun like a hobby.” When I talked with him, it was clear that the people and this restaurant mean the world to him. It takes a special bond to stay at the same place for seven years, and that is exactly what he has with this place. 

José. Photo credit: Slate Lambert.

“Only two family members work at El Cap with me, but they are all family in a way to me.” 

When questioned about all the students who frequent El Cap, José talked about how much he loved it. He stated, “It’s like having friends over to your house; we can vibe together.” The relationships he has with all the customers go both ways. Will Slater (‘24) commented on the ambiance, “I think the warm and comfy atmosphere he provides for the kids is unmatched. He makes the restaurant feel like a second home for the kids.” 

Burrito Panfilo. Photo credit: Will Slater.

Ted Morano (‘23), one of Collegiate’s passionate El Cap fans, said, “He’s a really kind guy who enjoys building friendships with his customers.” 

Charlie Cunningham (‘23) joins the long list of El Cap lovers and believes “José, or Josito, as I often call him, is a great, stand-up guy. He always has a smile on his face and serves with passion. You can tell he enjoys his job because of all the people he meets. Also shoutout to my boy Oscar at El Cap.”

The love for El Cap does not stop within the Collegiate community and extends across town, encompassing even our foes The Saints. Mcguire Boyd, a St. Christopher student, believes “Jose is an outgoing and enthusiastic member of El Cap, he brings a good sense of humor and a great attitude to whoever he is serving, he brings a very positive atmosphere to the cornerstone of Richmond restaurants. I usually go once a week.” These four students are not alone in their admiration for José.

When posed the question of his favorite meal at the El Cap, José gave me an answer I was not expecting: Pollo Adobado. Despite being a bit disappointed when he didn’t say the burrito panfilo, I asked about his future plans with the restaurant, as he is relatively newly engaged. José “wants to keep working here as long as he can unless a better opportunity comes up.” He thinks leaving the El Cap family is very unlikely, which is great news for all the José fans in the area.