At least that's what Joe Aguayo of Oakland said as he tasted the picante salsa offerings at the Fruitvale district's first Salsa Festival, Salsabor 2004, in the new Fruitvale Village.

"I like it to have a smooth flavor, but at the end it has to have a kick," Aguayo said, adding his mom's salsa should be on the menu for next year's competition.

Salsabor drew thousands of salsa-lovers from around the Bay Area to the new Fruitvale Village shopping center in the Fruitvale district. Visitors were there to taste and judge salsa from 15 local restaurants, which offered both mild and hot salsa verde and rojo. Some restaurants, such as Otaez Mexicatessen, offered unusual salsas for a "most creative" entry.

Tasting started with a 50-cent bag of chips and a long stroll through the main walkway of the village. Every few steps offered new salsa from another restaurant.

Organizer Tom Limon of the Fruitvale Development Corporation said Salsabor was designed to promote local businesses, restaurants and entertainment. A festive and fun environment will reintroduce people to the neighborhood, he said.

"We want to do this every year and bring more people to the Fruitvale," Limon added.

Colleen Kelly lives in the neighborhood and said she enjoys festivals like Salsabor and the annual Cinco De Mayo event in the Fruitvale.

"This is the whole reason the Fruitvale Village got built," she said, "for people to enjoy themselves in an open-air environment."

It was also a place for community groups to reach out to Latino and non-Latinos alike.

The National Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, which recruits people to help register Latino voters, signed up about two dozen new voters an hour.

Local banks passed out information in both Spanish and English while local Latino musicians provided salsa and other music.

It was clear the event also brought pride to the district.

Rosa Moreno of the Taqueria San Jose, one of the favorites for mild green salsa, said Salsabor attracted people of all ages and types.

"It gives the Fruitvale a better image," she said. "They can see this is a place where we not only live but also shop in."