With the Cheesy Gordita Crunch officially returning to Taco Bell menus today -- the hard taco inside the fried shell seems to disappear and reappear like the Loch Ness Monster -- it only seemed right to put it up against one of the other new menu items.
The crispy potato soft taco (crispy potato bites, Pepper Jack sauce, shredded lettuce and cheddar cheese) is the lucky entrée, because I'm not ready to face its starchy big brother -- the bacon, potato and cheese burrito. As an aside, those looking for employment, shift managers are needed at the Taco Bell on 103rd and State Line (816-941-4223), but keep in mind that "smiles [are] required."
The crispy potato soft taco has the classic smell of all soft tacos -- the rich, almost sweet smell of flour tortilla, like bags of sugar that have been in your pantry for an indeterminate period of time. Underneath that is a hint of fried potato and what lies ahead for your palate.
The first bite is all mild sauce quickly followed by sharp, almost hot,
pepper. The perfectly cubed little potatoes have an eerily
familiar taste: that of KFC's potato wedges. It calls to mind
shwarma sandwiches stuffed with french fries, only without the
delicious schwarma.
I'm guessing "fries in a light cream sauce taco" is not a winning
billboard campaign. And it might not even be a taco -- it feels more like a wrap. So, let's call it a fries in light cream
sauce wrap.
And yet, it's hard to argue with the price: 87 cents with tax. This
is the Taco Bell of my youth, the one where you had to work hard to
spend $5. Ultimately, this taco is not bad. While it may be slightly
damning praise, it is deserved. But your stomach is likely better served
sticking with the Cheesy Gordita Crunch -- which comes in at a whopping
$1.99.
