Some like it hot! Diego’s and El Taco de Mexico win the Cinco de Mayo green chile contest

Some like it hot! The festivities at this past weekend’s Cinco de Mayo festival in Civic Center Park included the fourth annual green chile contest. And the winners are:

Judges’ awards:

First place: El Taco de Mexico
Second place: La Noria Carniceria
Third place: Benny’s Restaurant y Cantina

People’s choice award

First place: Diego’s Mexican Food and Cantina
Second place: La Noria
Third place: El Taco de Mexico

Also competing: La Fiesta (the first time this almost fifty-year-old restaurant has participated), La Fuentes, Bubba Chino’s, Fritangas and Mucino’s Catering. (Two restaurants were no-shows, reports Andrea Barela of NEWSED, which put on the Cinco de Mayo festival.)

Diego’s win was the big surprise;the restaurant just opened a few months ago in a space at 1600 Champa Street, right off the mall, where it will soon be joined by Cafe Berlin. El Taco de Mexico’s win was no surprise; it took Best Green Chile in our Best of Denver 2010.

Find 2011’s “Denver’s Five Best Green Chile Fixes” here.

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