If you are like me, you know how to appreciate a great Mexican restaurant. From the basic beans and rice, to the creative sizzling fajitas, nothing beats a delicious, authentic Mexican meal. Except maybe a sweet and salty margarita. However, with hidden lard and packaged or frozen menu items, some Mexican restaurants are a nightmare for diners with special dietary requirements or health concerns. Let’s take a look at a regional chain called El Tapatio to see how they handle making Mexican food for different diets and lifestyles.
First of all, who are they? El Tapatio restaurants are a chain of Mexican eateries in the Northwest of the United States. They currently operate over 20 locations in California, Oregon and Washington. While they are a growing, profitable chain now, this business came from humble origins. The founder and owner is a man named Efren Guitron. Originally, he came from the tiny town of Cuautla in Western Central Mexico. A town so small, it is rarely included in maps! This rural town in the state of Jalisco is located between Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara. Guitron left Cuautla and moved to the United States in 1970 with dreams or creating a better life. He began working for one of his relatives who owned and operated a Mexican restaurant in Seattle, Washington. For the next ten years, Guitron worked hard and learned as much as he could about all aspects of the restaurant business. This taught him not only how to handle the behind-the-scenes operations, such as accounting and sourcing ingredients, but also about how to create a great, family-friendly atmosphere and how to present classic Mexican recipes for diners in the United States. In the fall of 1980, he opened his first restaurant in Milwaukie, Oregon, and called it El Tapatio. For five years, he labored all alone to keep the restaurant going. He was literally the only employee! He would greet the diners, seat them, take their order, cook their food, serve them, deal with the bill, then clean everything up all by himself. His hard work paid off. At the end of those five years, he had customers lining up outside his restaurant to get a table. He started hiring more staff then expanded to more branches. All through this growth process, every El Tapatio branch has managed to maintain Guitron’s vision and standard. This means, that no matter which El Tapatio restaurant you visit, you will find delicious, authentic Mexican food, prepared using quality ingredients and presented in a colorful, friendly atmosphere. Guitron says that he wants his customers to feel like they are eating at their grandma’s house when they visit one of his establishments. This consistency is one of the reasons that customers keep going back to El Tapatio and recommending it to their friends. Even today, nearly 30 years after the first restaurant opened, the El Tapatio brand continues to grow and open new branches.
El Tapatio: Mexican food
Traditional Mexican, it’s what’s for dinner
When founding his first restaurant, Guitron decided he wanted to mostly feature traditional, authentic Mexican food with a homemade feel. He uses flavors and recipes from his region, and the state of Jalisco. The menu also features several of his own family’s recipes that have been passed down through the generations. You will find all of your classic Mexican favorites, like tacos, nachos, guacamole, burritos, enchiladas, and sizzling fajitas but with authentic regional flair. They have a few dishes that stray from tradition, Guitron’s own creations, and these make the menu even more interesting. Guitron is especially proud of his molcajete. This is a dish of your choice of meat, served with rice, beans, radishes, fresh roasted jalapenos, sautéed cactus and three different kinds of cheese served in a hot stone bowl, like a mortar.
A healthy alternative for authentic Mexican cuisine
Mexican food does not have the best reputation for being a healthy meal option. Between the liberal use of white flour, cheese, oil, and deep frying, it is no wonder those who are concerned about their health or their weight might say “no thank you” to traditional Mexican fare. However, El Tapatio has taken proactive steps to counter this stereotype and offer healthier variations of authentic recipes without sacrificing any flavor. Over the past few years they have revised their entire menu to incorporate healthier practices and recipes. They start by using the highest quality ingredients then preparing all of their meals fresh for their customers. Unlike many Mexican restaurants who use lard in most of their recipes, especially anything with beans, El Tapatio has completely eliminated the lard from their kitchens. Now all of their dishes are prepared using healthier alternatives, like vegetable oil or canola oil. They have also changed all of their salt from refined salt to sea salt. Even the salt shakers on their tables are now filled with the healthier (and tastier) sea salt!
El Tapatio: Mexican food
Options for special diets: does El Tapatio make the grade?
Eliminating surprise lard from the menu instantly makes El Tapatio a better option for vegetarians and vegans, as well as anyone with health concerns that could be affected by the type of fat they eat. Traditionally, Mexico is a country that loves meat, so a lot of meat on the menu is typical, and should be expected at any restaurant claiming to serve authentic food. However, El Tapatio does have a decent number of meat-free options for vegetarian diners, including some popular favorites like huevos rancheros, veggie burritos and spinach enchiladas. The selection for vegan diners seems much smaller when glancing through the menu because nearly everything comes with cheese. However, hold the cheese, and suddenly there are plenty of choices for vegans or lactose intolerant diners. Most of the main dishes come with beans and rice, which are naturally gluten-free. Nearly everything on the menu comes served with flour tortillas, however, they do make corn tortillas and can make a substitution for diners with a gluten sensitivity. The range of the menu and the ease of eliminations and substitutions makes this a great choice for anyone looking to enjoy traditional Mexican food with special dietary requirements. These options, the friendly atmosphere, and the healthy cooking methods make this a fabulous choice for conscientious diners. To find out more, visit their website: www.eltapatiocuisine.com.