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Del Taco

Toliver

By Toliver
in Ready to Eat

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Toliver

Toliver

Posted
Posted

There didn't seem to be an existing discussion about this fast food franchise so I thought I would start one.

I think they have an overall image problem in that there is no one thing that stands out on the menu or makes it a destination like McDonald's. They're just...there...when I drive by.

Is there something on the menu that draws you in that I'm missing, perhaps?

That being said, right now they're offering battered and deep fried jalapeño rings as a side. I'm not sure if this is a specialty item or if they plan on adding them to their everyday menu.

The rings weren't overly spicy hot but they did have some zip to them. Of course, I'm a chilehead so take that with a grain of salt. :wink: A small container of a ranch dressing-ish sauce comes with the rings. Interestingly, the jalapeño rings are both the green and red variety.

Of course, now I'm hitting my forehead with a Homeresque "DOH!" since I could have tossed some of the rings into my burrito, thus kicking it up an Emeril-notch (to mix popular culture references).

Has anyone else tried the jalapeño rings?

 

“Peter: Oh my god, Brian, there's a message in my Alphabits. It says, 'Oooooo.'

Brian: Peter, those are Cheerios.”

– From Fox TV’s “Family Guy”

 

Tim Oliver

Porthos

Porthos

Posted
Posted

Del Taco is my go-to fast food for Mexican fast food. I find the food superior to Taco Bell.

For breakfast the shredded beef breakfast burrito is excellent. For lunch or dinner it's the Classic Chicken Burrito. I also like their chicken soft tacos.

Porthos Potwatcher
The Once and Future Cook

;

Pierogi

Pierogi

Posted
Posted

Del Taco is my go-to fast food for Mexican fast food. I find the food superior to Taco Bell.

For breakfast the shredded beef breakfast burrito is excellent. For lunch or dinner it's the Classic Chicken Burrito. I also like their chicken soft tacos.

Me too, Porthos, especially since Taco Hell stopped using scallions about 5 years ago. Their food really suffered as a result. It took me MANY years to get over Del Taco's buying out and eventually killing a small Mom & Pop regional SoCal chain called Naugles (raise your hand if you loved Naugles'....YAY Naugles' !), but I have. The bean & cheese burritos with green sauce are pretty damn close to the old version from Naugles'....

Their food is just better than Taco Hell and Mickey D's and more interesting. Don't get me wrong, its still drive-thru fast food, but it's pretty OK.

In what parts of the country can one find Del Taco? I thought we had every chain known to humankind here in OKC, but I'm not familiar with this one.

Chris, I think it may only be a California thing, and maybe only a Southern California thing. MAYBE, maybe Southwest, but not far beyond for sure. Del Taco and In-'N'-Out. SoCal's contributions to great car food.

--Roberta--

"Let's slip out of these wet clothes, and into a dry Martini" - Robert Benchley

Pierogi's eG Foodblog

My *outside* blog, "A Pound Of Yeast"

pastameshugana

pastameshugana

Posted
Posted

Chris, I think it may only be a California thing, and maybe only a Southern California thing. MAYBE, maybe Southwest, but not far beyond for sure. Del Taco and In-'N'-Out. SoCal's contributions to great car food.

FWIW I know there's some in AZ...

PastaMeshugana

"The roar of the greasepaint, the smell of the crowd."

"What's hunger got to do with anything?" - My Father

My first Novella: The Curse of Forgetting

Doodad

Doodad

Posted
Posted

They used to be here in GA back in the 80s, but all disappeared.

Shame too. They had a combo plate that was perfect for a poor college guy. I seem to remember a cinnamon milkshake as well that was killer.

Toliver

Toliver

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

In what parts of the country can one find Del Taco? I thought we had every chain known to humankind here in OKC, but I'm not familiar with this one.

And here I thought they were a national chain.

I found their website and this web page shows their locations.

The cinnamon milkshake (sort of a Horchata riff?) sounds interesting. But it's not on their national menu listing so I'm thinking that must be a specialty item (like the Shamrock shake at Mickey D's) or perhaps they've stopped making it.

The jalapeño rings are on the menu so it looks like they're a regular menu item, which is great.

 

“Peter: Oh my god, Brian, there's a message in my Alphabits. It says, 'Oooooo.'

Brian: Peter, those are Cheerios.”

– From Fox TV’s “Family Guy”

 

Tim Oliver

Doodad

Doodad

Posted
Posted

Well, it was a good 25 years ago. The shake was a regular item. Not sure if what is Del Taco now is even the same or they bought the name. Atlanta is a long way from SoCal.

ellevan

ellevan

Posted
Posted

I miss Del Taco! They have them in St. Louis, but I live in Kansas City now and they do not have Del Taco or white castle here.... :sad:

Jaymes

Jaymes

Posted
Posted

Well, it was a good 25 years ago. The shake was a regular item. Not sure if what is Del Taco now is even the same or they bought the name. Atlanta is a long way from SoCal.

Yes, but not so far from South Carolina and Florida, both of which currently have Del Taco.

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

Doodad

Doodad

Posted
Posted

Very true; I saw that.

Not sure if they went down and restructered or the name was bought. That is not the same logo (close) and the menu is way different.

Toliver

Toliver

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

On the plus side, their taco sauce definitely has a more authentic flavor to it. It sort of reminds me El Tapatio brand sauce. When I bought my lunch from Del Taco, I was given a fistful of extra packets of their hot sauce which I've been using as a condiment with my reguler home meals. Not bad!

 

“Peter: Oh my god, Brian, there's a message in my Alphabits. It says, 'Oooooo.'

Brian: Peter, those are Cheerios.”

– From Fox TV’s “Family Guy”

 

Tim Oliver

Porthos

Porthos

Posted
Posted

My DW uses their packets to flavor her home-cooked quesadilas.

Porthos Potwatcher
The Once and Future Cook

;

JAZ

JAZ

Posted
Posted

I knew Del Taco pretty well when I lived in Southern California in the early 80's, then didn't see one for years after I moved. But my last few years working in downtown San Francisco, one opened up around the corner, so I went there once in a while. I found the crispy fish taco to be pretty good, but my favorite items were the Tacos Del Carbon -- both the steak and chicken versions were way above average for this kind of place.

And I agree about the sauce.

Janet A. Zimmerman, aka "JAZ"
Manager
jzimmerman@eGullet.org
eG Ethics signatory
Author, The Healthy Pressure Cooker Cookbook,  Instant Pot Obsession, and The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook for Two

  • 4 weeks later...
natalie01

natalie01

Posted
Posted

Del Taco is amazing!! I miss it dearly....Then again there is way better burrito's and taco's in NYC...I do miss it though haha :]

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