Taco Bell - Beefy Crunch Burrito ($0.99)

Mark Lim - Ok, this one isn't really a blog but Flaming Hot Fritos inside a beefy cheese burrito for 99 cents? Pretty awesome.

Anything that crumbles chips and makes them into a main ingredient has my attention. Here's some pictures of the Taco Bell Beefy Crunchy Burrito. I hope this one becomes permanent.

Big Mac Snack Wrap - Rating: 4

Mark Lim - The way I see it is the Big Mac is a rich white college kid from the suburbs who befriends a Mexican Pizza in his Chicano studies class.

One day the Mexican Pizza invites the Big Mac to a house party on the other side of town and he begrudgingly decides to go. While there he is shunned by the Tostadas and Menudos and realizes that he'll never be able to cross the cultural lines until he meets a saucy young Bean Burrito who shows him the ways of her people.

They spend one passionate night inside a brown paper bag and 9 months later we have the Big Mac Snack Wrap.

Highland Avenue meets Olvera Street

Half of a Big Mac patty + Fixins = Big Mac Snack Wrap

I ate 3 of these for you

The Snack Wrap does taste like a Big Mac with their signature sauce/pickles/onions/and McDonald's "beef" patty but there just isn't much value for your money. It has about 1/5th of the meat a Big Mac and costs almost $2.00. You're really losing out on this deal.

Another problem is that McDonalds hasn't quite perfected the Tortilla process. Places like Taco Bell fill their tortillas with warm fillings which in turn keeps the tortillas soft and tasty. McDonald's Big Mac patties are never hot so their Snack Wraps Tortillas immedietly become cold and disgusting.

There are no new ingredients. It's just gimmick packaging.

PROS:

- Tastes like Big Mac
- Clean and easy to eat
- Less carbs
- "Healthier" than a Big Mac

CONS:

- Way less value. Not enough Meat and Cheese
- The Tortilla tastes disgusting when cold
- Too expensive

McDonald's - Big Mac Snack Wrap

Taste ------------ (6) It's got that Big Mac flavor
Presentation ---(4) Not a pretty sight. At least it's clean
Price ------------- (2) $2 = Rip Off
Availability ----- (7) Probably just testing it. It'll be gone soon
Quantity --------- (2) No enough Meat or Cheese
Satisfaction ----- (3) I felt insulted

Rating: 4 out of 10

Is it horrible tasting? No. Is it the worst thing on their menu? No. Will I be getting this again? Most likely not.

I'm just waiting for the McRib Snack Wrap.

Be Fat! Be Happy!

Chipotle Mexican Grill: Steak Burrito ($6.00) Rating: 6

Mark Lim - If you like Mexican food but don't like all that strange ethnic stuff then Chipotle "Mexican" Grill is perfect for you!

The food there lacks the authentic tastes of a local tacqueria stand but their burritos are ok. They have a fresh and clean taste which normally you'd think would be a good thing but when I'm craving a burrito I want a greasy, oily, salty, dense, and satisfying one. Their food almost looks... healthy...

Chipotle is the last place I'd go to fill my animalistic hunger. They're about as Mexican as, let's say, Tom Cruise.

Here's their Steak Burrito. No grease stains at the bottom! Damn!

Holding my burrito like a baby

Look how clean it is! Yuck!

Their Steak Burritos consist of small lean cubes of steak, pinto beans, seasoned white rice, sour cream, and choice of sauce.

Chipotle Mexican Grill: Steak Burrito
Taste ------------ (6) Decent burrito but lacks ethic flavor
Presentation -----(8) Nice and simple
Price ------------- (7) $6 is a good price forits size
Quantity --------- (7) Pretty big
Satisfaction ----- (5) I just never feel complete when I eat there

Rating: 6 out of 10

I think Chipotle lies somewhere between Taco Bell and a good authentic Mexican restaurant. It's not quite fast food and it's definitely not a taqueria. It's most likely going to be the next McDonald's so you'll probably be seeing one on every corner in the future. It's no replacement for good Mexican food but it sure is convenient.

Oh, by the way... This is how a burrito should look:

Carne Asada Burrito from the taqueria :) They cut it straight off a giant piece of beef!

Be Fat! Be Happy!

Oh! If you're bored check out my new Economy blog at: www.RecessionMan.com :) Thanks!

Taco Bell - Queso Crunchwrap ($3.00) Rating: 5

Mark Lim - I've been trying really really hard not to eat fast food lately because it's been making me sick. I've lost about 10lbs after starting this site because seeing the crap I ingest kind of grosses me out. I've been yo-yo-ing around 5lbs because I get so bored at night that I need the warm hug of a midnight snack to put me to bed.

One of the places open really late at night is Taco Bell so I went to try one of their newest "entrees" called the Queso Crunchwrap:


It's basically a tostada wrapped up in a tortilla. I have some East Coast friends that have no clue what a taco, tostada, or a tortilla is is so I'll explain. It's the Mexican version of a ham sandwich. You got that?


Taco Bell food is all the same. They just change the shape of the item and slap a new name on it. They added one different ingredient to the Queso Crunchwrap and that's a "fresh" salsa. They normally just squeeze a reddish goo into their items but they use a salsa with tomatoes, onions, and cilantro for this one:


I hate cilantro and onions. I loathe them. When I order food I lie and say I'm allergic to them so they make sure not to put any in my food.


They actually don't have this item on their nutritional guide. I'm not sure why they don't but they have the regular Crunchwrap on there so I assume they're pretty similar.

Taco Bell - Queso Crunchwrap:

Calories - 560 - Fat - 24g - Sodium - 1430mg - Carbs - 68g

It's actually not horribly unhealthy meal. Chew a couple Flinstones Vitamins with it and you'll be fine.

Taste ------------ (3) I like the regular Crunchwrap Supreme better
Presentation ---(5) It's a hexagon and has clean corners
Price ------------- (8) $2.50 -$3 Pretty affordable
Availability ----- (9) Lots of Taco Bells and they're open late
Quantity --------- (7) It's a decent amount of food for the price
Satisfaction ----- (5) I'm still pretty hungry after I eat one

Rating: 5 out of 10

Taco Bell's advertising for their line of Crunchwraps focuses not on the taste of the food but by how "portable" it is. It's a really weird ad campaign. It's like advertising a lawn mower and instead of showing you how it cuts grass they keep telling you how easily it fits in your garage. I've gotten the regular Crunchwrap about half a dozen times this month and prefer it much more than the Queso version. Getting fat is fun.