Pepe Delgado's serves up southern-style Mexican food

Pepe Delgado’s is a Mexican restaurant on Asp Avenue. Owner Emilio L. Salinas opened Pepe’s in 1992 when he moved to Oklahoma. Salina’s said he was looking for a place to make a living and Norman ended up being that place.

Salinas wasn’t formally trained in a expensive culinary school, but instead learned at a young age working in various hotels and restaurants in Mexico and California. His food shows the experience and expertise he developed.

“When I opened in ’92, there were not many Mexican restaurants in Oklahoma. They were all Tex Mex,” he said.

When he opened Pepe’s, his goal was to appeal to those who yearned for true Mexican food as opposed to the crowd happy just having Tex Mex.

He said Pepe’s cooks southern-style Mexican food. The ingredients he uses in his kitchen are traditional ingredients used in the areas of Mexico where he grew up.

Some items on his menu cater to the customers who like Tex Mex, but are made with traditional ingredients. But for those who always want something more ethnic, order one of the three daily specials.

Salinas said the specials are always dishes he grew up with in Mexico and the food is of the highest quality.

“We use real fresh ingredients,” he said, adding that to keep the food authentic, many of the ingredients are imported directly from the region Salinas lived in.