When his parents’ restaurant faced permanent closure due to a failed business partnership and leasing issues, William Solis stepped up and took action to preserve his family’s legacy, taking a loan to invest in Ruthie’s Tex-Mex—named for his mother.

Tex-Mex dishes differ from traditional Mexican cuisine, which tends to be spicier and more heavily seasoned and often incorporates ingredients not indigenous to Texas, Solis said.

“There’s a plethora of peppers out there that are readily available in Mexico that are not here—like the chili pepper specifically [found] in the north of Mexico,” Solis said. “It’s called chile de arbol.”

When developing the menu, Solis said it was important for the business to include Tex-Mex dishes known to be popular with customers—nachos, quesadillas and fajitas. Ruthie’s also serves specialty platters like William’s plate, which was named after Solis because it includes a combination of his favorite things to eat: shrimp, skirt steak, rice, charro beans and avocado.

Ruthie’s menu originated with Solis’ parents who previously worked for the Houston-based Ninfa’s corporation, which are known for its Tex-Mex restaurant franchises, he said.

“Most of the plates that you taste here in this restaurant comes from my father’s experience of the kitchen,” Solis said.

Originally known as Ruthie’s Mexicana, the restaurant started with Solis’ parents back in December 1999 before business disagreements with another partner almost jeopardized its whole operation, he said. Solis was able to resuscitate the business, and the diner continues to operate in the same location, rebranding under a new name but offering the same recipes enjoyed by local families.

“A lot of their kids grew up with this type of food,” he said. “They created a tradition to always come here either on Fridays or Saturdays as a family to eat together, and it reminds them of being in a familiar place and just calling it home.”