OXNARD — After two hours of sampling salsas from eight restaurants and specialty groceries, 10 judges cast their votes for winners in the 2019 Oxnard Salsa Festival’s Salsa Recipe Contest/Professional Division. Tacos Don Chente came away with the Judges Choice award for best overall salsa. The contest took place July 17 at La Dolce Vita in Oxnard’s Heritage Square.
The restaurants and markets submitted 15 salsas ranging from mild to hot. The winners are:
- Best Mild Salsa: BG’s Café picante salsa
- Best Medium Salsa: Orozco’s de Ventura
- Best Hot Salsa: Montezuma Restaurant
- Best Red Salsa: BG’s Café
- Best Green Salsa: BG’s Café
- Best Specialty Salsa: Tacos Don Chente
- Judges Choice Award (best of the best): Tacos Don Chente
Judging the salsas were Bonnie Carroll, publisher/editor of Bonnie Carroll’s Life Bites News, Wendy Leung, Ventura County Star reporter, Tami and Tony Chu, publishers/editors of Edible Ojai & Ventura County, Anne Kallas, freelance writer, Victoria Woodard Harvey, food writer for 805 Living, Ed and Virginia Espinoza, Guillermo Gonzalez, general manager at La M, 103.7 and Dale Tate.
Festivalgoers can sample these and other salsas during the 26th Annual Oxnard Salsa Festival, July 27 and 28 from 11 am to 7 pm at Plaza Park (Fifth and ‘B’ Streets in downtown Oxnard). Salsa tasting tent admission is $5 per person, which includes freshly made Mission Foods’ tortilla chips and 10 tasting tickets. An amateur salsa recipe contest will be held Sunday, July 28 in the tasting tent. Pre-registration is required for all contestants. Registration deadline is Friday, July 19. Applications for the amateur challenge can be accessed online at www.OxnardSalsaFestival.com/Salsa-Recipe-Contest.
Other festival highlights include live Latin bands, a crafts marketplace, international foods, kids’ play zone, community stage and the popular, “Dancing With Our Community Stars” contest and charity fundraiser. Admission and parking are free. Main stage open lawn seating is available for $5 (kids under 10 are free).
The Oxnard Salsa Festival is presented each year by the Oxnard Downtowners.
For festival information, call 805?535?4060 or visit www.OxnardSalsaFestival.com