They were all outstanding, but my personal favorite came from chef Dennis Brask of Five Crowns.
Brask and crew created a salmon pastrami taco with emmentaler spiced cabbage, whole grain mustard aioli on a pumpernickel toast tortilla.
I had three of these tacos, and would have gone back for more, but I was just too embarrassed.
Bert Agor of Ruth’s Chris Steak House prepared a prime New York strip taco. A Peking duck taco with Hoisin sauce and scallions came from Bill Bracken and David Man of the Island Hotel.
The crowd raved about the spiced roasted pork tacos with Oregon blue cheese prepared by Yves Fournier of Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine.
And one of the big favorites came from the celebrated Allen Greeley of Costa Mesa’s renowned Golden Truffle restaurant. Greeley prepared a taco made with roasted suckling pig and confit buffalo pig’s ears, Greeley’s crew had the entire pig roasting on property.
Every chef from each restaurant deserves a major pat on the back for this enormous undertaking. For the record, the best of the best include Paul Buchanan, Victor Cabral, Ivan Calderon, Mark Cleveland, Tanya Fuqua, Manuel Gonzalez, Scott Green, Chris Hutton, Carlito Jocson, Rachel Klemek, Jason Kordas, Chad Krahling, Alessandro Pirozzi, Deborah Schneider, Christi Carter, Don Schoenburg, Vartan Vbgaryan and Marco Zapien.
Patron margaritas were passed while guests helped themselves to flavored 808 Vodkas and wines donated by OC Custom Wines.
The list of sponsors is long and inclusive of every walk of life in the community with special recognition going to the Taco Bell Corporation, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, and Rutan & Tucker LLP.
