Chef Ricardo Villalobos of My Neighbor Felix loves participating in Denver’s Top Taco festival, and winning each year is just extra. His real reason for joining the fun is to flex his creative chops and come up with not just a tasty taco, but something inspired by his culinary experiences. Plus, diners reap the benefits since the chef adds the tacos to the menus at all four Colorado locations.
Last year, My Neighbor Felix took home first place in both the judges’ choice and peoples’ choice in the creative category. Dubbed tacos Arabe, the theme centered around food created by Lebanese immigrants who were cooking in Puebla, Mexico. To him, the taco represented the story of migration and integration, and paid homage to where his wife is from.
The first step in constructing the taco was the tortilla. All the tacos at My Neighbor Felix get made at Raquelitas Tortillas, a local family-run shop in RiNo. Coincidentally, the tortillas used at Top Taco are also by Raquelitas, one of the sponsors of the festival. For the Arabe, Villalobos wanted to use a soft, whole wheat tortilla with a bit of heft so it was more like a pita. He had the dough sweetened with a touch of raisin juice, which worked to balance the roasted spiced pork piled inside. On top he added a spicy habanero-cabbage slaw, garlic crema, salsa verde cruda, chipotle, and pickled radishes.
Villalobos, who hails from Baja California, also garnered the peoples’ choice award for best taco in the creative category in 2023 as well. This one centered around Cochinita Pibil, a direct nod to the Yucatán Peninsula. The region remains personal to the chef, who learned cooking techniques and traditions from locals in Tizimín. This taco features slow braised pork, citrus cabbage, xnipec salsa, cilantro, chicharrones, charred habaneros, red radish, and pibil jus on a corn tortilla.
As for 2025? Villalobos has the idea set, and already talked to Raquelitas about making a special black tortilla using chile ash. On top he plans on adding pastor negro, pineapple, and a Mayan-inspired pumpkin seed spread called sikil pak. The rest is a mystery, he said. But, if you head to Top Taco on June 12 this year, you’ll be able to taste it first hand. It just might be another winner.
