Visit #14: Wednesday, July 2, 2014: 6:08 PM

Occasionally when shopping for groceries at my local supermarket I will come across Taco Bell-branded products.  It's always a bit unexpected.  Last week at the supermarket I encountered some Taco Bell-branded sour cream dips.  They were available in 2 varieties:  jalapeño and habanero.  As they were relatively inexpensive, I bought one container of each.

I should mention that I used to be a hardcore salsa guy when it came to my preferred topping for crispy tortilla chips.  At some point in the past 18 months -- it was actually more of a gradual process than one particular point in time, I suppose -- I became pretty much a total convert to sour cream-style dips.  They tend to be tastier, with more depth of flavor, and much less expensive.  But from a heat perspective, the "spicy" sour cream dips always left a bit more to be desired when compared to "spicy" salsas.

No more, my friends.  The habanero Taco Bell sour cream dip brings the heat and then some.  About 5 chips in you will feel the burn.  But this dip manages to be mighty tasty at the same time.  I haven't opened the jalapeño variety yet, but it promises to be a bit milder.

Item #34:  CRUNCHWRAP SUPREME

The Crunchwrap Supreme:  undoubtedly the favorite Taco Bell menu selection of my girlfriend.  Prior to this evening's meal, I believe that I had only tried the Crunchwrap Supreme on one occasion.

The official Taco Bell website description:

"A warm, soft, flour tortilla filled with seasoned beef, warm nacho cheese sauce, a crunchy toasted shell, reduced-fat sour cream, lettuce and tomatoes and then wrapped up and grilled for maximum portability."

Price:  $2.89

Taste:  7.5 (out of 10)

Value:  6.5 (out of 10)

Overall Score:  7.3 (out of 10)

This Crunchwrap Supreme experience was somewhat better than I remember my initial experience being.  I believe this is primarily due to the fact that I consumed this one immediately after ordering it; on the previous occasion, there was approximately a 5-to-10 minute delay.  This time crunch (no pun intended) affects two ingredients primarily:  the crunchy shell and the lettuce.

First, the lettuce.  I have railed earlier against Taco Bell's tendency to wrap lettuce in an non-breathable burrito.  It just doesn't make sense.  Even upon consuming almost immediately, the lettuce still managed to take on a slightly slimy quality.  Secondly, the crunchy shell contained within the Crunchwrap Supreme wilts even more rapidly in the enclosed space than it would in say, a Crunchy Taco.  It is therefore critical to eat the Crunchwrap Supreme very quickly.

From a taste perspective, the Crunchwrap Supreme is pleasing enough, but just a tad bland for my liking.  Everything works pretty well together, but a few minor alterations might make it a bit more successful from my viewpoint:  1.  Lose the lettuce.  (Duh.)  2.  Swap the super-tasty but rarely-used pepper jack sauce for the nacho cheese sauce currently used.  3.  Make a steak option available.

From a value standpoint, the Crunchwrap Supreme is a reasonable amount of food for the price, but it falls short when compared with other offerings from the Border.  I believe the relatively high price is due primarily to the somewhat complicated construction process.

While the Crunchwrap Supreme is a classic Taco Bell menu item that is not likely to be retired any time soon, a couple of minor tweaks could result in an improved product.  (But again, that's just my opinion.)

The receipt:

Until next time, dear reader, Live Mas.