Ok first, you must check this out. It’s important context and shook the foundation of my being when I first saw it. It was not something I was exposed to until 5 years ago but this type of marketing would have definitively worked in India. We’re big on dogs roaming the streets looking for food and a solid bargain.
I love Taco Bell. I crave it once a week. I would get it every Friday with my old roommate when we lived in Salt Lake. Our standard order was about 17 items and if I remember correctly, it cost $6.99 (after tax). Now, I routinely order it when I’m very hungry sad or when we close a deal at work. The fact that it is the most supportive fast food chain for vegetarians is only secondary.
Pros:
- It’s cheap cheap cheap
- Everything has a distinct Taco Bell taste. This may sound like a negative but it’s not. Every item on the menu is a repurposed version of another so if you enjoy the Bell flavor, you can never go wrong
- Nacho Fries
- The sauces come with pick up lines that no man on Bumble has ever tried on me (P.S – they’d all work)
Cons:
- The lettuce is ick
- The guac is strange
Who goes to T Bell for green things anyway?
I fully acknowledge that I cannot replicate the signature Taco Bell flavor but I did try to replicate one of my go-tos – The Quesarito (= quesdilla + burrito ). Between you and me, I think I did a really good job but it didn’t elicit a response in Spanish from any of the animals around me.
You sandwich two tortillas together with cheese in between. I added some queso and spicy mayo too. Once the cheese is all oozy and melty, you add all your filling. I used a mixed rice thing (with black beans, zucchini, mushrooms and corn), spinach, fried chilli potatoes and more queso. Avocados were on sale so I made some guacamole too.
Fun queso fact – I didn’t buy enough cheese to make real queso so I made a roux, added some sharp cheddar and turmeric so that it looks yellow and is devoid of artificial coloring! This was when I discovered that turmeric actually does have a flavor. I assumed it was just a universal cure and colorful but it tastes, for want of a better word, Indian. #healthjourney
Overall, this was fun! Couple of other things I want to try to recreate next –
- Quesalupa
- Cheesy Gordita Crunch
- Crunchwrap Supreme
If any of the 2.5 people that read this order Taco Bell now, I will consider this a victory.
Side Note: Apparently Taco Bell paid up something like $42 million dollars in a multi-year lawsuit for stealing the maybe racist chihuahua idea from two other guys. Yikes.
Live Mas!
Vish Eats Delish 