Daily Loaf

Zurritos is the brainchild of Beard Award nominee chef Zack Gross, who turned the spot into a quick burrito and taco joint after moving his Z Grille down the street and around the corner. Agave is a St. Pete Beach Mexican restaurant that’s more authentic than most, with regulars and tourists lining up outside the door even on weeknights for the food and killer tequila selection.

Check them out for yourself and vote now. Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for past and future matchups, daily results, contact info for contenders and updated brackets.

So who wins: Zurritos or Agave? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full, UPDATED Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

In what may be the most unexciting battle in the entire Tournament of Tacos, today we have two moderate, Americanized Mexican joints duking it out over who has the best of the bland. Can you tell Ihow I feel about this one? Check them out for yourself and vote now. Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for past and future matchups, daily results, contact info for contenders and updated brackets.

So who wins: Chihuahua or Estela’s? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Mekenita was opened way up in north Tampa by the former chef partner of our local Roy’s. Vallarta’s is a local mini-chain dishing up Mexi-food to families for years. Will the modern upstart beat out the old guard? Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for past and future matchups, daily results, contact info for contenders and updated brackets.

So who wins: Mekenita Mexican Grill or Vallarta’s? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Mema’s used to be a hidden gem off of Ybor’s main drags, but the success of their fried, “Alaskan” tacos allowed them to move into a bigger space in the thick of things. Miguel’s is a typical, south Tampa Mexican joint that specializes in seafood. Can Mexican via Alaska beat out an old standby? Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for past and future matchups, daily results, contact info for contenders and updated brackets.

So who wins: Mema’s or Miguel’s? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Last weekend I was able to fulfill a long-standing dream of mine: visiting San Antonio, Texas. Why San Antonio, you ask? Well, there’s the historic Alamo, the touristy River Walk, and many other cultural and historic sights. But this city has also been the mecca of Tex-Mex food in my eyes (and also a stop on my “BBQ of the U.S.” tour) for longer than I can remember.

I had been planning this culinary pilgrimage for almost two months, as soon as I found out I was going (courtesy of wonderful boyfriend and free airline tickets), and did extensive research on just about every Tex-Mex/barbecue/Mexican restaurant in town. My main goal was to stay away from eating on the River Walk as much as possible, since it contained mostly overpriced tourist traps with bland interpretations of the authentic Tex-Mex food I sought. This weekend getaway made me feel like Giada on one of her “Weekend Getaways” (minus the camera in my face). Read the rest of this entry »

Mexican and Tex-Mex definitely top my list of favorite cuisines. Their use of spices elevate and enhance simple ingredients to create delicious, comforting dishes. One of my favorite Tex-Mex dishes is Tamale Pie, which is a casserole that is supposed to mimic the flavors of a traditional Mexican tamale: shredded or ground meat encased in a masa (cornmeal) mixture, wrapped in corn husks and then steamed.  Tamales are very time consuming to prepare, so I decided to take the easy road and make tamale pie.

The following is a recipe for tamale pie I “Katie-fied” from one I saw on “Simply Delicioso with Ingrid Hoffman” on Food Network. Most tamale pie recipes I’ve seen use ground beef, but you can use ground pork, chicken, turkey, boar, ostrich, whatever your heart desires. I don’t usually use canned items but I decided to in this one, just to make it easier for those of you at home to save time. Read the rest of this entry »

Along with just about everyone in St. Pete (and possibly the entire Bay area), I was ecstatic to hear that Red Mesa would be opening another restaurant in the old DeSanto spot in downtown and couldn’t wait to get down there. Last Saturday night I ventured in to sample fare at the one-week old “modern Mexican taqueria and ceviche bar” that is the new Red Mesa Cantina.

The restaurant is in the bottom floor of Push Ultra Lounge at 128 3rd St. S. the decor is bright and fun: Mexican-themed artwork arrayed inside and luchador wrestler masks lining the outside wall across from the bar (with more kitschy luchador posters in the bathrooms). The dining room inside is large and open, with a hip vibe, and there’s still outdoor dining on the patio. Read the rest of this entry »

Renowned cookbook author and Mexican cuisine authority Diana Kennedy will be at Seminole Heights’ favorite Mexican food diner — El Taconazo (affectionately known at the Taco Bus) — Friday, February 13. She’ll be signing books at 5:30 and teach a cooking class at 6:30.

I’m a huge fan of Kennedy’s. The first cookbook I ever owned was her The Art of Mexican Cooking, which is due for anew printing this March.

While she’s visiting Tampa she’ll also do a book signing at Inkwood Saturday the 14th and offer a cooking class at the Rolling Pin Kitchen in Brandon on Thursday the 12th. Her schedule is posted below.

Rene Valenzuela, owner and chef of the Taco Bus writes: Read the rest of this entry »