FIESTA PLATTERS
Better than expected, but still bad for you
By LINDSEY HINKEL
Clarion Managing
The other night, I had a craving for
Mexican food. Being a poor college
student, I choose the next best thing –
Taco Bell.
I’d seen the commercials for the
fiesta platter. It looked huge, but
strangely delicious. In the past 3 years
or so, I’ve been a little hesitant to
order anything but the nachos Bell
grande, so I decided to take a chance.
I got in the car and headed for the
drive-thru. I placed my order, paid,
and headed home, anticipating taco-y
goodness.
The fiesta platter comes with chips,
salsa, pinto beans, rice and your
choice of entrée. For the entrée, one
can choose ranchero chicken tacos,
steak tacos or a chicken or steak
grilled stuft burrito. I choose the ranchero
chicken tacos.
I got home and opened up the
container filled with food. The salsa
was surprisingly good for a fast food
chain, and the rice, while on the dry
side, was definitely tasty. The beans
were lacking flavor, but luckily came
with some red sauce and cheese on
top to add a little something. Not quite
enough something, though.
After tasting the sides, I went for
the main course. While not the best
chicken I have ever eaten, the tacos
did not contain the worst. Add a little
mild sauce, and that was a decent taco.
I am by no means saying that this
was the best dinner I have ever eaten.
I am saying it is much better than I
expected – and the whole thing was
$4.99. I would take this over most fast
food. Not often though. A visit to Taco
Bell’s website disclosed that my ranchero
chicken taco platter contained
over 1000 calories – and that was the
most waistline-friendly of the entrée
choices.
It’s one of those things you have
to try at least once. And I will most
likely try it again, just not for a little
while. |
