Thrillist’s 3rd Annual Taco Knockout

New York – Over 600 guests gathered to enjoy unlimited tacos from ten of Thrillist’s favorite restaurants and a guacamole station from Rosa Mexicano; piled high with chips and salsas. The churro station from La Churreria served Thrillist bacon churro bites, dulce de leche stuffed churros and churros con chocolate (in the form of a chocolate fountain!). As guests voted for their favorite taco, they sipped on Milagro cocktails (“The Freshest Margarita” and the “Paloma Milagrosa”), Bud Light Lime and Downeast Cider from the fully stocked bar. In the end, Mexicue’s Smoky Carnitas Taco was crowned the ultimate taco.

With performances by DJ Dirty Digits, percussionist Jimmy Lopez and flash mob performances by the Northeast’s finest mariachi band, Mariachi Tapatio de Alvaro Paulino and folkloric dance group Ballet Folklorico Mexicano de Nueva York there was no shortage of entertainment. Accompanied by Just Wink’s trademark winking taco, guests snapped & printed photos with Instaprint and and got their faces painted with festive designs.

Check out all of the participating restaurants and their respective dishes below:

Edi & The Wolf | Chefs & Owners Eduard Fraundeer & Wolfgang Ben’s Crispy Chicken Schnitzel Taco with ramp remoulade, radish and Austrian pumpkinseed salsa
Ho’Brah | Chef Alfonso Ruiz & Chef Tom Casatelli’s Sunset Pork with chipotle pineapple pork, pickled jalapeno corn tortilla, picked red onion & chipotle crema
Kimchi Smoke | Chef Robert Cho’s Cho Nut Taco with smoked brisket, bacon, smoked kimchi, bourbon chipotle sauce, cheddar cheese, fried ramen crumble on a buttered fried tortilla with powdered sugar
La Esquina | Executive Chef Adrian Ramirez’s Mahi Mahi BLT Taco with grilled mahi mahi, chipotle-piloncillo bacon, shredded lettuce, lime pico de gallo, agave cilantro aioli
Mexicue | Chef Thomas Kelly’s Smoky Carnitas Tacos with manchego, crispy tortilla strips, corn salsa & creamy chipotle
Mira Sushi & Izkaya | Executive Chef Brian Tsao’s Beef Bulgogi Tacos with wonton skins, Asian pear, kimchi slaw, toasted sesame & scallion
Socarrat Paella Bar | Executive Chef Jesús Nuñez’s Taco y Olé with beef oxtail, fried egg cream, piquillo pepper, crispy jamon Serrano, herbs and pickled veggies
Taquitoria | Chef Barry Frish​’s Buffalo Chicken Taquitos with family secret buffalo sauce and bleu cheese/ranch dip
Tequila Park Taqueria Executive Chef Geoff Rudaw’s Cohcken Vindaloo Taco with mango chutney, raita & crispy mee krob noodles
Tres Carnes | Executive Chef Sasha Shor’s House-Cured Smoked Pork Belly Taco with poblano lime ranch and hot pink pickled onions

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