THURSDAY, APRIL 1 (NO JOKE) >>>
The Elote Eight is fully fleshed out: Vuelve a la Vida, Taqueria El Rinconsito, El Toro, Moctezuma's Mexican Restaurant, Taqueria La Fondita, Taqueria Burrito Loco, Top of Tacoma Bar and Café, and Tijuana Taco. Eight establishments that - according to our readers' poll - serve the best tacos in the greater Tacoma area.
It's all come down to Elote Eight (elote is roasted corn on the cob served on the streets of Mexico City - seemed like a brilliant idea during the creation of this tournament). All the signs in the restaurants, the mass emailings to customers and friends, the taco phone trees have paid off for these eight taco slingers. It's now crunch (or crunchy shell) time for the taco royalty.
Let's break it down the games:
GAME 1: Vuelve a la Vida vs. Taqueria El Rinconsito
Only 14,482 Old El Paso Super Stuffer taco shells end-to-end separate Vuelve from El Rinconsito on Pacific Avenue. It's safe to say this battle is for taco bragging rights on Pacific Avenue - a street we all have discovered during this tournament houses hundreds of tacos. These are two of the best.
GAME 2: El Toro vs. Moctezuma's Mexican Restaurant
Here we go. Both of these local chain restaurants serve big plates of food. Both have rallied their loyal fans to vote. Both have slaughtered their competitors every game. The both serve giant margaritas, which is nice.
GAME 3: Taqueria La Fondita vs. Taqueria Burrito Loco
Taco truck in a gravel parking lot that sports AstroTurf-ish carpeting takes on a strip mall joint hidden behind a gas station. But we know it's about the tacos, and both of these championships have the right stuffing.
GAME 4: Top of Tacoma Bar and Café vs. Tijuana Taco
OK, here we go. This bare-knuckled brawl will be similar to an open-topped car race, moving at speeds upwards of 120 mph on Interstate 5, ending on a giant-sized ramp that will hurl the vehicles over the Tacoma Dome, and splashing into Commencement Bay. The winner will be the one with the most life buoys tossed at it. Yes, just like that.
It's taco voting time folks. Click here and vote for your favorites.
Confused? Read our Tournament of Tacos introduction here.