Small-town flavor takes center stage in Titans Tavern’s Bite-Sized Showdown
In the first of its kind event, Titans Tavern has challenged chefs in the tri-state area to a head-to-head Bite-Sized Showdown throughout the month of February.
Seven local chefs have entered into Titan Tavern’s Bite-Sized Showdown to compete for bragging rights and a trophy for the restaurant.
“This was put together last minute, but I am excited to bring these chef’s together and encourage people to venture out and explore small town restaurants,” said Titans Tavern owner, Seth North.
Finding chefs to stand behind their food was not difficult for North.
“Seven chefs from Squealer’s Smoke Shack, the Taco Vault, Tailgators Grill & Bar, Hatfield Roadhouse, CHUDS Pub and Grub, and Sport Center Larchwood all jumped on board immediately and more restaurants are interested in joining, I’m still figuring out how many we can realistically accommodate,” North said.
Competition is the driving force behind many of the chefs entering the Bite-Sized Showdown.
“We want to not only feature our restaurants in a friendly competition, but we want to show our patrons that you don’t have to travel to Sioux Falls to have some really great options with homemade foods and amazing atmospheres,” said Andrea Kuipers of Squealer’s Smoke Shack.
While he has attended similar events, North has never hosted a Bite-Sized Showdown but found a chef with competition experience just over the border at Hatfield Roadhouse in Minnesota who has.
“Chef Matt Sibley is a regular in Sioux Falls competitions, so this is a chance to compete and get word out about Hatfield Roadhouse, this competition is to promote small town bars and restaurants that can sometimes be overlooked,” added Briana Sibley of Hatfield Roadhouse.
Small town values are what each of these restaurants have in common and finding ways to come together helps each to survive.
“At the end of the day, we are all in this together, and instead of competing against each other, we should work like a team. By collaborating and cross promoting, we can reach a wider audience since we all have such different followers,” North said.
Each restaurant has listed their Bite-Size Showdown entries and are ready to compete.
“Dean Marshall was the first person I reached out to as I knew he would be a key part of this business. His entry is entitled “Do I Make You Corny” it is a Cajun seasoned pork belly topped with street corn dip, queso fresco, pickled onions, cilantro, and signature Vault sauce served on a soft corn tortilla,” North said.
The Hatfield Roadhouse will have Birria Tacos for their customers to enjoy.
“Birria Tacos have a unique and beautiful history in Mexica and Chef Matt wants to share our version of this classic dish. We pour our hearts into every single taco meal we make at Hatfield Roadhouse, and you can taste it. We take our time in the cooking process, and we genuinely hope that each bite brings a smile to our customers,” Sibley said.
Squealer’s Smoke Shack looks forward to the friendly competition as they feel all small towns are on the same team, but they know their flavors can stand on their own.
“Squealer’s Smoke Shack will be serving our Fiesta Chorizo Tacos, we source local pork that we grind down in house, season and cook for our tacos, we top them with a homemade jalapeno aioli, fresh pico, diced red onion, and a jalapeno. We think it is definitely something everyone needs to try,” Kuipers said.
Thankful for the competition, but trusting his staff, North thinks his team has what it takes to pull off a victory.
“I believe in our head chef, Janelle, and her right-hand man, Chef Green. We also have an amazing food sales rep from Performance, Kyle, who happens to be a master chef himself. The team will be serving “Cronus Crunch” a tender south Texas-style pork belly topped with spicy garlic aioli and crème fraiche,” North said.
Voting for a favorite among all the restaurants is made easy with the use of a QR code that will be available at each location for customers to scan, answer a few questions and cast their vote.
“Each person gets one vote per location to keep it fair and honest. We understand that some people may only visit one restaurant, and that’s okay, we still want you to vote, and maybe it will lead to a customer visiting another location,” North said.
Winners of the Competition will be announced through Titans Taven at the end of the month and North hopes that everyone gets a chance to try as many of the restaurants as possible.
“There’s something special about small-town establishments that you just can’t find in the city, and I want more people to experience that,” North said.