The Not Taco Bell Challenge

So my roommate is a SoCal girl, and for years now has been raving about Del Taco, a California taco chain ala Taco Bell, but better. Now I know mexican food is better here in Cali, but we're talking about something better than Taco Bell, and to this I said IMPOSSIBLE! Lucky for me, there is a Del Taco downtown, and I finally took the plunge and wandered in for a tasting. Did I run to Taco Bell after to make it official? No, I've had Taco Bell enough times(00s, 000s?) that I know that place inside and out. So, how was Del Taco? read on!

So walking in, I set up shop to investigate the menu. As my roommate said, it is like Taco Bell, but I believe she said its better, fresher, and more mexican than my beloved TB. And upon first glance, the menu seems more straight forward, basically tacos and burritos, no Gorditas, multi layered tacos or other Pepsi inspired food stuff. But then that whole aura was blasted to Hell! why? they have a value menu, tacos, burritos and drinks, same as you would expect. Except for 1 thing! The meals have FRENCH FRIES! FRENCH FRIES!?!?!?!?! on a mexican fast food menu. Even taco bell wouldn't do that! and then I saw they have BURGERS! Friggin BURGERS AND FRIES ON A MEXCIAN MENU?!?!?!?!?! For all the wonderful, non truly mexican inspirations that TB comes up with, at least they follow the same tried and true message of being faux mex. This was straight BLASPHEMY! 

So, with a heavy, sad heart, I went up to order some tacos and burritos. Order made, they told me they didn't take credit cards. Really? Maybe this place is more mexican than I thought, totally low tech. So I shelled out my Pesos and got my food. Of course, they hide the hot sauces, so you have to ask. which is a pain. And eating in I had to ask for napkins, again, hidden. 

So what did I think about the food. I had a standard burrito and a standard taco, both beef. The taco shell was normal and crunchy, and boring. The beef was straight regular, nothing exceptional. And this is where they failed. I was not inspired. Why we love TB is they make the flavor unique, they season their beef so I hides the origin of the beef, but it tastes oh so good. This was bland. toss on the tomatoes, lettuce and cheese, and its still boring. The burrito, with beef and beans, basically I say the same thing. I loaded both up with the Del Taco hot sauce, and it became almost tasty, but their hot sauce lacks the flavor of TB sauce. 

So in the end, my roommate, who will remain nameless on my blog, since almost every reader has met her anyway, was dead wrong! Del Taco was a waste of my time and money. Let us never speak of it again. And now I'm off to TB to get some real faux mex flavor!