(Left to Right) Noe Esquipel, cook; Garcia Taboada, main cook; Rachel Gonzalez, assistant general manager; and Orlando Peraza, catering manager of Sundried Tomato American Bistro & Catering, served guests pan seared duck breast with apple brie bread pudding, baby carrot, bing cherry coulis and white chocolate beurre blanc. Photo: Alex Paris
Sol Agave served up carnitas tacos with Kurobota pulled pork at the Taste of San Juan. Photo: Alex Paris
Sol Agave also served shrimp taquitos stuffed with Dungeness crab and epazote filling with cream cheese. Photo: Alex Paris
(Left to Right) From Atria San Juan, Jennifer Frost, life guidance director; Andrew Schwartz; Justin Ashton, business director; Chef George; and Kim Moore, sales director, served up Asian tacos on sticky buns with brown butter soy short rib and watermelon daikon slaw. Photo: Alex Paris
Ricardo’s Place served guests chicken tostaditas with chipotle sauce or chile verde. Photo: Alex Paris
(Left to Right) From Ricardo’s Place, Alex Beas; cook Juan Vilchez; waitress Angelica Rojas; owner Ricardo Beas; and waitress Laticia Cruz. Photo: Alex Paris
Thai Juan On served up crispy wontons, “Balls of Fire” and BBQ chicken at the Taste of San Juan. Photo: Alex Paris
Thai Juan On served up crispy wontons, “Balls of Fire” and BBQ chicken at the Taste of San Juan. Photo: Alex Paris
(Left to Right) From El Adobe de Capistrano, Gilda Sanchez, banquet captain; Herlinda Gregory, special events manager; and cook Benjamin Garcia served vegetable tamales with concaste sauce alongside chile relleno. Photo: Alex Paris
From O’Neill’s Bar and Grill, Holly Hart, lead line cook, and Jeff Platt, executive chef, served braised pork wing with apricot mirin glaze. Photo: Alex Paris
(Left to Right) From Ô Gourmet French Café & Bakery, chef/owner Eric Djomby, Alejandra Lopez, Laura Borrusa, and chef/owner Benoit Jussaume served Boeuf Bourguignon, creme brule and tarte tatin. Photo: Alex Paris
(L to R) Garrett Szubielski, Ed Szubielski, owner of We Olive & Wine Bar, and Kayla Szubielski, serve up stuffed peppadews. Photo: Alex Paris
We Olive’s stuffed peppadews. Photo: Alex Paris
(From left) Amanda Chisam, wine club manager, and waitress Chelsea Goodale, of Rancho Capistrano Winery, served strawberry bruschetta to guests. Photo: Alex Paris
Rancho Capistrano Winery’s strawberry bruschetta. Photo: Alex Paris
Banquet coordinator Patti Gibson, of Marie Callender’s, served up a variety of pies. Photo: Alex Paris
A lemon meringue pie from Marie Callender’s. Photo: Alex Paris
(Left to Right) Cook Tomas Garcia and chef Roberto Martinez of 19 Sports Bar and Grill serve up beef sliders. Photo: Alex Paris
(Left to Right) From Mission Grill, cook Felix Cruz, owner John Gillotti and chef Juan Frireis. Photo: Alex Paris
Mission Grill was one of 21 restaurants serving up their fare Thursday night. Photo: Alex Paris
(Left to Right) Chef Karasi Velikov, Anthony Filipov, and manager Abel Garcia of Hummingbird House Cafe. Photo: Alex Paris
Taqueros Mexican Restaurant owners Gustavo Lezama and Jessa Ceja served chile verde pulled pork. Photo: Alex Paris
(Left to Right) From Trevor’s at the Tracks, Robert Hernandez, beverage director; owner Trevor Baird; and Limela, director of sales. Photo: Alex Paris
Vintage Steakhouse owner Heather Tran and manager Emilio. Photo: Alex Paris
(From left) General manager Mike Soleri, cook Tommy O’Rafferty, and chef John Byrne, of Hennessey’s Tavern, served chili to guests. Photo: Alex Paris
Damien Alarcon and manager Kylie Clerico, of Selma’s Chicago Pizzeria & Tap Room, served up deep dish pepperoni pizza with fresh tomatoes. Photo: Alex Paris
(Left to Right) Señor San Juan Edward Beyer, Miss Fiesta Erin Kutnik Beyer, Junior Miss Fiesta Kate Pointer and Parade Grand Marshal Steve Nordeck. Photo: Alex Paris
Sol Agave co-owner Jesus Galvez heads to the stage to accept an award. Photo: Alex Paris
(L to R) Garrett Szubielski, Fiesta Association Board Member Pamela Schuler, and Ed Szubielski, owner of We Olive & Wine Bar, with their honorable mention award for best appetizer. Photo: Alex Paris
Trevor Baird, owner of Trevor’s at the Tracks, accepts the award for best main dish. Photo: Alex Paris
Ô Gourmet French Café & Bakery claimed the Swallow’s Cup in addition to an award for best dessert and an honorable mention for most original dish. Photo: Alex Paris
(From left) Chef Manny Velasco, owner Jesus Galvez, and team member Alfonso Montoya pose with their awards. Photo: Alex Paris
(From left) Chef Manny Velasco, Fiesta board member Pamela Schuler, owner Jesus Galvez, and team member Alfonso Montoya pose with their awards. Photo: Alex Paris
(Left to Right) Manager Abel Garcia, Anthony Filipov and Chef Karasi Velikov of Hummingbird House Cafe accept an honorable mention award for best dessert. Photo: Alex Paris
Ô Gourmet French Café & Bakery claimed the Swallow’s Cup in addition to an award for best dessert and an honorable mention for most original dish. Photo: Alex Paris
Ô Gourmet French Café & Bakery claimed the Swallow’s Cup in addition to an award for best dessert and an honorable mention for most original dish. Photo: Alex Paris
Ô Gourmet French Café & Bakery co-owners and chefs Benoit Jussaume and Eric Djomby won the Swallow’s Cup for the second consecutive year. Photo: Alex Paris
Rosa and Ricardo Beas, El Presidente Jim Eakin, Señor San Juan Edward Beyer and Miss Fiesta Erin Kutnik Beyer pose for a photo after Ricardo received the first annual El Presidents Taste of San Juan award. Photo: Alex Paris
The Capistrano Dispatch
The San Juan Capistrano Fiesta Association held its annual Taste of San Juan event Thursday, Feb. 9 at the San Juan Hills Golf Club, featuring 21 local restaurants that provided some of their finest fare for guests to enjoy. At the end of the evening, attendees were able to vote for their favorite restaurants and dishes.
Mexican eatery Sol Agave took home two awards, one for “Best Appetizer” and the other for “Best Original Dish.” Trevor’s at the Tracks, which recently announced its Feb. 23 grand opening, won “Best Main Course.”
And for the second year in a row, Ô Gourmet French Café & Bakery took home the award for “Best Desserts” in addition to the coveted Swallow’s Cup for best overall dish of the evening. Looks like Ô Gourmet co-owners Benoit Jussaume and Eric Djomby will house the cup at their cafe for another year.
A new award this year, the El Presidente Taste of San Juan Award, was presented to Ricardo’s Place for all they have done to support the Fiesta Association and the Fiesta de las Golondrinas events they host. The award will be an annual honor for restaurants who support the association and give back to the community.
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