Tacomio among Vancouver restaurants celebrating Cinco de Mayo 2022
Food plays a major role in the May 5 festivities
Tacomio.
CINCO DE MAYO honours the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla May 5, 1862 during the Franco-Mexican War. Also known as the Anniversary of the Battle of Puebla, the event is a relatively minor holiday in Mexico, observed mainly in the state of Puebla, where the unexpected victory took place. Across the U.S. and Canada, though, the date has become, for some, a way to celebrate Mexican culture, with parties, parades, music, dance, and more. Food plays a big role in the festivities, and a few Metro Vancouver spots are taking part this year in their own way.
Tacomio is run by a local family originally from San Miguel de Allende; mama is always in the kitchen making frituras, a popular pinwheel-shaped snack flavoured with zesty lemon spice that can be found on street corners all over Mexico. For Cinco de Mayo, the eatery is offering six-inch fish tacos, made with fresh flour tortillas, beer-battered Pacific cod, shaved cabbage, pico de Gallo, and chipotle mayo for $5 at its Strathcona location; there and at its North Vancouver and UBC outlets, it will serve up any two tacos off its regular menu for $5.
Tacomio chef Fernando Llanas (left) with his sister and mother.
Year-round, Tacomio has a Family Feast Taco Kit for two ($37) or four ($60), with your choice of three fillings: A la plancha chicken, achiote-marinated pollo asado chicken, a la diablo chicken (super spicy with arbol-chile sauce); Angus beef salpicon; carnitas made with confit pork shoulder and sour orange; or plant-based roasted cauliflower with chipotle hummus and lemon dressing, chiles asados (roasted bell peppers, corn, chickpeas, guacamole), or frijolitos (pinto beans, caramelized onions, chipotle pepper). The kits come with generous servings of Mexican rice, pinto beans, house-made salsas of varying spice levels, pickled jalapeños, red onions, and veggies, cilantro, frituras, corn chips, and corn tortillas (30 pieces for two or 60 pieces for four).
(U.S.-based, publicly owned Chipotle recently moved in across the street from Tacomio at its North Van location on Lonsdale. We’re rooting for the locals.)
Chancho Tortillerai
Chancho Tortilleria, which has gained a cult following for its fresh tortillas, made daily using native corn, is offering Tacos-To-Go Kits—which include a margarita mix—with enough to feed four amigos or amigas. Available for pickup from the little eatery at 560 Davie Street on May 5 from 12 pm on, each kit ($55) features its famous tortillas with one pound of carnitas or veggie filling; chips and guacamole; and salsas and black beans. (Add tequila for $20)
Alimentaria Mexicana
At Alimentaria Mexicana, Beef Birria Taco Kits will be available for pick up on May 4 from 1 to 7pm. With enough to feed three people, each kit ($46) has one pound of birria beef braised Jalisco-style in dried chiles and spices, 12 flour tortillas, consommé, salsa verde, cilantro, limes, and pickled onions. Optional add-ons include a six-pack of Pacifico beer, a round of Alimentaria Mexicana’s house-made tequila or mezcal margaritas, or lime margarita mix.
Hy’s of Canada, meanwhile, is hosting a Cinco de Mayo fundraiser at Hy’s Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar to benefit the John Aisenstat Memorial Scholarship. The youngest son of restaurant founder Hy Aisenstat, John was an ardent supporter of continuing education and believed strongly in encouraging young stars within the industry. After his passing in 2018, the John Aisenstat Memorial Scholarship was established by John’s brother, Neil Aisenstat, Hy’s CEO, and COO Megan Buckley. The scholarship is awarded annually to a student of the culinary or hospitality arts at Vancouver Community College. (Hy’s of Canada also funds the Hy Aisenstat Memorial Endowment at Simon Fraser University to support high-achieving students returning to school from the workforce.)
The Cinco de Mayo event runs from 4 to 6 pm, with Hy’s partnering with Tequila Patrón. For $50 per person, guests will get to sip the premium spirit and sample hors d’oeuvres, with 100 percent of proceeds going toward the scholarship fund. On the menu are Baja shrimp salad, chili-rubbed prime steak tostadas with jacama slaw, scallop ceviche, and more.
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