Taco Experiment

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by Virginia B. Wood

Brooklyn Brewery and Theo Peck were back in town for South by Southwest this year, bringing the Taco Experiment to Austin. The amateur taco cook-off contest was held in ND at 501 Studios, the intimate new venue from former Electric Lounge honcho Mike Henry.

The sold-out crowd streamed in at noon and chowed down on tacos. Shredded pork was by far the favorite protein of the contestants, although there were also tacos made with duck pastrami, beef, braised bison, beef tongue, even ice cream! Peck had invited the Statesman’s Addie Broyles, Chronicle contributor Claudia Alarcon, blogger Veronica Meewes, Stacy Franklin, and myself to act as judges. The majority of the tacos were remarkably good and the judge’s picks duplicated those of the crowd in some instances. Congratulations to all of the winners. Judges Awards: First Place: Zesty Bean Dog for Smoked Duck Pastrami Tacos Second Place: The Holy Smokers for Grec-Mex Pitatilla Third Place: Outer Space for Jamaikame Crazy Jerk Tacos Audience Awards: First Place Grand Prize: Sous Me Alchemy for Tacos Amores Second Place: The Holy Smokers for Grec-Mex Pitatilla Third Place: Talking Tacos for (512) Pecan Porter Lengua Tacos (my personal favorite) Theo’s Prize for Experimentation: Mary Makes Dinner for Frio Tillo Tacos (ice cream)