Long Beach’s biggest and best were out in full—and I do mean full—force Thursday night at Great Mex, near the Long Beach State campus.  They were all seeking one thing, a $200 prize for the winner of the first ever Long Beach Taco Eating Contest.  Only one of the 21 contestants could walk away with the top prize, but all had the potential to eat so many tacos that they threw up in front of the large-ish crowd that squished into the Great Mex parking lot.

Contestants as young as 11 and as old as…well, old enough to know better, sat around the plastic U-shaped tables, were served their first plate of tacos (each plate held 5) and then, at 6:18pm, the mayhem began.  Contestants used plenty of strategies to scarf down the soft tacos, from the sandwich technique that allowed the eater to take twice as much taco, to the tight roll that enabled easier stuffing.  Surprisingly, nobody employed the water dip, usually used in professional speed eating contests to soften the food.

The gamers separated themselves from the casual eaters pretty early on, and it was obvious from the beginning that it would be primarily a contest between Roland, Derek, and John, the first three contestants to get to their second plate, just minutes after starting.  Roland was the first to three plates, and then never looked back, having his fourth plate arrive while some contestants were still on their first.  On his nineteenth taco, Roland’s wife/coach began telling him to stop.  “If you throw up it won’t count!” she yelled.  “Just sit there!”  For the last five minutes that’s exactly what Roland did, holding down his vomit and watching as his other closest competitors tried to catch him.

When the final seconds ticked down, though, nobody had the stomach to pull it off.  John and Derek both stalled at 17, tying for second and a $100 purse, and Roland Milutin, who was competing in his first speed eating event, walked away with $200, which he told me he was going to give to his wife to help pay her college tuition.  

WARNING: BARF AHEAD

Roland was the undisputed champion, but what about the barf, you ask.  Well, the barf champion of the evening was named JZ—with a few minutes left in competition, he stood up, struggled to hold it down a little, and then waved the crowd off as he staggered to the street, leaving a trail of taco behind him.  He finished in the street in front of a parked car, sending a half dozen kids running down Atherton towards their houses.  After JZ cracked, another three or four guys lost it after time expired.
ALL CLEAR ON THE BARF FRONT

I can’t (fortunately) say that the Taco Eating contest was among the most spectacular athletic feats I’ve seen in Long Beach, but watching 21 people eat till they had taco coming out their noses, in the shadow of the Pyramid, was pretty damn unique.  We’ll be sure to post notice when the next contest is announced, if you want to go and enter, or if you just want to come and watch with us.  You might want to wear a poncho, though.