The Vancouver Foodster 6th Annual Taco Challenge was a huge success featuring taco creations from restaurants around Vancouver. Each restaurant featured their taco creation from May 16 – June 9, 2019. Our media judging panel determined the ultimate winners of the challenge, and this was quite the task as each judge who tasted each creation with a rigorous process based on taste, originality/uniqueness and presentation/appearance.
The Winners are:
1st Place:
{109 points}
Little Mexico Cantina
Tacos Gobernador Estilo Sinaloa
Price: $8.50
Created by owner Carol Janeczko & Marie Sanchez
Description: Shrimp, sautéed diced tomatoes, poblano peppers, onions, in house-made chorizo, grilled Oaxaca cheese, topped with avocado sauce & and house made Habanero hot sauce served on a warm in house made tortilla.
Offered: Available for Dinner only after May 19.
Little Mexico Cantina
3131 Chatham St #150, Richmond
Tel: (604) 272-5123
Web: http://www.littlemexicocantina.com/
Twitter: @LMCSteveston
Instagram @lmcsteveston
Carol Janeczko
2nd Place (tie):
{105 points}
Cinco De Mayo Mexican Grill
Tacos De Camarón Cinco De Mayo
Price: $14
Created by: Chef Juan Caminante
Description: Spice rubbed wild prawns sautéed with garlic and elote picado salsa, dressed with fresh organic cabbage, Hass avocado, house made chipotle mayo, onions, cilantro and a lime wedge.
Offered: Dinner, From 5pm – Close
Cinco De Mayo Mexican Grill
200 Esplanade W., North Vancouver
Tel: (604) 770-1010
Web: http://www.cinco5demayo.com/
Twitter: @CincoTweets
Instagram @cinconorthshore
Chef Juan Caminante and Zaira Flores
Las Tortas
Chicken Mole Confit
Price: $9.50
Created by: Chef Moises Toyber
Description: This taco was created using the Traditional Mexican Flavours & applying techniques of the French cuisine. Premium organic corn tortilla, black bean pure, truffled rice, chicken confit and a red Mole sauce will make you experience the fusion between 2 great cuisines.
Offered: All the time
Las Tortas
3353 Cambie Street, Vancouver
Tel: 604-569-1402
Twitter: @LasTortas
Instagram: @lastortascambie
3rd Place:
{92 points}
Hugo’s Mexican Kitchen
Mexican Summer
Price: $12
Created by: Dan Garcia
Description: We hope that our taco reminds every Mexican of their summer and having barbecues. House-made hand made tortilla, longaniza (Toluca-stile chorizo), -cecina (steak yecapixtla-style), -nopal asado (grilled cactus), queso asado (grilled cheese), cebolla asada (grilled onions), cilantro and avocado salsa.
Offered: All the time
Hugo’s Mexican Kitchen
19151 Fraser Highway, Surrey
Tel: 778-547-8835
Twitter: @hugosmexkitchen
Instagram @hugosmexicankitchen
and
Hugo’s Tacos & Churros
7899 Templeton Station Rd, Richmond
Twitter: @Hugoschurros
Instagram: @hugoschurros
Offered: All the time
And
Hugo’s Mexican Kitchen
7101 Vedder Rd, Chilliwack
Instagram @hugosmexicankitchen
Offered: All the time
In the People’s Choice Awards category, the public who tried the Taco Creations were the ones who had the opportunity to cast their vote throughout the challenge.
The Winners are:
1st Place People’s Choice:
Little Mexico Cantina
Tacos Gobernador Estilo Sinaloa
Price: $8.50
Created by owner Carol Janeczko & Marie Sanchez
Description: Shrimp, sautéed diced tomatoes, poblano peppers, onions, in house-made chorizo, grilled Oaxaca cheese, topped with avocado sauce & and house made Habanero hot sauce served on a warm in house made tortilla.
Offered: Available for Dinner only after May 19.
Little Mexico Cantina
3131 Chatham St #150, Richmond
Tel: (604) 272-5123
Web: http://www.littlemexicocantina.com/
Twitter: @LMCSteveston
Instagram @lmcsteveston
2nd Place People’s Choice:
Cinco De Mayo Mexican Grill
Tacos De Camarón Cinco De Mayo
Price: $14
Created by: Chef Juan Caminante
Description: Spice rubbed wild prawns sautéed with garlic and elote picado salsa, dressed with fresh organic cabbage, Hass avocado, house made chipotle mayo, onions, cilantro and a lime wedge.
Offered: Dinner, From 5pm – Close
Cinco De Mayo Mexican Grill
200 Esplanade W., North Vancouver
Tel: (604) 770-1010
Web: http://www.cinco5demayo.com/
Twitter: @CincoTweets
Instagram @cinconorthshore
3rd Place People’s Choice:
Las Tortas
Chicken Mole Confit
Price: $9.50
Created by: Chef Moises Toyber
Description: This taco was created using the Traditional Mexican Flavours & applying techniques of the French cuisine. Premium organic corn tortilla, black bean pure, truffled rice, chicken confit and a red Mole sauce will make you experience the fusion between 2 great cuisines.
Offered: All the time
Las Tortas
3353 Cambie Street, Vancouver
Tel: 604-569-1402
Twitter: @LasTortas
Instagram: @lastortascambie
Our media judging panel determined the ultimate winners of the challenge, and this was quite the task as each judge who tasted each creation with a rigorous process based on taste, originality/uniqueness and presentation/appearance.
Each media judge scored each creation with a maximum of 40 points as follows: Overall Taste 20 points, Originality and Uniqueness 10 points, Presentation and Appearance 10 points. The highest number of points a challenge creation could have been awarded is 120 points.
Our Media judges for this challenge were: Louisa Chan, Jay Minter and Jess Chan.
Thank you to all the restaurants that accepted my invitation and featured the Taco Challenge creations on the menu for the past few weeks during this challenge.
I encourage you to visit the winning restaurants to try their Taco creations! See all the Taco Challenge Entries Here.
By: Richard Wolak