The Taco Bell "Crunchwrap"

[Badiane]

I I distinctly recall Taco Bell's ground beef to be pretty icky, greasy  and rather stomach problem inducing --

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Y'all know that Taco Bell is owned by the Purina Dog Food people, right? Think about it....

[Jason Perlow]

That's incorrect, Badiane. Taco Bell is owned by PepsiCo, as is KFC, A&W, Long John Silver's, and Pizza Hut, under the auspices of YUM! Brands, Inc.

http://www.franchising.com/tacobell/

[Mabelline]

Man, youall just turn me green, I swear. Up here in fly-over country, our Taco Bell's suck. We go to Del Taco, because everytime, EVERYTIME, I have ordered at our TBs, something was wrong, or missing, or whatever.

I saw the commercials, and I thought, now those look GOOD. I too, would like to see the Bell Beefer come back, as well as the Encharito.

[bergerka]

Man, youall just turn me green, I swear. Up here in fly-over country, our Taco Bell's suck. We go to Del Taco, because everytime, EVERYTIME, I have ordered at our TBs, something was wrong, or missing, or whatever.

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Just out of curiosity, not meant to derail, does Del Taco still cover everything with ranch dressing?

[Andrew Fenton]

My problem is that the name "Crunchwrap" does nothing for me. I refuse to eat it until they further wrap it in a pseudo-Spanish name, e.g. "Crunchito", "Wrapichanga", "El Crunchador", or so forth.

[lesfen]

My problem is that the name "Crunchwrap" does nothing for me.  I refuse to eat it until they further wrap it in a pseudo-Spanish name, e.g. "Crunchito", "Wrapichanga", "El Crunchador", or so forth.

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Damn it!! Lemonade... all over monitor... dripping into keyboard...

[Mabelline]

No, ours are pretty decent.No Ranch dressing in stuff.

[PattyO]

Being the loyal eGullet member that I am, I took it upon myself to sample the Crunchwrap this afternoon.

I like it. A little skimpy with the fillings, but very neat to eat (think driving) and I was able to add sauce without making the whole thing into a mess.

Will order it again (the kids love Taco Bell)!

[pam claughton]

Guess it's been too long since I've been to Taco Bell, am now madly craving one of these things. Lunch tomorrow!

:) Pam

[D. B. Brown]

Tried one today ( the "El Crunchadore") . . .

My findings:

There is only one contrast - textures. And as was mentioned previously - kinda skimpy on the ingredients. None of the ingredients was particularly distinguishable from another.

Unlike the Burrito Supreme, where there is a definite contrast of flavors (hot sauce vs sour cream), temperatures (hot fillings vs cool sour cream and lettuce), textures (beef vs black olives vs lettuce, etc), the only contrast in the Crunchwrap is the softish ingredients vs the crunchy tortilla.

I did eat the Crunchwrap while actually driving, something I would be hesitant to attempt with a Burrito Supreme.

Pro's: "Driving-friendly"

Cons: Lacking in contrasts; skimpy ingredients

Verdict: kinda disappointing . .. .

I think that the Crunchwrap needs more careful assembly (i.e. more 'even' distribution of sour cream. With a Burrito Supreme, you can adjust the location of the sour cream "manually"), and better contrasts (probably facilitated to some degree, by MORE ingredients). These modifications may, however negatively impact the "driving-friendly" aspects of this particular Taco Bell offering.

Edited July 4, 2005 by D. B. Brown (log)

[etamny]

Wish they'd bring back the Bell Beefer...

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Oh my LORD!!!!! I thought I was the only person in America who still mourned the Beefer! I *loved* those, LOVED them. I had a nickname that involved them!

Unfortunately, too, they only grow in Proustian significance, the farther away they are. They *can't* have been as good as I now remember them...could they? *tinkly music*

Edited July 4, 2005 by etamny (log)

[D. B. Brown]

Slightly off topic . . .

Several years ago, Road&Track magazine published a short article on the Top Ten best things to eat while driving.

The winners were ALL chocolate chip cookies, but from different vendors.

I don't remember the exact order, but it was something like :

1. Famous Amos

2. Pepperidge Farms

3. Mrs. Fields

4. etc., etc. . .

The Top Ten worst things to eat while driving :

1. New England Lobster

2. Steamed Clams

3. Fondue

4. Corn on the cob, I think

5. etc., etc. . . .

I kinda like beef jerky for driving myself.

[cowpati]

The 'CrunchWrap Supreme' is assembled like this:

12" flour tortilla

1.5 oz. of refried beans

6.5" crisp tortilla

1.5 oz. of taco meat

melted nacho cheeze

sour cream

lettuce

diced tomatoes

The larger tortilla is wrapped around all of the ingredients and it is

put onto a hot 'dry' grill and toasted for 15 seconds (both sides).

Some more answers to questions...

Taco Bell is owned by YUM! Foods, which also owns pepsi cola, KFC,

Long John Silvers, A&W...(maybe more).

The 'CrunchWrap' is now available in 'Spicy Chicken', too. (this meat is

very spicy.)

Taco Bell has a very good advertising campaign for each of its new items.

Slogans like "Good to Go"... "the 4th Meal"...are catchy and seem to drag

customers in for the late night munchies.

All of their items are timed for freshness and guaranteed. If you don't like it

'they will eat it'. (in other words you will get your money back.)

Nacho Chips, salad shells, empanadas(carmel apple pies), chalupa shells (flatbread), and potato cubes are the ONLY items that are fried in a deep fryer.

Most Taco Bell items are best if eaten within a few minutes of preparation. (But

I will attest that the Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes are wonderful re-heated later in a

microwave!)

You can request that your "CrunchWrap" be made without the meat and dairy, if

you want.

[cowpati]

Slightly off topic . . .

Several years ago, Road&Track magazine published a short article on the Top Ten best things to eat while driving.

The winners were ALL chocolate chip cookies, but from different vendors.

I don't remember the exact order, but it was something like :

1. Famous Amos

2. Pepperidge Farms

3. Mrs. Fields

4. etc., etc. . .

The Top Ten worst things to eat while driving :

1. New England Lobster

2. Steamed Clams

3. Fondue

4. Corn on the cob, I think

5. etc., etc. . . .

I kinda like beef jerky for driving myself.

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Tacos are horrible for driving. That paper always gets in front of your eyes. (I got pulled over once while eating tacos and driving, late at night...seems I drifted over the center line. The officer followed me for a while and when he came to the car with his flashlight, he looked around and said..."WHAT are you doing?" I said, 'eating'. (He let me go, though. Just told me to be careful.) I was going to try and explain that the lettuce and cheese fall in your lap and in the seat, and you have to keep it in the paper, but I let it go.

[Joisey]

The thing that fascinates me about Taco Bell is the delivery system for the non-solid ingredients....great hoses hanging from the ceiling looking like a cross between a caulking gun and the oil hoses at Jiffy Lube. I'd last about 5 minutes as a cook there because I'd be shooting people with those sour cream cannons.

[Gigi4808]

I don't like the crunchwrap as made from the menu- but IF I can get them to properly make it to custom order (and let's face it getting your 'normal' food properly made at Taco Bell can be a challange as it is)- and for me that means without that disgusting "nacho cheese" and with shredded cheese instead and extra beans in place of meat I like them alot.

Those potato things in a bean burrieto is surprisingly good too.

[duckduck]

I enjoy the crunchwraps on occasion, but they have to have enough sour cream to be good. If they go shy on sour cream, it just doesn't do it for me.

I didn't know it was started here in Portland. Funny thing is, back when I was in college almost 20 years ago, I had a friend that worked for taco bell in her younger years and when we went there to eat, she would order a double decker taco, long before it was ever put on a menu. She would ask for a taco supreme with a flour tortilla and just enough beans to hold it onto the taco shell. They would look at her like she was crazy and turn and ask a manager (every time) "can we do that?". She explained that it was something she came up with to keep her taco from falling apart as she ate it. Funny to look back now.

[mrbigjas]

The 'CrunchWrap' is now available in 'Spicy Chicken', too. (this meat is

very spicy.)

i love me some taco bell as much as the next guy, and i think the crunchwrap is great, and i'm no chile-head, so please don't get the wrong impression here when i say this:

no it isn't. nothing at taco bell is 'very spicy,' by nearly any definition of the word 'spicy.'

i would say the minimum level of spiciness that can be considered 'very' in the fast food world is defined by the wendy's spicy chicken sandwich, which neither taco bell's 'hot' or 'fire' sauces approach.

[slo_ted]

Taco Bell is maybe my favorite fast food outlet. but let's look at this thing.

It rivals a Big Mac in calories, about 530, mostly sat fats with 3.5grams of transfats and a whopping 1300mg of sodium. This thing is a Bomb.

[cowpati]

The 'CrunchWrap' is now available in 'Spicy Chicken', too. (this meat is

very spicy.)

i love me some taco bell as much as the next guy, and i think the crunchwrap is great, and i'm no chile-head, so please don't get the wrong impression here when i say this:

no it isn't. nothing at taco bell is 'very spicy,' by nearly any definition of the word 'spicy.'

i would say the minimum level of spiciness that can be considered 'very' in the fast food world is defined by the wendy's spicy chicken sandwich, which neither taco bell's 'hot' or 'fire' sauces approach.

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agreed. and i should have clarified...very spicy...but, not just 'hot'. taco bell sauces, the mild, hot and fire have ingredients other than just peppers. i'm not sure what they are but they aren't all that agreeable with everyone.

my preference would be straight louisiana hot sauce. not a blister, but something you can still taste. the bells sauce has other ...stuff. i just pass on adjusting anything they make with 'their' additives.

for someone who doesn't 'need' the ingredients they call 'spicy' as in the spicy chicken (children, elderly, etc.) the spicy chicken probably would be a turn off in a dining experience. and for someone looking for the fire of the century, the spicy chicken might leave them with the occasional heartburn. it isn't going to make you sweat to the oldies. it does have the potential of being an irritant, though.

[cowpati]

Taco Bell is maybe my favorite fast food outlet. but let's look at this thing. 

It rivals a Big Mac in calories, about 530, mostly sat fats with 3.5grams of transfats and a whopping 1300mg of sodium.  This thing is a Bomb.

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salt and fat are still two of the food groups in the pyramid, right?

(I was behind a woman who ordered a taco without a shell, then told the lady she didn't want lettuce or cheeze. I said, 'honey, you don't want a taco.' Sometimes, people are just a little too special.

[cowpati]

I don't like the crunchwrap as made from the menu- but IF I can get them to properly make it to custom order (and let's face it getting your 'normal' food properly made at Taco Bell can be a challange as it is)- and for me that means without that disgusting "nacho cheese" and with shredded cheese instead and extra beans in place of meat I like them alot.

Those potato things in a bean burrieto is surprisingly good too.

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As far as I can tell, you can request any ingrident 'left off' or 'more added' to any item. (Won't swear to it, though.) And it would also be my guess that making delivery changes during a rush hour, might be a crap shoot.

(it would be the same in a sit down restaurant. you don't tell them to put less bean in your bowl of chili, or more for that matter, you order the chili and go with it.)

and i agree, that nacho cheese is an odd sensation.

Edited June 29, 2006 by cowpati (log)

[wawairis]

(I was behind a woman who ordered a taco without a shell, then told the lady she didn't want lettuce or cheeze.  I said, 'honey, you don't want a taco.'  Sometimes, people are just a little too special.

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What's left? Ground beef and some sour cream?

[Reefpimp]

I love the things, probably eat 2-3 weekly (I work construction and can't figure out how to rig the tablesaw to do a proper sous vide). I order the Spicy Chicken; no nacho sub shredded; sour cream on the side; with the fire sauce. It's pretty good, at least it's good enough for me to want to replicate it at home. I like the corn crunch in the middle; without that, it's just a burrito.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.