Bad Fast Food

Parent Cafe
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<p>Yeah, I know, that overall, most of it is bad - as in bad for you…:)</p>

<p>But the thought for this thread comes from “new” fast food items that you tried and after one bite realized “bad choice!”.</p>

<p>I usually bring my lunch to work. Didn’t today and had a craving for Taco Bell (gotta have a Taco Bell craving ONCE a year!) which is quite close to work. As I pulled in I saw an ad for a new TB item - Carnitas - your choice of chicken, steak or pork - the carnita is basically the meat, some onions and cilantro, a “sauce” and you get a wedge of lime to squirt over yours. The picture shows nice shredded pork filling the flour tortilla, and the onions-cilantro mixture looks fresh and appetizing. No. Not. Not at all. </p>

<p>I open up the foil to find 2 flour tortillas (2? I don’t want more tortilla, I want more FILLING!) holding a very small pile of soggy, limp, chopped-till-it’s-dead pork with some soggy onions-cilantro smelling concoction on top. Squirted my lime, took off the 2nd tortilla and took one bite. And put it down. And threw it away. Yuck. Major flop IMO!</p>

<p>Care to share memory of other fast food flops? Sandwiches or novelty items that came and went faster than the stomachache they might have given you???</p>

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<p>The McDonald’s Arch Deluxe, which was marketed as a burger for more adult tastes. It was introduced sometime in the mid-90’s, I think, as H and I tried it when we were on the road for a vacation and I remember that our kids were quite young. It was inedible, and served us right for violating our “no McDonald’s except in cases of extreme emergency” rule.</p>

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<p>I got two tacos at Jack in the Box . . . sad, small, limp things! Not going to try those again.</p>

<p>One of my friends sent me a link to [20</a> Salads Worse Than a Whopper](<a href=“Hearst Magazines”>Hearst Magazines) . . . I couldn’t believe some of them. Some of them had over 1,000 calories, incredible.</p>

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<p>On the two tortillas, that is traditional for street tacos, so there is a reason</p>

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<p>Well, I can understand that if there was enough filling to sustain the two tortillas!</p>

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<p>On the taco bell execution of said street tacos, I cannot comment…but I am craving the real ones now that you brought it up</p>

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<p>Taco Bell tacos will never be anything like those delicious authentic tacos you are describing.</p>

<p>Not sure where you are located, but there is a franchise chain of restaurants called Cafe Rio out here in the Western US with some pretty good Mexican food. It may not be off a cart, but I dream of their Barbocoa Pork Carnitas and enchiladas, the best. It’s that good. Whenever I have out of town company, we take them there. It’s like a fast food/sit down place like Baja Fresh or Chipotle. </p>

<p>I live in Los Angeles, and we have some amazing hole in the wall restaurants. This place is a bit more upscale and pricier than your typical taco stand, but really good.</p>

<p>[Utah</a>, Las Vegas, California, Arizona, Idaho & Colorado | Cafe Rio](<a href=“http://www.caferio.com/locations]Utah”>http://www.caferio.com/locations)</p>

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<p>What I want to know is…</p>

<p>It’s 12: …WHERE IS THE DAMN TACO TRUCK???</p>

<p>I think that Taco Bell has made a bad move trying to reproduce street tacos. They are popular in areas where they are readily available from authentic independent vendors. It’s all about simplicity(NOT lots of filling) and freshness (something lost on fast food chains).</p>

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<p>Sorry, Musica.</p>

<p>I have hijacked the taco truck. You will have to wait. ;)</p>

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<p>My dream is that one day, I will not have to travel half way across town for the best tacos in the world. Kogi street tacos.
<a href=“http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/28/dining/28united.html[/url]”>http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/28/dining/28united.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>but in the mean time, here is a great list</p>

<p><a href=“Food Advertisers Cinching Belts – WWD”>Food Advertisers Cinching Belts – WWD;

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<p>Thanks Samurai, I am in WA, no luck there, but we drive through ID/UT often, so will make a note to check it out for travel food.</p>

<p>I would just be happy if I could have a Del Taco up here</p>

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<p>Well, I was all set to recommend a street taco hole-in-the-wall in Issaquah… but they’re closed, according to Google. </p>

<p>I think that in many places, making your own tacos is the easiest and best way to get good tacos. I recommend the southwest seasoning blend from Penzey’s, shredded pork, corn tortillas, some fresh salsa, a little pepper jack cheese (grated), all toasted on a hot griddle.</p>

<p>Damn, now I’m hungry.</p>

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<p>Best fast food I’ve ever had:</p>

<p>[Marination</a> Mobile - Seattle, WA](<a href=“http://www.yelp.com/biz/marination-mobile-seattle]Marination”>http://www.yelp.com/biz/marination-mobile-seattle)</p>

<p>Yumm. They were voted the best food cart in the US last year!</p>

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<p>This is worse, now the great food is only 2-3 hours south of me…but next time I go to town, I’m tracking that food truck down!</p>

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<p>You guys are making me feel ashamed that I secretly LOVE Taco Bell.</p>

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<p>You have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. ;)</p>

<p>Taco Bell is awesome. </p>

<p>But if you come to Cali, try the authentic tacos al carbon.</p>

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<p>I grew up in OC so I know good Mexican food, there’s just something about Taco Bell. :)</p>

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<p>I agree. Coupons for two free ones were given out at a Padres game. They were overpriced at free. They were pathetic. Jack in the Box is not the place to go for tacos.</p>

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<p>Ha ha, mine were also with a free coupon! I agree–overpriced even at that!</p>

<p>Their mini funnel cake, on the other hand . . . mmmm.</p>

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<p>My BIL gave me a taste of his fish taco from some dive bar in Cocoa Beach, FL. Damn it was good!!! I’ve had a few since then, but none that came close. It’s been a year and I can still taste that thing…</p>