Then there were 8: A step closer to handing out the Golden Tortilla

It’s down to the Eso 8 in the KCRW and Gustavo’s Great Tortilla Tournament. As the bracket narrows down, judges Gustavo Arellano and Evan Kleiman provide commentary on the final contenders, including Taco Maria’s blue corn tortilla versus dark horse Trader Joe’s. “It has the taste of a gordita tortilla,” Arellano describes, “which is a thicker corn tortilla, but it is thin.” In Connie Alvarez’s bracket, Santa Monica Tallula’s goes head-to-head with the machine-made tortilla at La Princesita.

On the flour front, Evan Kleiman is tortured by her decisions, but has Burritos La Palma facing off against former winner Sonoratown. Mona Holmes whittles down her category to defending champion HomeState against Ancho’s, who beat out crowd favorite, El Ruso.

Who will take home the Golden Tortilla? Final judging happens live at the Tournament of Champions on Sunday, October 10 at Smorgasburg. Attendance is free. Click here for all of this year’s Tortilla Tournament of Champions, including Arellano’s summation of what kind of tortillas Gavin Newsom and Larry Elder would be if they were tortilla brands.