Taco-Palooza Fiesta Dinner Series

XIXA in New York

The format of this event series was completely new to us, and we knew it wouldn't be perfect. But, we decided that it was worth taking a risk and experiment with a new event concept because uncovering new ways to experience amazing restaurants is such an essential part of our mission. And there's no chef we would rather put our trust in than Chef Jason Marcus! So, how was Taco-Palooza? We would be lying if we said everyone had a blast. It was a very different feel than our typical seated dinner format, and some people had a hard time adjusting to it. However, we also received a ton of positive feedback from attendees, and we learned A TON! Just over the course of the two-day series, we made a bunch of operational changes and tweaks to the service progression that dramatically improved the experience. The cocktail party format is clearly not for everyone, and we are certainly not going to be putting a halt to our seated dinner format. But, we are really excited about this new cocktail party format and will definitely be sprinkling in more events with this format. Now, on to the food... Below are the top 3 tacos from each event as rated by attendees on their feedback cards:

 

DAY 1

1st Place: Pork Cheek Carnitas 'En Salsa Morita' Tortilla - with pickled watermelon and watermelon radish

2nd Place: Confit Duck Mole Tortilla - with roasted beet pico and salsa macha

3rd Place: Lamb Lengua Carnitas Tortilla - with mojo verde , avocado salsa, dill, and pickled zucchini

 

DAY 2

1st Place: Lamb Lengua Carnitas Tortilla - with mojo verde, avocado salsa, dill, and pickled zucchini

2nd Place: Broccoli Rabe & Spicy Chorizo Tostada - with caper-raisin-sunflower seed salsa and smoked paprika aioli

3rd Place: Confit Duck Mole Tortilla - with roasted beet pico and salsa macha