Austin Winners of Taco, Lamb, and Pork Cooking Competitions Include Torchy’s Tacos

Cochon 555 Austin Winner
The winner of the Austin chapter of Cochon 555, the pig-focused cooking competition, was chef Gabe Erales of the forthcoming modern Mexican restaurant Comedor. His dish included pig liver mousse and churros, pig bone panna cotta, Yucatan tacos, and more.

Lamb Jam Winner
Also this weekend was the Austin edition of the Lamb Jam, where restaurants and chefs cook lamb. The best in show was Black Barbecue’s smoked lamb with a masa cake and Mexican coke mole; best Middle Eastern went to District Kitchen/Oasthouse chef Amir Hajimaleki’s Persian-braised lamb shank; best Asian went to San Antonio restaurant Cured’s Vietnamese sugar cane lamb (as well as the People’s Choice winner in general); and best Mediterranean was Juliet’s gnocchi with braised lamb neck ragu.

Taco Winner
The winner of the National Taco Championships, a national competition held in Austin this past weekend, was Torchy’s Tacos. Other competitors included Be More Pacific and Eldorado Cafe.

Mixed-Use Development on South Lamar
A new development proposed for that former Taco Cabana/Pollo Tropical on South Lamar Boulevard and West Riverside Drive is a (what else?) mixed-use one with space for a restaurant as well as a hotel, condominiums, and shops. The project would keep the old Paggi House restaurant building, with restorations.

This article has been updated to correctly reflect the winners of the Lamb Jam.