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Photo: Elizabeth Hait (from left to right: Carnitas, Chicken and Steak Tacos)
Last week, Slashfood announced that Taco Bell was introducing street food-inspired "Cantina Tacos," which include fire-grilled chicken, beef carne asada, and pork carnitas. The comments were overwhelming -- our readers were not happy with the new menu items. We had to find out for ourselves.
One thing is for sure, if you don't like cilantro and/or onions, these tacos are not for you. While we're big fans of cilantro here at Slashfood, we can say that there was too much onion on all three of these tacos -- it obscured the flavor of the meat. However, we did really enjoy one of them.
Each taco reviewed after the jump ...
Cantina Taco - Chicken
Grade: B+
Nutritional Info: 2.5 grams fat, 170 calories
What's in it: "Southwest" chicken, onions, lime, cilantro (wrapped up in corn tortillas)
Our testers said: "This taco is easily better than any other item on their menu. The moist chicken had just the right amount of spice and the corn tortilla's were still warm, not gummy. If we had just one request, it would be to add more sauce or a spicy salsa."
Cantina Taco - Steak
Grade: D
Nutritional Info: 2.5 grams fat, 160 calories
What's in it: Onions, lime, beef, cilantro (wrapped up in corn tortillas)
Our testers said: "The steak and wrap were both dry -- when we tasted the beef alone, it was extremely chewy and lacked the simple basics like salt and pepper. It wasn't worth more than two bites."
Cantina Taco - Carnitas
Grade: F
Nutritional Info: 7 grams fat, 200 calories
What's in it: Onions, lime, shredded pork, cilantro (wrapped up in corn tortillas)
Our testers said: "Never has food looked so completely different in real life than in the advertised photograph. A pile of mush and odd flavors, this mixture of sweet pork and onions never came together. To be brutally honest, when opened up, this taco looked like cat food -- and not chunky style. We couldn't get through more than one bite."
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8-10-2010 @2:04PM Anthonie said... Chicken is by far the best one. The pork looks terrible and doesn't taste much better. I give them points for trying, but the tacos missed their mark.
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8-10-2010 @4:28PM Lee said... I was so anxious to try the cantena tacos and ordered the one with pork. The tortilla was limp and oversteamed, the filling was an unappetizing mess and tasted bland. Couldn't even taste the lime. Very disappointed and probably won't order another cantena taco.
8-10-2010 @7:05PM Lynn said... I haven't tried one of the new tacos yet, but that last review makes me want to throw up in my plate ... CAT food?? How yummy .... hmmmm.
I'll post again after trying all three. Hopefully, none of them are contestants for food items to make Fear Factor cast members eat!
8-11-2010 @11:49AM Jeff said... I don't know if it's still available or not, but I was able to try the new Taco Bell Limeade Sparkler for free with a coupon I printed from (copy & paste link) http://bit.ly/samplecenter
Just wanted to let all the Taco Bell fans know!
8-10-2010 @2:14PM Gary said... Cilantro? I will never understand why anyone thinks that stuff is a necessary addition to any recipe. Might just has well use shredded sweaty gym socks.
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8-10-2010 @2:31PM Shelly said... Cilantro is one of those food items that you either love or hate... it's a matter of personal taste. Some recipes just aren't the same without it, like pico de gallo.
8-10-2010 @5:33PM gobo said... Because the majority of people, like myself, think it's wonderful.
8-10-2010 @6:50PM mom said... Love Cilantro in Mexican food, pico de gallo would not be the same without it
8-11-2010 @11:16AM Sam said... The love or hate of cilantro is actually linked to a genetic difference. To normal people, cilantro tastes like...well, cilantro. To people with the genetic variation, it tastes like soap. There's a lot of information about this online if you google it.
8-10-2010 @2:23PM KM said... That doesn't surprise me a bit...because TACO BELL is NOTHING LIKE REAL MEXICAN FOOD!! After you have REAL AUTHENTIC MEXICAN...you'll NEVER GO TO TACO BELL EVER AGAIN. And, CILANTRO ROCKS. PICO DE GALLO FOR EVERYONE!! :)
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8-10-2010 @6:19PM joe said... Taco Bell is nothing but american food. and always has been.
Its never claimed to be mexican food.
8-10-2010 @5:08PM Gina said... Very skimpy and hard to taste anything. I us to go to Taco Bell often but it has been such a rip off the last couple of years. If you are going to pay for mexican food, get good food. It may take a little longer but much better than 1tblsp of runny beans and a tortia. Thought I try the " New" tacos, NO!
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8-10-2010 @2:25PM Audrea said... I totally agree with the review about the pork ones....I don't think I have ever seen anything so far off from the advertised picture......mine too was just a bunch of mush......I am afraid to try the others...
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8-10-2010 @2:29PM Taco said... Anything served from Sloppo Bell is nothing more than warmed up puke. Slop for the masses!
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8-10-2010 @6:23PM Mark Sappenfield said... Taco,
A lot of people like Taco Bell. Two different people may eat at a five-star restaurant and one will love the food and the other will hate it. Just thinkof the rude name someone can give to Wolfgang Puck's pricey restaurant but I wouldn't say it here. To most people, it's the taste of the food that matters not the price.
8-10-2010 @2:33PM tony Hayes said... I completely agree with the comments and ratings. Living in California where cantina trucks and mexican restaurants serve up "real" tacos, I give Taco Bell an "A" for trying, but "buzzzzzzz" (sound of buzzer) for their new offering. Heck, their regular "mystery meat" tacos are better, and cheaper.
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6-11-2012 @10:19AM JC said... Yup, at lease a big F for these new.
I just love a Carnitas Taco
My first, and last, pork taco from TB last week was sad.
It was Not shreeded!
Diced and chuncked.
Flavor was much less then should be.
Toppings as in pictures were not included.
" I" for incomplete.
Oh, did I forget to mentions getting very sick this night!
Taco Bell customer since the 70's, yet looks like Sunset now................ .. .. .
JC
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8-10-2010 @2:57PM Mike said... I wouldn't feed Taco Bell to my dog. The worst of all the fast food chains.
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8-10-2010 @4:19PM Tyrone Biggums said... My dog doesn't like Taco Bell either... I put a Cantina Taco in his bowl... he growled at me, kicked the bowl over in disgust, pissed on the taco.... gave me a dirty look... and then walked away.
8-10-2010 @7:25PM OccasionalEpicure said... Give us a break. Though you may have thought you were being oh so funny, which by the way you weren't, most of us are fully aware that dogs don't simply behave this way unless they're trained to it.
You may have missed out on learning basic manners to have done something this crass and then been foolish enough to bragg about it, but please don't blame your sick, twisted and rude behavior on your canine pal. As a domesticated pet he/she at least deserves some respect for being socialized.