The Bell of Tacos

[thesameguy]

It has been many, many months since I have eaten fast food, but today I got me some Taco Bell. Do you want to know what I ordered?

A chili freaking cheese burrito. THEY ARE BACK!

I am going to eat it in about two minutes. Right now, I am just basking in its aura.

[sandydandy]

Nice. I do Taco Bell about once a month. We don't have nearly as big a menu as you do in America, (I know because I was in Seattle recently).

[George]

The one near my office started serving breakfast recently. No, I haven't been brave enough yet, but they had a big banner up advertising some really average-looking fast food breakfast fare - such exotics as "egg & cheese burrito", etc.

I'll stick with the local independent Mexican burrito joints when I need to refuel my cholesterol tank.

[CudaMan]

I remember my TB days in high school and college. 29c/39c tacos! You could eat like a king for a couple bucks (milk included ;).

[thesameguy]

The chili cheese burritos are just as good as I remember, possibly better. I definitely chose the right day to break my streak, and I have ZERO REGRETS.

Back in the day, my order was usually two combo burritos and a chili cheese burrito, and the total was just under three bucks. Today it was just over five. I didn't care, though, because I bought my meal with a portion of my paycheck rather than the change I found under the seat of the car. I flipped the honey in the drive through window a Jackson and didn't even count the change. Straight baller.

[speedpimp]

This month Subway is pimping their Frito's Enchilada sammich or whatever they're calling it. It looks interesting.

[Yw-slayer]

I've never eaten at a Taco Bell.

[Fiat500]

I'd love one, but the closest restaurant is in Manchester, England.

[overpowered]

Taco Bell is one of the closest things to work.

It sucks in my opinion, but sometimes I don't feel like going further for something better. Sigh.

Grease is a major food group. :|

Of course, I live in a place where real mexican food is actually easy to find.

[harper]

I have one of the few Taco Bells in this country near me. Buuuuuut it's on the Naval base so I can't exactly moonwalk into there anytime I want. I haven't had a Run for the Border in YEARS...but I kinda want to head there sometime soon.

[thesameguy]

Of course, I live in a place where real mexican food is actually easy to find.

That's exactly like saying, "I don't shop at American Eagle Outfitters, because I live in a place where real grocery stores are actually easy to find." I will never understand that sentiment, and yet someone is always compelled to say it.

Taco Bell is not Mexican food. It might be Mexican themed, but I don't recall seeing Locos Tacos or chili cheese burritos at Vallejo's or Tres Hermanas. Taco Bell is it's own thing, separate and distinct from real Mexican food. If you want Mexican food, Taco Bell is going to be a major disappointment. But if you want Taco Bell, La Favorita Taqueria is going to make you sad.

P.S. Panda Express isn't real Chinese food, either. But it's damned tasty now and again.

[overpowered]

You lose me at "want Taco Bell"

[thesameguy]

As they say, there's no accounting for taste.

[speedpimp]

If I want comida rápida Mexicana then my choices are either Taco Bell or Taco Time(half hour drive). There was a Del Taco for a few years but they closed when the landlord sold the land and building.

I second the Panda Express love.

[novicius]

Of course, I live in a place where real mexican food is actually easy to find.
It's hard to imagine even small cities in North America where one couldn't find authentic Mexican food.

[Random]

Depends how "authentic" you want your Mexican food.

[speedpimp]

I consider it "authentic" if it comes from a taqueria.

I tried the Frito's Chicken Enchilada melt from Subway, and it's pretty decent. It is probably a stoner's wet dream of a sandwich.

[FaultyMario]

IMHO authentic Mexican doesn't go to well with the munchies.

[Drachen596]

fwiw we didnt have 'authentic' mexican food until a few years ago here.

i dont consider Bandidos to be authentic regardless of what they say. i really miss the lunch buffet place in Longwood, Florida. it was like 6 bucks and some of the best Mexican/Latin food i've ever had.

[KillerB]

I enjoy good Mexican food but sometimes I enjoy some Taco Bell. The Doritos Locos Tacos are a great invention. My girlfriend worked for corporate until recently, when she took a job at Disney. I miss the gift cards. :(

[Reverend Jim]

You lose me at "want Taco Bell"

It's the polite way of saying "want explosive shits"

[Yw-slayer]

Guys, Panda Express is horrific by any objective measure or standard.

[GB]

This morning I learned that "my" Taco Bell is not one of the ones that are now open for breakfast. :(

So I had a couple breakfast sandwiches from the Wendy's next to it. A poor substitute.

Panda Express is awful.

[Jason]

Taco Bell is one of the closest things to work.

It sucks in my opinion, but sometimes I don't feel like going further for something better. Sigh.

Grease is a major food group. :|

Of course, I live in a place where real mexican food is actually easy to find.

Why anyone would eat Taco Bell in San Diego is beyond me.

California Burritos all day every day whenever I'm back out there.

[thesameguy]

California burritos eventually lose their appeal. I know it sounds crazy, but trust me when I say you can only eat them for about 8 days before you want something else.

[overpowered]

Guys, Panda Express is horrific by any objective measure or standard.It's certainly not good but I wouldn't go so far as to call it horrific. I've had worse.

About the only time I go there is if I'm with a group that wants to go there or if I'm at the mall and the next best alternative is Hot Dog on a Stick. It's edible; just not desirable.

[Random]

No Sbarros at your mall? :D

[thesameguy]

I have never eaten at a Sbarros. When i was a kid there was one at our local mall (which is now the behemoth South Coast Plaza) and it always smelled like puke or maybe like old dairy. I couldn't stand walking by it, and to this day I give them a wide berth. I have the same hangup about eating inside a Dairy Queen. Eating outside or getting DQ to go, no worries, but inside smells like a vomitorium to me. Can't do it. I have a pretty fantastic digestive tract - I rarely get an upset stomach and I never have, um, bathroom problems, but these two things - Sbarro and inside DQ - I won't chance. A meal of chili cheese burritos doesn't even faze me, but I'll have to pass on Sbarro.

I can certainly sympathize with someone not wanting to eat at the Bell for fear of intestinal retribution, but because is tastes bad? You crai.

Same goes for Panda. It's a poor, poor excuse for similarly-named dishes, but as it's own thing it's super tasty. Panda Express "chow main" and "orange chicken" and "kung pao chicken" is a great lunch. If it wasn't for that chili cheese burrito last week I'd probably be scheduling Panda Express for dinner right now.

[Yeti]

I have the same problem with Burger King. They all smell like dirty feet and garbage inside. To me anyway.

[overpowered]

No Sbarros at your mall? :DHardly any in San Diego and none at any of the malls I typically go to.

[Jason]

California burritos eventually lose their appeal. I know it sounds crazy, but trust me when I say you can only eat them for about 8 days before you want something else.

You take that back. You take it back, right now!

[thesameguy]

You take that back. You take it back, right now!

I can't, because it's true! Seriously. Try eating California burritos at least once a day for more than a week. It wears you out. I'm so traumatized, I still only have California burritos on occasion. I think I may have used up all the californiaburritose in my digestive tract. I wonder if they make californiaburritaid?

[Jason]

I have done it. And I miss it. Hrmph.

[overpowered]

Went to Rubio's today. It's better than Taco Bell but the salsa bar is for serious wimps. Even by my wimpy standards, their hottest salsa at the salsa bar is pretty mild.

[thesameguy]

The idea that you can shit on Taco Bell and give Rubio's a pass blows my mind. The value to taste relationship is all messed up, just like Dos Coyotes. $8+ for food that doesn't taste like much of anything made with the same questionable ingredients as food that costs half as much isn't math I was trained to do.

[Random]

Oi, no shitting on Dos Coyotes!

At least with Dos I can watch the guys cook the meat in front of me and be pretty sure it's actual meat. :D

(Dos is a seven store, local pseudo-Mex/southwestern food chain, for those not in the Sacto-Davis metro area)

[thesameguy]

Yeah, but note you said pretty sure. I'm not convinced. And I'm less convinced the rest of what goes into that food is really special, either. Unless it's really special in a bad way, in which case I am convinced and I agree.

I'm not saying Dos Coyotes is bad, but it's not good enough to justify the cost. That's really my hangup - Dos is not AWESOME VALUE. It costs the same or more than an actual Mexican joint, and isn't that good. I can name a dozen places I'd rather eat that would leave me with enough cash to buy a yummy south-of-the-border Coke. Which, speaking of, Dos doesn't even have, either.

My takeaway from this is "pretty sure" and "pseudo." :p

[overpowered]

Like I said, it's better than Taco Bell. It's still not fantastic by any means.

I had grilled chicken tacos. They were better than anything I've ever had at Taco Bell -- which admittedly doesn't take much.

[Jason]

You Californians eating fake mexican food are really pissing me off! :mad:

[overpowered]

I could do better, but I'd have to ride further at lunch time and I had to get back for a meeting.

[Random]

You Californians eating fake mexican food are really pissing me off! :mad:

If it makes you feel better, I ate at the little Mexican place next door to Taco Bell on Tuesday (Los Jarritos, for the locals). Tasty chicken burritos. :)

[Jason]

:up:

I'm stuck with crappy tex-mex out here, and it kills me.

[Dicknose]

Not eve sure if there is a Taco Bell near me.
But I have http://www.guzmanygomez.com/
Decent takeaway food. It's that or Korean or Vietnamese.

[Random]

DN, we walked past one across the street from Bondi Beach when we were there--dunno if it still exists. :D

[Dicknose]

You were probably at Bondi more recently than me!

[Random]

:lol: