Visit #16: Monday, July 7, 2014: 6:39 PM

(Dear reader, you will note that some time has passed between the posting dates of the next few blog entries and the actual dates that the reviewed meals were consumed.  Rest assured that I documented each meal at its time of consumption with copious notes and photographs in order to preserve the integrity of the Live Mas experience.)

Today the super-fun expectations "game" continued its crazy ride.  You know the drill by now:  When I am pretty sure that I am going to hate a particular Taco Bell menu item, it doesn't turn out to be that bad.  To a (fortunately) lesser extent, the reverse has often been true as well:  When I am pretty sure that something is going to be amazing, I am left with nothing but disappointment coursing through my veins.

Item #38:  STEAK XXL GRILLED STUFT BURRITO

The XXL Grilled Stuft Burrito is perhaps the burrito I have most been looking forward to consuming.  In the Bell's advertisements it never claimed that the XXL would be a vegetarian or healthy option.  It stated simply that it would be large and would quench my hunger.  I decided to go with the steak option for a couple of reasons:  1.  Not nearly enough of Taco Bell's burrito offerings are available in the steak option, and 2.  I recalled the excellent experience I had when consuming the Steak & Egg Burrito for breakfast some time ago, heretofore my only prior Taco Bell burrito that contained steak.  (Strictly speaking, I did not count the Quesarito as a burrito, though it probably qualifies.  More on that later.)

From the Taco Bell website:

"The XXL Grilled Stuft Burrito is our biggest burrito yet, STUFT full of grilled, marinated premium thick cut steak, a three cheese blend, premium Latin rice, hearty beans, reduced-fat sour cream, chunky guacamole, avocado ranch and pico de gallo, wrapped up in a warm flour tortilla."

Price:  $4.99

Taste:  6.5 (out of 10)

Value:  3.5 (out of 10)

Overall Score:  5.8 (out of 10)

Whew.  You can probably tell from the website description that there is a hell of a lot going on here.  Too much, in fact (but not nearly enough of it involving steak...).  I am willing to concede at this point that I find myself on the wrong/minority side of society with respect to the relatively recent avocado/guacamole revolution in this country.  With all of the marketing efforts and funds that are increasingly dedicated to avocado this and guacamole that, it's abundantly clear that most people like this green stuff way more than I do.  And avocados are definitely not cheap, probably due both to the fact that they can only be grown in tropical climates and also the fact that they are in uber-high demand right now.

But I paid $4.99 for this goddamned burrito.  This is a full $1.00 more than ANY OTHER item on Taco Bell's menu.  There should be meat and lots of it.  If you will recall I paid only $2.99 for my aforementioned Steak Quesarito.  I am pretty certain that it had more steak than the "XXL" model.  And the Quesarito's taste was superior by a factor of 10.  It's not remotely close.

I can live with the inclusion of guacamole here.  (Recall that it was pleasantly surprising within the context of the 7-Layer Burrito.)  Do you really need Avacado Ranch as well?  And sour cream?  And the ever-disappointing Taco Bell version of pico de gallo?  All of these liquid ingredients combined to form a bland-tasting sludge that was just...unappetizing.  And the size of the burrito was just not all it was made out to be.  While the beans and rice here weren't bad, what steak there was to be found in the XXL lost most of its usually excellent flavor in this unfortunate slurry.

The receipt from this evening's installment of my Live Mas adventure:

I leave you with hope for a better experience next time, dear reader!