With less than a month before Tacofest, we’re curious to see what our talented Taco Chefs will bring to the table July 3rd. So we stopped by taco-veteran The Bruce to see what Executive Chef, Aaron Cline, has up his sombrero this year.
Tacofest team: On a scale of donkeys to luchadors, how excited are you for Tacofest?
Aaron: Sixteen senoritas!
Tacofest team: Tell us about your taco last year. What made you decide to make that taco?
Aaron: We made a confit duck taco. Basically, we took a traditional French duck and stuffed it in a taco. According to my sources, the judges liked it, but we didn’t quite get the Golden Taco trophy.
Tacofest Team: Have you picked your beer pairing yet?
Aaron: Yeah, we picked Block Three right away. We’re working with them to see if we can use a beer in the taco – for a marinade maybe. With our love of Ontario craft beer, (it’s all they have on tap!) the guys at Block Three work with us regularly, hosting tap takeovers and other events.
Tacofest Team: What can we expect from The Bruce this year?
Aaron: Pure awesome taco-ness! Missing that trophy gives us more drive for this year. So this year’s taco is really outside the shell. It’s unique, and we’ve had a lot of great comments when we release it as a feature.
Tacofest Team: So, it’s something you’ve made before in-house?
Aaron: I’ve said too much already. You’ll have to wait for July 3rd.
Tacofest Team: The Bruce is a CSC event veteran, participating in the Mayor’s Souper Sampler and Tacofest every year. Why do you keep coming back?
Aaron: They’re obviously a great cause, and we’re a restaurant that’s very intertwined with the community. We’re a huge supporter of events like this. Obviously the competition is fun too. And winning.
Tacofest Team: Tell us about the best taco you’ve ever eaten.
Aaron: I was in Mexico, and we went out one night. I’m not going to let you know the hour, but we came out of this club, and asked someone where the best street food was. We rolled up to this street vendor cooking taco’s on the street. It was the best thing I’ve ever eaten.
Tacofest Team: If you could eat a taco anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Aaron: That’s a good question. I’m a BC boy, originally, so I would probably eat it at a campfire, lake-side, up in the mountains. If I could eat those street tacos there, the view would match the taco.
