Taco Bueno Was No Bueno

I drove through the Taco Bueno on Camp Bowie West at Las Vegas Trail. It's an old Taco Bueno and looked dirty the couple of times I've been inside. I don't eat here much but decided I wanted something different. I ordered two crispy beef tacos. I always thought their meat was better than Taco Bell but, my taco left me saying, "Where's the beef?"

Is this part of some new line of diet tacos or something? This was a pathetic excuse for a taco by any standards.

It's one thing for your ingredients to suck and another when your employees suck. Although Bueno is usually only considered a very small notch above Taco Bell, this sad taco knocks them back down. Eat at your own risk. 

Fear and Loathing at Jack in the Box

I know how Dr. Gonzo felt when he said, "I hate to say this, but this place is getting to me. I think I'm getting the Fear."

There are really only two reasons anyone eats Jack in the Box tacos: alcohol and/or poverty.

I'm guilty. There were many instances that I found myself in a drunken stooper after an all nighter. I was desperately seeking something to soak up the liquor before I was doomed to pay the piper in the form of a ridiculous hangover. Did it work? Yes...sometimes at least. Or maybe it was the big glass of water or handful of Advil that often served as the side dish.

Then there were the times I had to search under my car seats trying to scrape together 99 cents for something to eat. When you barely have a dollar to your name, it's hard to be picky or critical of ANY food. Most high school and college kids have had this life experience. 

However, as an adult, with a job, revisiting this taco was...scary. I wanted to scream out like Raoul Duke, "What? No. We can't stop here. This is bat country." But I forced myself to enter the drive through. I was on a mission.

These are the most unusual tacos. The meat is more like a meat-like paste. It has what appears to be the most processed cheese on the planet and then they sprinkle a few slivers of lettuce on it. This concoction is thinly stuffed inside of a corn tortilla shell and then deep fried with everything in it.

It is really greasy. And processed. And... sigh. This is considered the bottom of the barrel in the taco world. An abomination.

I'll leave you with the words of Raoul Duke (most of them are his anyway):

"Panic. It crept up my spine like first rising vibes of an acid frenzy. All these horrible realities began to dawn on me. There I was. Alone in Jack in the Box, completely twisted on drugs, no cash, no story for the website, and on top of everything else, a gigantic god damned hunger for tacos to deal with. How would Horatio Alger handle this situation? Stay calm. Stay calm."

Rosa's Tortilla Factory: Their Pollo is Loco Good

Rosa's is one of my weekly staples. It's fast and always good. Although I'm sure the company wants to be seen as a restaurant style diner, I must place it in my fast food category due to its drive thru window and lack of food servers. The prices are just a bit higher than a normal fast food joint but the quality reflects the price.

I went to the location at

5000 Overton Ridge in Fort Worth, TX near Hulen Mall.

They are open until 12 am.

I always get the Chicken Fajita Plate. This is from Rosa's website:

The signature products at Rosa’s Cafe are beef and chicken fajitas, marinated and grilled to perfection over real West Texas mesquite wood giving them their distinct taste.

While waiting for my order, I head for the condiment bar. There are several different salsas to choose from in addition to onions, cilantro, jalapeños (fresh and pickled). Get a little of everything. By the time you get all of your filled condiment cups to your table, your food will be ready.

The fajitas are served with three hot flour tortillas fresh made while you watch through the glass. The chicken is my favorite fast food chicken in town. It is REAL chicken breast. I get weirded out by meat at some places (like Taco Cabana). But THIS is so good. The flavor is incredible. I like to eat the chicken by itself.

The fajita tacos are served with grilled onions, jalapeño, and bell peppers. They come with a side of sour cream, guacamole, shredded cheddar cheese, and lettuce served in a tortilla bowl. It is more than enough food when you include the sides of refried beans and rice. 

Makes a great meal to pick up after work to bring home for dinner. 

The Nuclear Taco Experience

Upon hearing that I had a taco review website, a coworker quickly blurted out, "Have you tried the Nacho Cheese Doritos Taco?". Taco Bell?...sigh. I had to keep in mind that she is very young. When I was her age, Taco Bell was considered a delicacy. Her enthusiasm sparked my curiosity and I found myself sitting in the drive thru. I ordered a single Nacho Cheese Doritos Taco Supreme.

The first thing I noticed was the extra cardboard packaging covering the shell. I was initially confused about its necessity to my taco eating experience. I came to the conclusion that 1. It was to hide the nuclear color of the shell so as not to scare you right away and, 2. It is to protect your hands and clothing from the powder bomb of cheese covering it. 

I didn't have the patience to neatly tear away the cardboard as I ate, so I just removed it altogether and dug in with my hands. My opinion? It wasn't worth it. The flavor was not significantly improved to warrant the mess it made all over my hands and mouth. Save yourself the hassle and just get a normal taco.

It Ain't Easy Being Cheesy

Unless of course you are a taco from Taco Casa. There were no Taco Casas in the town I grew up in. All I really had to compare was Taco Bell. It wasn't until I moved to my husbands hometown that I first saw one. My biggest complaint about these types of places is the greasy meat. You can see the wetness on the wrapper. It can make the shell lose its crunch. My favorite part of this taco was the copious amount of shredded cheese. It also comes with lettuce. Don't forget the salsa packets. Their sauce is fairly spicy. A good alternative to Taco Bell.

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