The team of SeoCo Catch celebrates their win as Best Taco at the 2021 San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival Taco TKO. Photo: PubClub.com

By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com San Diego Blogger

SeCo Catch won both the judge’s and people’s choice awards as Best Tacos at the Taco TKO, the final event of the 2021 San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival.

The plant-based gluten-free fried tacos beat out Sand Bar restaurant, which finished second, and Coco Mayo, which finished third with its steak Caribbean tacos. Nearly a dozen local restaurants competed in this annual wrap-up event of the festival.

But the real winners, of course, were those who attended the event.

From my viewpoint, Sand Bar definitely had the best presentation with tacos served in corn husks while Global Tacos Grill had the most creative with Filet Migon tacos and by the looks of the huge line all day it’s surprising that Cafe Califas did not place.

Tho it was hard to judge by the lines because just about every pop-up tent at this location in Liberty Station had a large line of hungry San Diego taco seekers. This was not a problem, tho, but an advantage to people who purchased tickets.

The obvious strategy – which did not take me long at all to develop – was to grab a drink from one of the many alcohol stations, which had no line, and then to get in a taco line. This was the best way to meet and mingle with people, most of whom were easy-going fun folks in the late 20s-mid-40s age range.

The alcohol selections included craft beers (Baja Brewing, Ballast Point, Burning Beard), spirits (Big Shot Craft Spritzer, Frankly Organic Vodka, Ranch Rider Spirits, First Light Crafted Spirits, Miami Cocktail Company, Nova Kombucha, Big Shot the potent Izo tequila and mezcal ) plus Recess CBD-infused sparkling water.

Personally, I found the margaritas and palomas from main sponsor Hornitos tequila the best choice, mainly because it had bartenders set up at various locations serving drinks in a shaker like you get at the Del Mar races.