Jul. 27—Spend an August day outdoors in Northeast Ohio and it's easy to understand the appeal of tacos, a food that's easy to prepare without a lot of cooking to heat up the kitchen while also being portable enough to be eaten while walking around and doing other things.

August has its share of days when thermometers soar high into the 80s and even tip into the 90s, a fond memory by February.

Thus, it's perhaps not surprising that Taste CLE's Taco & Tequila Stroll Willoughby becomes more popular every year.

This year's event is Aug. 6 and includes 14 Downtown Willoughby eateries and bars. The less-expensive early bird tickets — the first 150 sold — already have sold out, so Stroll tickets now are priced at $40 per person through Aug. 2. After that, they're $45, and on the day of the event, tickets are $50 per person.

Hola Tacos Chef Yanira Llanos cuts up fresh ingredients for the taco to be offered at the Stroll by Hola Taco. (Janet Podolak ??

The event has been fine-tuned in this year — its sixth — to include a flask or T-shirt for each participant and $40 worth of coupons from the merchants interspersed among the stops for tequila and food.

Check-in is from 12:30 to 3 p.m. at, appropriately enough, Hola Taco, 3941 Erie St., where participants get a passport that will be stamped when they visit a participating bar or restaurant.

This taco made from long-cooked pork carnitas with spicy orange and pickled onion will be sold to Taco & Tequila Stroll ticket holders for $5 and to others for $6 on Aug. 6. (Janet Podolak ??

Hola Tacos opened in 2020 in the lower level of a newer two-story building as a venture by six families from Colombia. While the first level is devoted to tacos, the upstairs, with its expansive views is Barroco, with a menu inspired by South American and Caribbean dishes. Ohio's first Latin-owned brewery, Pulpo Beer Co., opened in January 2021 in the same building and now has 12 flavors and styles of beer.

A two-story building in Willoughby houses Hola Tacos on the first floor and Barraco on the second floor. (Janet Podolak ??

Hola Tacos' Carnitas Tacos with Spicy Orange Pickled Onions will sell for $5 to Stroll ticket holders and $6 to others. (While a Stroll ticket includes tequila tastes, it does not cover tacos.)

The Stroll itself runs from 1 to 5 p.m., so there shouldn't be competition for parking spots, which often fill up in the town's lively evenings.

Today we're also including a taco recipe that uses tequila as an ingredient so you can make your own.

Here are the participating downtown Willoughby restaurants and bars and what they're serving:

Frank & Tony's Place, 38107 Second St.

Tequila: Teremana

Taco: BBQ Pork with Jalapeno Slaw

Ballantine, 4113 Erie St.

Tequila: Herradura & El Jimador

Taco: Chipotle Braised Barbacoa, Spanish Onion and Cilantro

Nora's Public House, 4054 Erie St.

Tequila: Astral & Deleon

Taco: Pulled Pork, Chimi & Pico

Sol, 38257 Glenn Ave.

Tequila: Gran Coramino & Dobel

Taco: Butter Poached Shrimp, Slaw, Salsa & Chipotle Crema

Barrio, 4061 Erie St.

Tequila: Tres Agaves & Suavecito

Taco: Ground Sirloin, Cheddar, Chipotle Cream, White Widow Shell

Hola Tacos, 3941 Erie St

Tequila: Avion & Olmeca Altos

Taco: Carnitas, Spicy Orange Pickled Onions

Llanos shows how to tuck in the end of a taco to keep the ingredients in place as it's eaten. (Janet Podolak ??

1899 Pub, 38228 Glenn Ave

Tequila: Cazadores

Taco: Chicken Fajita Tacos

The Wild Goose, 4144 Erie St.

Tequila: Hornitos / Tres Gen / El Tesoro

Taco: Beef, Pico, Cheese

Mullarkey's, 4110 Erie St.

Tequila: Jose Cuervo Tradicional & 1800

Garage Bar, 37825 Vine St.

Tequila: Casa Noble & Mi Campo

Taco: Creole Fish Taco

Westel's Alibi & Hush, 4084 Erie St.

Tequila: Cantera Negra & Prespero

Taco: Stumbling Taco

Spirits in Willoughby, 3872 Erie St.

Tequila: Don Julio

Taco: Shrimp & Street Corn Tacos

Sage Karma Kitchen, 4051 Erie St.

Tequila: Western Reserve (a local tequila)

Taco: Braised Beef, Onion, Cheese & Cilantro Taco

Coupons

Coupons in the Passport include these downtown merchants:

Harmony Yoga Studios — Drop-in class $10 (Save $9)

DTW Nutrition — Buy one get the second at half price

Arabica Coffee — Buy one get the second at half price

Yogi's Closet — $10 off any purchase of $50 or more or $25 off any purchase of $100 or more

etc. on erie — 10% off single purchase

Achilles Running Shop — 15% off single purchase

Finestra Gallery — 10% off single item

Barktown Willoughby — $5 off any purchase of $20 or more

Go Bare Skin Clinic — $10 off any purchase of $50 or more

Siopa Boutique — $10 off any purchase of $50 or more

Recipe

Tequila-Lime Chicken Tacos

Ingredients

1/2 cup tequila

Juice of 4 limes

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 jalapeños: 1 finely chopped and 1 sliced, divided

Freshly ground black pepper

Kosher salt

1 pound. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

Corn tortillas, warmed, for serving

1 avocado, sliced

1/4 head red cabbage, shredded

1/2 cup cotija cheese

Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

In a large baking dish, whisk together tequila, lime juice, garlic and chopped jalapeño and season with salt and pepper.

Add chicken and marinate in the fridge at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.

In a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Cook chicken until golden and no longer pink inside, about 8 minutes per side. Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.

Serve in tortillas with avocado, cabbage, sliced jalapeño and cotija, and squeeze with lime.

— From Delish.com