Saturday was the inaugural North Texas Taco Festival, and if turnout is any indication of interest, it won’t be the last. Well before it ended at 5 p.m., lines were long (note next year: More tacos!) and attendees well-fed for what is probably the cheapest attack on the wallet of any food festival in memory. (Tacos averages less than $2 each — you could eat a dozen and barely break a $20. Trust me.)
Lots of purveyors were there, including Velvet Taco (not my favorite taqueria, but they were serving for a buck — very little I won’t eat for a buck), Chili Pepper Grill in Fort Worth (the only place serving tripe, as well as my favorite single taco of the day, the suadero), El Tizoncito (four for $5, all excellent) as well as lamb, beef fajita, free Topo Chico mineral water … and gorgeous weather.
In addition to the booths, a panel of taco experts (including Komali chef Anastasia Quinones) talked about the essential street food before judging the best gourmet taco prepared by chefs (including The Grape’s Brian Luscher and Five Sixty’s Patton Robertson) who don’t typically serve tacos on their menu. (The winner was Driftwood’s Omar Flores, with a taco topped by a housemade chicharron.)
Check out scenes from the festival below.
