Taco Challenge 2022 Winners

The  Vancouver Foodster 9th Annual Taco Challenge was a success featuring taco creations from restaurants around Vancouver including Squamish. Each restaurant and food truck featured their taco creation from May 5-29, 2022. 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:

{102 points}

Luz Tacos

Surf and Turf Taco

Price: $8.50

Created by: Rodrigo Rodriguez

Description: Hickory smoked beef steak, with a 3 Mexican chillies adobo prawns & shrimp, finished with garlic cilantro mayo, pickle red onions and cilantro, lime. Served in a double corn taco shells with crispy cheese!

Luz Tacos

38921 Queens Way, Squamish

Tel:(604) 849-2188

Web:https://luztacos.com/

Instagram @luztacos

2nd Place:

(100 points)

Maizal

Taco Yucatán 

Price: $9.95

Created by: Rodrigo Vela

Description: The taco is a black tiger shrimp marinated on achiote salsa, served on a black tortilla infused with squid ink and topped with Monterey cheese, pineapple and mango habanero salsa.

Maizal

2815 Main Street, Vancouver

Tel: (604) 709-0813

Web: https://www.maizalrestaurant.ca/

Instagram: @maizal_rmf

3rd Place:

(98 points)

Cantina Norte

Taco El Mejor

Price:  $15 for two tacos

Created by: Head Chef- Juan Carlos Dominguez

Description: Delicious Seared Prawn & Pork Belly Taco on warm corn tortilla; and fresh Pico de Gallo, Buttery Bajou Beans & a spicy topper of Habañero Aioli. Aye Caramba! Mexico please!!

Cantina Norte

3246 Connaught Crescent #108, North Vancouver

Tel: (604) 670-8226

Web: https://cantinanorte.com/

Instagram @cantinanorte

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

Taco Diablo

Price: $8

Created by: Chef Bruno Prada

Description: It is on a home made blue corn tortilla – and filled with tequila infused prawns, a devil sauce and pineapple salsa topped with chichron.

Available: Takeout and delivery

Little Mexico Cantina

3131 Chatham St #150, Richmond

Tel:(604) 272-5123

Web:https://www.littlemexicocantina.ca/

Instagram: @littlemexicocantina

2nd Place People’s Choice:

Luz Tacos

Surf and Turf Taco

Price: $8.50

Created by: Rodrigo Rodriguez

Description: Hickory smoked beef steak, with a 3 Mexican chillies adobo prawns & shrimp, finished with garlic cilantro mayo, pickle red onions and cilantro, lime. Served in a double corn taco shells with crispy cheese!

Luz Tacos

38921 Queens Way, Squamish

Tel:(604) 849-2188

Web:https://luztacos.com/

Instagram @luztacos

3rd Place People’s Choice:

KYU Grill Truck

Creamy Bussin’ Shrimp Tacos

Price: $14.50 for two tacos

Created by: Chef Pheezy

Description: Mouth-Watering Battered Shrimp, drippin’ in our Creamy, Fiery Bang-Bang Sauce. Warm-Grilled Corn Masa Tortilla, Shaved Cabbage. Topped with a Fresh Mango Salsa, Onions & Cilantro

KYU Grill Truck

Mobile locations (tba) schedule can be found on their social media platforms and the street food app.

Tel: (604) 906-8828

Web:www.kyugrill.com

Instagram @kyugrill.yvr

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: Maggi Mei, Tara Lee and Yuki No

Thank you to all the restaurants and food trucks 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

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