Of all the restaurants, diners, and hole-in-the-wall joints I’ve been lucky enough to review, few bring me as much joy as independent Indigenous taco vendors and their homemade frybread creations.
The trick is finding them! They pop up in church rec rooms, roadside tents, and tribal community centers – and rarely on Google Maps.
So when a reader tipped me off to a monthly taco sale at Mary Lee Clark United Methodist Church in Del City, I didn’t hesitate.
“Authentic as you can get,” they wrote. “Once a month, usually on a Friday. The food keeps the bills paid.”
Out of duty, instinct or hunger, I had to try it!
Weeks later, after some mild sleuthing for all the details, my wife and I were in the car driving to the suburban sprawl of Mary Lee Clark Church at 100 Howard Dr. in Del City.
Getting to the church, however, I noticed parking was on the side on the building but, apparently, the entrance was in the back. If I am being honest, I thought that no one was there and was about to leave.
But, as some kids came careening out the door, that smell of hot grease automatically filled my Native senses, and I was self-immolating with lard, dough, and pure sweat. I had never been here, but I knew this church hall would be my new home.
Walking into the small gathering place, a diminutive Native woman took my money for two tacos at $12.00 each, with a drink and dessert included. Sounds good to me!
As I took my receipt to the serving window, I noticed that the kitchen was primarily staffed by hardworking teenagers, with only one adult working the mid-size fryer.
The bread was made fresh-to-order and served on a paper plate with all the goodness one expects – meat, beans, and cheese, plus small cups of salsa and jalapenos at the ready.
With my drink in my hand and a dessert by my side, I went into it, full bore. Starting off, the frybread was a good size, with a crispy flake and a doughy texture, just like I like them.
On top of the steaming frybread was the usual fare—spiced ground beef and slow-simmered beans that played perfectly off the dough. The lettuce, onion, and cheese did their job, but it was the picante sauce and jalapeños that really upped the game and got my mouth watering.
After swooning methodically and lugubriously over the expertly crafted taco, I swooped in and devoured it, leaving my wife to carry the conversation between chomps and chews.
I chugged the rest of my Diet Coke and glanced at the dessert table. Most of it was the usual store-bought pies and pastries, but then I saw it my all-time favorite. Yellow cake from a Duncan Hines box, slathered in canned chocolate frosting and topped with sprinkles.
Bonus round!
Sorry to say, but this really is my favorite kind of cake. It took me straight back to childhood, reminding me of times with my mother and her semi-homemade bakes that were always so good. There was a true art to her Duncan Hines cakes—and this one nailed it.
In the world of church-rec-room taco sales, you can't get much better than Mary Lee Clark United Methodist. The frybread was golden and pillowy, the toppings hearty and well-balanced, and the $12 price tag, complete with drink and dessert, was a blessing in itself. When their next sale comes around on July 5th, you’d be wise to grab one—or two.
As I was leaving the church, belly warm and full of bliss, one of the elderly women in the kitchen asked with sweet concern if we’d gotten enough to eat. My wife grinned and said, “If we have another bite, you’ll have to roll us out the door!”
We all laughed as she offered up her wheelchair with a wink, and we stepped back into the warm evening.
I knew before I made it to the car that we’d be back next month—and the one after that. Sure, it’s about the frybread tacos, but it's also about the warm welcome, the laughter, and the kind of gathering that feeds more than just your stomach. That’s the spirit I’ll always return for.
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Follow Louis Fowler on Instagram at @louisfowler78.
