There weren’t a lot of East Valley restaurants competing in last weekend’s Arizona Taco Festival in Scottsdale, but El Palacio more than made up for it. The Chandler Mexican restaurant came home with 12 awards.
On Saturday (there was separate judging each day), El Palacio took first in the Beef Taco, Anything Goes Taco, Salsa, and Guacamole categories, and won the Reserve Grand Champion title. It also placed in Pork Taco, Chicken Taco, and Seafood Taco.
On Sunday, it added another first in Anything Goes and another Reserve Grand Champion title. They also placed in Salsa and  Chicken Taco.
The awards add to El Palacio’s ever-growing resume, which includes Best Hot Salsa at this year’s Maricopa Salsa Fest and second places in both the Hot & Mild divisions at this year’s Salsa Challenge. In 2011, it won both Salsa Challenge divisions, as well as the Salsa category at the AZ Taco Fest.
