Today is a sad day for America

[Checkmite]

Popeye's beats KFC in all neighborhoods.

Untrue. In San Antonio, Popeye's restaurants ONLY serve spicy cajun-style chicken - which I love, don't get me wrong; but sometimes I crave some Orginal Recipe.

 

[UnrepentantSinner]

Personally, we have the "roach coaches" in NorCal, and some of those have tacos to die for, and one of their burritos can see you through a good 600 miles without a stop.

Beg to differ. Unless you're wearing a diaper, no good burrito should allow one to be able to drive 600 miles without a stop.

 

[tomwaits]

In pinch. Fine.

But we're talking about the need for REAL food.

I thought the thread was about the volcano taco?

Whenever Taco Bell is mentioned there are always people who have to pipe in and declare to the world "Taco Bell isn't real Mexican food!!!" like it's some kind of brilliant proclamation.

Yes, I know. It's not "real Mexican food", no more than the pasta I make at home is "real Italian food" or the beef and broccoli I eat is "real Chinese food". Who cares?

 

[mazyloron]

Anyone for a Red Savina milkshake?

Am I the only one who thinks this sounds tasty? And who's actually thinking of making one? But testing it out on my unsuspecting friend, of course.

"Care for a homemade milkshake? Sure, it's pink because it's strawberry, why not. Just have some."

 

[mazyloron]

Mmm, volcano sauce...they should just sell that stuff by itself.

I do wish they could figure out how to make a volcano taco in a soft shell, though. The red hard shell doesn't actually affect the taste, and on the occasions that I have to eat one in the car, a hard shell is a guarantee that I'll be wearing part of my taco. Soft shell tacos turn into mini spill-resistant burritos for safer in-car consumption.

The volcano burrito is quite tasty, but it's also surprisingly expensive! $3.09 for something smaller than the $1.59 1/2 lb. beef combo burrito? Tasty's nice, but it's half as big and costs twice as much.

 

[fuelair]

RC Cola? My word, I haven't heard of that since I stopped talking to my dad about 16-17 years ago. That was his beverage of choice.

Being an Arizona native, I think I can state with some authority that Taco Bell is not Mexican food. It's not even Tex-Mex, Sonoran cuisine, Mexican-American food, or whatever else you want to call the version of Mexican food served in the U.S.

I've been there once, admittedly over a decade ago, and was served a bowl full of what was supposed to be refried beans and looked like something else (think scatological here) topped with imitation cheese. I poured two entire packets of the "hot" sauce over it -- it may as well have been catsup. No heat at all. I haven't been back since. [/rant]

Yeah, you can get a little heat from their nuclear hellfire sauce (whatever they call it) - that's why I carry my own IF.....

 

[fuelair]

I know that making fun of/putting down fast food chain restaurants and referring to their food as various levels of inedible if not disgusting is the "in vogue" thing to do around these parts, but unfortunately I'm unable to join in. I'll concur that it isn't exactly gourmet cuisine. But when I think of those instances of restaurant-made food that I've promised myself I absolutely would never eat again even if I could, I have to say that not a single one of them came from fast-food joints.

I have yet to try something from McDonald's or Wendy's or KFC that wouldn't do just fine in a pinch.

BK's chicken, fish and double cheeseburgers have all departed from my list of emergency acceptable fast food in the last two months. They are no longer right or fixable.

 

[fuelair]

Let's see. Both cities in AZ with the posted info showing the number of complaints in two Phoenix "Mexican" restaurants and a link showing violations in Tuscon "Mexican" restaurants.

Mexican cuisine is not exactly extensive or difficult to prepare, yet so many of these non-fast food "Mexican" restaurants are hideous. Perhaps that is why there are so many M&P Mexican restaurants in your area. If any of these places could do it right, they wouldn't have so much competition.

Even the up scale Vincent on Camelback Southwestern cuisine is a crap shoot.

The Taco Bell menu isn't much different from these M&P menus, and if nothing else, TB is consistent in their quality. How difficult is it for you to add your own store purchased hot sauce to improve the kick of a TB offering? If TB could serve Tecate/Dos Equis/Carte Blanca it would leave most of the other sit down Mexican restaurants in the dust.

And they should drain the grease in the taco meat better (two reasons: first is, I hope, obvious - the second is so the sauce you add penetrates the meat more thoroughly).

 

[UnrepentantSinner]

I thought the thread was about the volcano taco?

Whenever Taco Bell is mentioned there are always people who have to pipe in and declare to the world "Taco Bell isn't real Mexican food!!!" like it's some kind of brilliant proclamation.

Yes, I know. It's not "real Mexican food", no more than the pasta I make at home is "real Italian food" or the beef and broccoli I eat is "real Chinese food". Who cares?

Hear hear!!!

This reminds me of an anecdote I read in the WSJ once. A British businessman took his Indian partner to a Curry house hoping to ingratiate himself and the Indian guy commented, "This food is delicious. What is it?"

I'm inclined to accept the wisdom of Andrew Zimmern... if it tastes good, eat it.

 

[rwguinn]

Hear hear!!!

This reminds me of an anecdote I read in the WSJ once. A British businessman took his Indian partner to a Curry house hoping to ingratiate himself and the Indian guy commented, "This food is delicious. What is it?"

I'm inclined to accept the wisdom of Andrew Zimmern... if it tastes good, eat it.

Back when I worked Tethered Satellite (Pre Challenger), the actual Satellite was being designed by the Italians.
They were over for a visit, and wanted "Real American Food". The Buckhorn Exchange (Wild game), the Fort (Bison specialists) were suggested, but they insisted on "Real" American food--Pizza Hut.

 

[jman19999]

Naugles was the BEST Mexican food ever! They were bought out by Del Taco in the early 90's. I also love Cheddar Melts from McDonalds! I wish Burger King would bring back what they had in the 80's. Roast Beef Sandwiches and Chicken Parmesan!

Jeff

 

[Roadtoad]

Naugles was the BEST Mexican food ever! They were bought out by Del Taco in the early 90's. I also love Cheddar Melts from McDonalds! I wish Burger King would bring back what they had in the 80's. Roast Beef Sandwiches and Chicken Parmesan!

Jeff

Naugles? NAUGLES?!?!

YOU! OUT OF THE GENE POOL!

 

[rwguinn]

Naugles was the BEST Mexican food ever! They were bought out by Del Taco in the early 90's. I also love Cheddar Melts from McDonalds! I wish Burger King would bring back what they had in the 80's. Roast Beef Sandwiches and Chicken Parmesan!

Jeff

You need to seek professional help--and quickly!

 

[UnrepentantSinner]

Back in the 70s Hardees had a ribeye steak sandwich that I recall being excellent. I'm sure if they offered it today it would be like $13.00 or something.

Back when I worked Tethered Satellite (Pre Challenger), the actual Satellite was being designed by the Italians.
They were over for a visit, and wanted "Real American Food". The Buckhorn Exchange (Wild game), the Fort (Bison specialists) were suggested, but they insisted on "Real" American food--Pizza Hut.

That reminds me of something that happened to me in Germany. My family was stationed at Grafenwoehr and there were no fast food joints on base or off at the time. When I spent the night with a high school friend in Amberg I wanted to hit the McDonalds down there. While we were out, we encountered a German friend of his and she was wondering why I'd want to go eat at Micky Ds when there were all these excellent German and pizza places in town. I told her my family ate at a gasthaus at least fortnightly and really liked the fare at other places off base in Graf, but after about 3 years I really wanted some McDonalds.

 

[Polaris]

A Taco Bell product. It was basically a normal hard shell taco, except with delicious spicy cheese sauce. I was a big fan, and it looks like I was the only one.

I've been jaded by Taco Bell's special menu items for over a decade, since the three-cheese melt went away forever, so I can relate. This seems to be the only fast food joint for which "for a limited time" actually means what it says.

 

[Polaris]

I spent four years on a consulting contract with the Texas Department of Health in Austin, TX. I traveled to Austin one week per month. I didn't much care for the "texmex" food in the beginning, but by the time the contract was over, I was grading all restaurants based on the amount of sweat that had accumulated on my upper lip and forehead when the meal was over.

Good food down there in Texas. Not so much in West Virginia.

Try Mi Ranchito if you're ever in Berkeley Springs. It's owned/operated by Guadalajarans, and on par with above average Mexican places I've been to here in Dallas.

 

[Roadtoad]

Back in the 70s Hardees had a ribeye steak sandwich that I recall being excellent. I'm sure if they offered it today it would be like $13.00 or something.



That reminds me of something that happened to me in Germany. My family was stationed at Grafenwoehr and there were no fast food joints on base or off at the time. When I spent the night with a high school friend in Amberg I wanted to hit the McDonalds down there. While we were out, we encountered a German friend of his and she was wondering why I'd want to go eat at Micky Ds when there were all these excellent German and pizza places in town. I told her my family ate at a gasthaus at least fortnightly and really liked the fare at other places off base in Graf, but after about 3 years I really wanted some McDonalds.

As I recall, there wasn't much of ANYTHING at Graf. Now Frankfurt...

That's another story. We even had a DQ, (though it was called the "Daily Inn...")

 

[joobie]

Popeye's beats KFC in all neighborhoods.

not in my neighborhood, where there ain't a popeyes.