Taco Bell: Cantina Bell Burrito

Website

Every so often, a dream-team comes together. Taco Bell and Long John Silvers is no Wade/James, but we have to ask will the new Cantina burrito be able to stand up to its intended target, the Chipotle or Qdoba monster burrito?

Something so weird about this combo of American(ish) and Mexican(ish) food is the interjection of the fried fish-type products.

Never the less, I was on a mission to see what Lorena Garcia and TB's new "Cantina Menu" had to offer, so I went for just a chicken Cantina burrito (also available in steak or veggie). I was even able to get an autographed version.

The burrito itself is quite big. Not Chipotle-big, but much more substantial than your average TB item. They also grill the exterior, which was a nice way to incorporate a texture besides “soft” on a Taco Bell menu item.

The ingredients tasted surprisingly like actual food. The corn was sweet, the chicken was seasoned, the guac was better than what usually comes out of their lunch guns. According to the site it actually contains “citrus-herb marinated chicken, cilantro rice, flavorful black beans, guacamole made from real Hass avocados, roasted corn & pepper salsa, a creamy cilantro dressing, and freshly prepared pico de gallo, all wrapped in a warm flour tortilla.” However, I mostly got the corn, beans, and chicken. It was not bad at all, and for $5, quite a steal.

It may not be the most photogenic, but it got the job done, under budget. It was definitely better than I had expected for the Bell. I have to say, I would probably get it again if there were not a Qdoba or Chipotle nearby or I was looking to save $3.

Taco Bell: Doritos Locos Tacos

Any Location Nearest You
Website

In keeping with my continued selfless acts in the name of food, I knew that I had to sample the new Doritos Locos Taco from the often maligned, and constantly misunderstood, fast food giant. Of course, I couldn't stop at that Doritos taco, I had to see if my old favorites are still king.

I used to be strictly in it for the cheesy gordita crunch, but since then I have been all about the crunchwrap supreme. Same basic idea, crunchy surrounded by a soft wrapper, but more bang for your buck.

So I started with the Dorito taco. Never mind the bad lighting, as these were taken in the wee hours of the morning in my kitchen (the perfect time and place for 4th meal). Check out the crafty nacho cheese sleeve they come packaged in.

According to their website, this comes with premium(?) seasoned beef, crisp lettuce, diced juicy red tomatoes, real(?) cheddar cheese, and reduced fat(?) sour cream, all served in a shell made from nacho cheese flavor Doritos. I still don't get what part of their meat is premium, what kind of cheddar cheese is not real, and most importantly why they made an effort with the reduced fat sour cream. Let's get down to brass tacks. If I am eating ground beef from Taco Bell out of a shell made from Doritos, I don't see how the nature of said sour cream poses any concern to my health.

Yes, there is Nacho Cheesier™ powder flanking the outer shell.

It seems they missed both the plump juicy tomatoes, and the reduced fat sour cream. Even so, I barely noticed. The tacos are pretty okay. They are about exactly what you would expect. It's a great gimmick, but would I order them on a consistent basis? Probably not. The shells taste like Doritos. The rest is a usual Taco Bell taco. There are a couple other items that I stand by. The first is the aforementioned crunch wrap. From the website "A warm, soft, flour tortilla filled with seasoned beef, warm nacho cheese sauce, a crunchy tostada shell, reduced-fat sour cream, lettuce and tomatoes and then wrapped up and grilled for maximum portability." Again with the reduced fat sour cream, huh? At least it was actually in this one.

If I have to eat here, this is one of the best things on the menu. Crunchy, salty, and soft at the same time. It requires lots of fire sauce, but it's a good choice, especially for its portability.

My other repeat offender is not on most people's radar. Crispy potato soft tacos. $.89 and vegetarian. These tacos may be my favorite thing on the menu. Lettuce, cheddar, and a bit of cream sauce in a soft tortilla. The potatoes are the best part. Crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. Not too bad at all.

So the basic idea is that the Doritos Locos Tacos are a good gimmick. They aren't terrible and they are worth a try. However, the crunchwrap and the potato tacos are where it's at for me.