My verdict on the Taco Bell Naked Chicken Chalupa: It’s a winner

[Ubiquitous]

By Michael Bauer

My colleagues at the Gate thought it would be fun for me to climb
off the pedestal of high-end dining to review Taco Bell’s Naked
Chicken Chalupa, introduced nationwide today.

What they didn’t know is that my pedestal isn’t all that high. I’ve
mentioned previously that I loved Popeye’s fried chicken, and I also
have an occasional hankering for Taco Bell tacos. Say what you will
but you can’t beat the crunch of the shell, the coolness of the
lettuce and the warmth and spice of the meat.

So I was actually looking forward to January 26 and showed up early
at the Taco Bell Cantina at 3rd and Townsend to try this seemingly
over-the-top invention, where a patty of marinated, hormone free
(according to the company) white meat is breaded, shaped into a taco
and fried. It’s then filled with avocado ranch dressing, iceberg
lettuce, tomatoes and cheese. The company says it’s $2.99, but at
the Cantina it was $3.59 (hey, it’s San Francisco) and rang in at
440 calories.

It was clear the staff was still in the learning mode when I stepped
to the counter. Three people were gathered around as one layered on
the ingredients for the customer before me. After all, it was the
first day.

taco-bell-chalupa-close-upOn my first bite I tasted oil and wished
the spicy coating had been a little crisper; on the second bite I
didn’t care, and by the time I had polished it off I loved it. The
tomatoes could have been a little riper, but when mixed with the hot
shell, the crisp lettuce and the creamy dressing, it didn’t matter.
I ordered a second one, just to be sure. Yep. I still loved it.

As I walked the mile back to the office, the buzz of the spices
stayed with me almost the entire way. I’m glad the developers didn’t
tone down the heat or sweeten up the ingredients to meet the lowest
common denominator palate.

Hey, what’s good is good. No need to apologize.

If this chalupa had been served with a Manhattan at Comstock Saloon
or an Anchor Steam beer at the nearby ballpark—even with a $10 or
$12 price tag— it would be a sell out.



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