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
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
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