It has been my experience that when a fast food chain "introduces" a new menu item -- especially a specialty item that claims to be an entirely new culinary invention -- the result invariably feels forced and tastes like...disappointment. Taco Bell's latest advertising push following the introduction of their breakfast menu has been geared around the "Quesarito." As tonight's installment of my Live Mas adventure was to revolve around the Quesarito, I didn't particularly like the odds of me having a positive dining experience.
Item #29: STEAK QUESARITO
I have been on the record as giving Taco Bell's inclusion of rice in various menu items less-than-exemplary marks. So when I learned that rice was a component of Taco Bell's new Quesaritos, it really lowered my expectations. New menu item that feels contrived + rice = probably pile of sadness. But here goes nothing...
The official Taco Bell website description:
"The new Quesarito is the best of quesadilla and tortilla rolled into one. It's filled with marinated steak, premium Latin rice, Chipotle sauce, reduced-fat sour cream, and then wrapped up in a grilled quesadilla loaded with melted cheeses."
Price: $2.99
Taste: 9.0 (out of 10)
Value: 8.0 (out of 10)
Overall Score: 8.8 (out of 10)
Wow. I haven't been this completely wrong about having negative expectations for a Taco Bell menu item since the day that I ordered the Waffle Taco. The Quesarito is simply delicious. First of all, the Chipotle sauce adds the perfect amount of heat. Second of all, it's almost flawless texturally -- the steak, grilled quesadilla, and rice provide nice contrasts. (I do fear that the whole package might not shine as much has I ordered the ground beef version rather than steak.) The grilled flavor of the quesadilla was just as tasty as when I ordered the Chicken Quesadilla.
Another plus: it comes in a premium-feeling foil wrapper. (See first picture above.) I drove about 25 minutes after picking up the Quesarito at the drive thru window before eating it. It was still piping hot and very fresh. This foil wrapper is a nice touch. Another positive: this is a nice volume of food for $2.99. Very filling and satisfying. All in all, well done, Taco Bell.
And now, time for dessert.
Another plus: it comes in a premium-feeling foil wrapper. (See first picture above.) I drove about 25 minutes after picking up the Quesarito at the drive thru window before eating it. It was still piping hot and very fresh. This foil wrapper is a nice touch. Another positive: this is a nice volume of food for $2.99. Very filling and satisfying. All in all, well done, Taco Bell.
And now, time for dessert.
Item #30: BROWNIE SANDWICH
I actually picked up a Brownie Sandwich on my previous visit to Taco Bell about 48 hours earlier. I glanced at it quickly that day and it appeared to be a pre-made and pre-packaged concoction similar to a typical Little Debbie snack. After finishing my Quesarito, I examined the pre-purchased chocolate treat in more detail.
Upon further handling, the package was not vacuum-sealed like a factory-made product would be. It was in a plastic sleeve sealed with a little sticker. This seal could not have been air tight, however, so at this point I uttered "Oh shit," and figured I was in for some stale pastry fare. For better or worse, I opened it up and took a bite.
From the Taco Bell website:
"Two delicious triangle-shaped brownies with creamy fudge frosting filling in between."
Price: $1.29
Taste: 8.0 (out of 10)
Value: 7.5 (out of 10)
Overall Score: 7.9 (out of 10)
And amazingly, it wasn't stale at all. It was soft and pillowy. The icing that forms the "meat" of the sandwich wasn't too sweet either. There were little pieces of embedded hard chocolate in the brownies themselves that were a nice touch. And it was almost too large for me to finish after consuming the Quesarito. In my opinion, Taco Bell did not screw this one up from a taste/value perspective.
My one quibble about this menu item would be this: it would appear to be the only menu item on Taco Bell's entire menu that is entirely devoid of their quasi-Mexican influence. Perhaps that is a minor detail, but it seems like a little bit of a sellout.
The receipt:
**We have now hit the 30-menu-items consumed milestone. By my approximate count, I have 24 menu items remaining. (More than halfway home!) This does not include all of the possible variations of each menu item; for instance, many tacos and burritos are available in beef, chicken, and steak varieties. I am generally consuming only one iteration of each menu item for my Live Mas Adventure.**
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