About two months ago, my cousin Maggie asked if my boyfriend Dave and I wanted to go to Taco Fest at Ontario Place. Naturally, I responded within one minute of her texting saying, “send me the info and I’ll purchase our tickets!” I didn’t have to think twice about going. How could we pass up tacos, beer, and margaritas? There is truly no better way to spend a Sunday.
Taco Fest is hosted by TASTETORONTO to showcase some of Toronto’s best chefs that cook with a Mexican twist. There was live music, an authentic Mariachi band and 25 vendors on the grounds. They served a variety of tacos, nachos and salsa, churros, Mexican street corn, and sangria, plus tons of hot sauces. If you enjoy Mexican food, this was definitely the place to be. Here is a great after video from 2016 that TASTETORONTO put together: click here.
Here is a little recap of my first Taco Fest experience:
To start, I have few tips if you ever plan on attending a TASTETORONTO event:
1) Do NOT eat before! You surprisingly fill up much quicker than expected;
2) SHARE everything. Sharing is caring – the more food items you get to try, the better; and
3) Do NOT over indulge at the bar the night before – I previously went to Brunch Fest and struggled to enjoy myself due to a few too many beverages the night before
We followed my advice and went bright and early. We did not eat breakfast beforehand and therefore did not ruin our appetites – HIGHLY recommend this tactic. We arrived starving, hit all of the stations we wanted, and missed all of the lines, which started to form as we were too full to eat anything else.
It was a little bit overwhelming at first because everything looked delicious and the smells were heavenly. We decided a drink to start may be the best idea. We headed over and ordered Margaritas and Coronas.
Our first food stop was at Busters Sea Cove:
I tried the Jerk Shrimp Taco, which was amazing and one of my favourites. It included jerk fried shrimp, roja, creamy coleslaw, pico de gallo, and jerk aioli on a corn tortilla. Next we headed to the Kathi Roll Express to try The Legendary Butter Chicken Taco. This one is pretty self-explanatory – the taco shell was naan bread. It was my second favourite of the day.
Then we headed to The Citizen to try their Beet & Avocado taco. This was an interesting one and probably my least favourite, BUT it was a beautiful looking taco (see below). This taco consisted of guacamole, coconut queso, beet crema, and puffed quinoa.
Next we tried the Pulled Yam Taco from Rancho Relaxo, which was seasoned shredded yam and carrot topped with vegan apple slaw in a flour tortilla (I wish it was in a corn tortilla but still delish) and the Buffalo Cauliflower Taco from Fidel Gastro’s. This consisted of fried cauliflower tossed in a buffalo sauce with creamy slaw, radish coins, celery, and chopped chives. These two tacos tied for third place.
We ended the day with a Mexican street corn called the Taco Sweet Corn Parfait from The Mighty Cob and Ice Cream Tacos from Booyah Inc. I thought it was quite unfair since I can’t eat dessert due to my bet… WHICH IS ALMOST OVER! T-minus 54 days… not that I am counting or beyond excited at all.
I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed Taco Fest and will 100% attend again next year. It was a great way to try multiple restaurants in one sitting and figure out where I may want to go back for a full sit down meal. The live music and Mariachi band was a great addition and provided the perfect pit stop to enjoy a beverage and digest before food rounds 4, 5, and 6!
Enjoying every last bite....
TASTETORONTO is hosting an event similar to Taco Fest and Brunch at the end of the summer called Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ. If you are looking for some great craft beers, bourbon cocktails, grill master lessons, and bull rides I would definitely consider going!
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Join T & T in their latest adventure together to Denver Brunchfest 2019! 🍳 🍾 🍳 Unlimited brunch bites, drinks, and fun = Tina @travelinghoppy and Trin @downtowncraft will be having a good ole time. This event features a mimosa and bloody mary bar along with craft beers, craft cocktails and a bar made entirely of ice with champagne! Combine this with small eats from local craft restaurants and you have the makings of a fun time! Is it worth your time and money though? Find out in the latest Downtown Vlog episode on Downtown Craft! #brunchfest #denverfoodevents #cocktails #foodiedream (at McNichols Building) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2CZn_uFAGl/?igshid=sjxm5uhtue3c
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Art enthusiasts, brunch lovers and their furry, four legged, friends are invited to the first ever DOGwood Brunchfest at Park Tavern in Piedmont Park on Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14, 2019 from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Located in the heart of Midtown on the Atlanta BeltLine, the two-day event will feature an artist market with local artisans and crafters, including Billie Hillard, Maria Bruckman Art, Camille and Company, Ojen Atlanta, Daniel Curran, WeezieArt, Decorfiftyfive and more. Hungry shoppers can purchase Brunch Bite Tickets for $7, which include access to a Krispy Kreme Donuts station featuring a fully loaded topping bar with whipped cream, strawberries, and chocolate; hearty breakfast bowls filled to the brim with scrambled cheese eggs, bacon, tomatoes and avocado on a bed of tater tots; chicken and waffles; Park Tavern’s signature raw oysters; and much more.
Imbibers can also sip through the weekend with rosé, frosé, mimosas, Bloody Marys with cocktail shrimp, a wide selection of wines, craft beers and more. Park Tavern’s pet-friendly patio boasts plenty of seating in the shade, so guests and their pups can relax throughout the brunch-filled weekend. This event is rain or shine. General Admissions tickets are available for $5 and include entry to the event. VIP tickets are available starting at $140 for an eight person table. For more information about the event or to purchase tickets, visit www.parktavern.com.Park Tavern Presents DOGwood Brunchfest
