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complete with a fountain. It also borders Hoyt Grove Park, a free 18-hole disc golf course, where the South Kameoka Trail cuts a path through the woods and Boomer Creek flows nearby. El Tap even sells discs for customers to use on the disc golf course.
At first, their food catered to American customers’ palates.
“ At the beginning,( my parents) started with other recipes, but eventually changed little things here and there to make it like you’ re tasting food from Guadalajara,” Juanis said.“ Something that everyone makes – and it’ s not fancy – but you can definitely tell when you try the beans and the rice, that’ s how you know it’ s authentic. … We do more simple( recipes). Here( in America), they( use) more condiments. …( But) less is more.”
They still kept the chimichangas and fajitas on the menu to appeal to American customers’ tastes, but added Chile Colorado( red sauce) or Chile verde( green sauce) with pork tips, rice
and beans. Or they served chicken mole( red spicy salsa) sauce over enchiladas – which are typically only served during holidays such as Christmas or other special Mexican holidays.
Along with their meals, they serve the traditional Mexican flan – a creamy, caramel-topped and melted sugar custard dessert – along with“ horchata,” a rice water, vanilla extract and cinnamon mixture.
When the restaurant first opened – like many other restaurants – the Vargas family was very busy.
“ We had no days off, my parents had no days off,” Juanis said.“ And now, as the years have passed by, the town has grown. There’ s a lot more Mexican restaurants, a lot more options. But thank God for social media. People still know us( and) we’ ve been able to stay busy.”
The reaction to the first Mexican restaurant in Stillwater was immediate.
“ People loved it. We became close to a lot of families. We still know a lot of people that we knew back in the day,” Juanis said, which includes Oklahoma State University alumni who worked for them and now bring their families to eat at El Tap.
Every time a new restaurant opens – whether it’ s Mexican cuisine or not – the Vargas family sees a drop in customers as people try out the new place.
“ Everyone wants to see the new thing and try it out, and it might be slow for a couple days, but then people come back again,” Juanis said.“ And it’ s like that every time a new restaurant opens
“
At the beginning,( my parents) started with other recipes, but eventually changed little things here and there to make it like you’ re tasting food from Guadalajara,” Juanis said.
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