2197 W. Broad St.
706-548-7160
2075 Barnett Shoals Rd.
706-543-5355
By STEPHANIE JACKSON
We all have our favorite foods. We have that food that makes us happy, even if it’s done badly.
So it’s not that surprising that so many of us order the same thing no matter where we go. For me, that food is a chicken quesadilla. It’s a safe bet that no matter what Mexican restaurant I go to, that’s what I’ll be ordering.
But let’s face facts. I’m a college student, I’m poor and I’m overloaded with work. I don’t do a whole lot of dine-in ordering.
That’s why my quesadilla favorite often take the form of Taco Bell combo number seven: a chicken quesadilla, taco and large drink. Add in some nachos for a side dish, and I’ve got my favorite meal in fast food form, all for less than $6.
Make all the jokes you want about quality, but I love Taco Bell. It’s not just about price; I love the whole experience. I get a kind of pride in spending fewer than five minutes to pick up food on a study break. I enjoy the loud, argumentative cooks and cashiers at my local Taco Bell – they always fill you in and let you join the argument.
The place isn’t caught up in itself. Managers don’t care if the drive thru guy calls a lady “sweetie,” and for some reason, not even my feminist side can convince me that I’m no okay with a well-placed “honey” on my way past the window.
To be honest, if you didn’t know you had a $2 quesadilla in your hands, you wouldn’t guess. No, there’s nothing fresh about it, but all those herbs and spices an upscale place might use are covered in the extra tangy jalapeno sauce slathered over the bits of chicken. I’ve never had a Taco Bell quesadilla that wasn’t cooked to the perfect crunchy-soft balance, and believe me, I’ve had a lot.
It’s a pajamas at 1 a.m. place, and in this college town, we’ve all been there a time or two well past our bed times.
But I know this isn’t a real quesadilla. Its not overstuffed with real white meat chicken and covered in melted Monterrey jack cheese. It’s not so thick that I have to use a knife and some amount of force to cut it. It isn’t a Mexicali quesadilla.
On the nights that I don’t wind up in my pajamas, hunched over my computer, writing another paper, I might just make it out to Mexicali with a few friends and indulge in some margaritas with my quesadilla.
The place is loud. It’s crowded. It takes awhile to get you food. Which makes it the perfect place to sit around with friends, yell across the table, and share a big bowl of somewhat overpriced but utterly delicious cheese dip.
It’s a bit of a splurge. The same meal (in title) costs just under $12 at Mexicali. And no one there winkingly calls me “honey.”
But it’s a good time, and a good quesadilla, I must admit. Where the Taco Bell meal is half-gone by the time I make the one mile trip back home, the Mexicali monster normally takes a good portion of the evening, and I hardly finish it all.
Days later, I won’t be craving Mexicali again. I won’t be thinking that I should call ahead and place an order so I can pick it up in 30 minutes when I finish that last chapter in my readings. I’ll be throwing on the filp-flops, grabbing the change jar and heading back to see my boisterous friends at the drive thru.
I know it’s not the gourmet example of fine Mexican cooking. I know it’s not even comparable to an Americanized Mexican joint. But it’s the one taste I crave when I want my favorite meal. That spice from a tube, meat from a jar goodness that will kill me in the end, is keeping me going now.
2 comments:
Stephanie,
Naturally, your entry speaks straight to my fast-food, pre-packaged, straight-from-the-freezer soul. Given a choice between Taco Bell and a sit-down Mexican restaurant, I’m always going to pick the king of cheap, Americanized Mexican cuisine—given that I don’t have some date lined up to pay for me. Also, I completely agree with your thoughts about the chicken quesadilla and the lovely ability to stroll in with pajama attire.
I wonder what your thoughts are about some of their newer or limited menu additions. Did you ever try their $.89 Black Jack Taco? Personally, I hate half of the stuff in it so I never ordered it. What about the new Double Steak Grande Quesadilla, or anything from their Volcano menu?
I’m also wondering what particular Taco Bell in Athens you are describing.
Random aside: I still laugh at the sayings on their sauce wrappers.
Jessica Burghaus
Stephanie,
I applaud your honesty and bravery standing up for Taco bell like that. I am the ultimate Mexican food lover. All my friends agree that if I could, I would eat any sort of Mexican food morning, noon, and night. I don't consider myself a Mexican food snob by any means, but I would venture to say that I've tried every restaurant I know of in about a 10 mile radius of my house.
I do value a place where you can just be yourself and where you can simply get the job "done" so to say (eat quickly and cheaply). Still (I will play a snobby food critic now) is there any culinary value in Taco Bell? Is it even worth reviewing? After reading your colorful critique of the fast food joint, I still wasn't sure. I would have liked for additional menu items had been discussed. Maybe then I would have been more satisfied.
You touch on an interesting phenomenon, which is the vast amounts of people who choose cheaper, faster food versus higher quality or even cooking at home. I only wish your comparison had been to a restaurant of better quality and taste than Mexicali.
Despite the "dog food" rumors, I have to agree, Taco Bell has a basic, yummy taco. But I would personally still prefer to pay the $6.57 (not including tax) for three of the tastiest tacos in Athens from Taqueria del Sol. To solve the late night dilemma, since Taqueria closes at 9:00 pm, we order extra and save leftovers for late night.
Granted, Taqueria has no chicken quesadilla (I would suggest the chicken enchilada in its place).
You do a great job of describing the service and ambiance at Taco Bell. I’ll gladly accept a “honey” from anyone, anywhere with a smile. At Taqueria, the experience is very similar to being at the Soup Nazi’s—don’t count on any “honeys” or “sweeties” to come your way.
As for the Tastes Blog-
I really enjoyed your previous, simpler design with the white background and sweet little cakes. That Hamburger on the first page is a little unappetizing to me. Does Caroline agree?
Leila Mattimore
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