Over cubetas of Indio, Pacifico, and Corona and bottomless bottles of Alipus Mezcal, Taste of Mexico recently announced the return of its annual tasting event at a new location to a group of prominent chefs and owners, including Mexicali Taco and Co.’s Esdras Ochoa, Jimmy Shaw of Loteria, the ladies behind Yuca’s, Ricardo Diaz of Bizarra Capital, and La Descarga owners Pablo Moix and Steve Livigni. Instead of reprising the feast for the third time at St. Vibiana’s Cathedral, the event will be held in the courtyard of Downtown’s La Plaza De Culturas Y Artes on October 5th.
The Taste of Mexico association is a collaboration centered on cultural outreach and regional Mexican food recognition comprised of the owners of Guelaguetza, La Casita Mexicana, Frida, and helmed by group president Ricardo Cervantes of La Monarca Bakery.
This year, Taste of Mexico is opening its books for new restaurants to join the association, upping the odds that the event itself will feature more participants as planned, though it remains open to non-members as well. New restaurants already coming to the event for the first time will be Mexicali, Loteria, Nevera Juice, Candela Taco Bar, Tortas Bravas, and Mexikosher, with more invitations going out currently to additional participants.
Though the restaurants may be competing in some sense, the unification under the Taste of Mexico banner is intended to have them directly supporting one another. Mexikosher chef Katsuji Tanabe expressed his feelings on the organization’s openness and growth, telling Grub Street how thrilled it made him to see restaurants coming together in an industry where it is not uncommon to hate on one another.
Taste of Mexico, October 5th at 501 N Main S. Downtown.
