GARDNER, Kan — The fight for food is on at El Luchador restaurant in Gardner, Kan., where you will be doing more than slamming down a good meal.
"(I am) very proud of my culture and I get very emotional and happy when I see people that come in and they like our history," said Manuel Oregel, owner of El Luchador.
The restaurant opened May 5, 2024, shining a spotlight on Oregel's authentic Mexican recipes passed down from his mother's side. The menu features homemade birria burritos, quesdaillas, and taco platters among many other savory bites.
"My mom is the one that we go through all her recipes, and she's the one that double checks," explained Oregel, "I love my roots, where I came from, so, and that's what we try to show."
As you’re enjoying Oregel's heavyweight portions and hopefully not tapping out before dessert you will also get a history lesson on Luchador culture. The restaurant is painted as a tribute to Lucha Libre and features wrestling masks and murals depicting famous Mexican luchadores like El Santo and Blue Demon.
"Luchadores were movie stars, they were actors, and every time you saw them on TV, they always had their suits and they always had the mask, and I think it's a pretty cool theme," said Oregel.
This past May, to celebrate their first anniversary, El Luchador decided to bring a professional wrestling company to join in on the action, in an effort to make sure Gardner no longer feels like they’re on the ropes.
"What we're trying to do here between a lot of businesses, is to promote more and to have more fun things for people, so they actually stay here in Gardner and help support local businesses," said Oregel.
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