Taco bell has been killing it lately with their new Nacho Fries and are not done trying new and exciting things!
This May, forget making a run for the border for your Taco Bell fix, you will only need to run as far as your local grocery store’s chip aisle.
Taco Bell is going to branch out into the chip aisle with 3 new flavors of tortilla chips. Two of the new flavors will be based on the sauces “Fire” and “Mild” currently available at ‘the bell’ and the third will be a classic tortilla flavor.
The Mild chips are infused with flavors from three types of chili peppers and cumin, while Fire will bring the heat with hints of jalapeño, chili peppers and paprika. For those who prefer their tortilla chips without any extras, Taco Bell is also releasing a “Classic” chip that will simply be tossed in salt, like a traditional, restaurant-style tortilla chip.
This is not Taco Bell’s first entry into the chip aisle. Once upon a time, fellow PepsiCo product Doritos had a licensed Taco Supreme Taco Bell flavored chip.
It will be interesting to see if the Taco Bell chips cut into fellow PepsiCo product Doritos market share.
Taco Bell also has a partnership with Kraft Foods that keeps their brand name in the ethnic food aisle with branded beans, taco shells and sauces.
Taco Bell has been killing it lately with their new Nacho Fries
The fast food chain Sonic is known for many things. It’s vintage way of ordering from your car, servers of roller skates and the two goofy guys on their TV commercials.
When I think of Sonic, the first thing that comes to mind for me is their wide variety of Slushie flavors! This June, the fast food chain will be adding a new flavor to their inventory: Pickle Juice!
I wonder what the secret of the ooze is?
While this flavor probably won’t be making Geeky Daddy Top 5 list of Slushie choices (or top Ten for that matter), pickle flavor is popular and will surely find a (novelty) market.
For years now I have thought that McDonald’s has had the market cornered on fast food fries. Their taste, crunchiness and saltiness could often be imitated but never duplicated.
Yum!
But today I swung by my local Taco Bell (because what better post workout meal is there than greasy tacos and nacho cheese?) and picked up an order of their new Nacho Fries.
I did not splurge on the Supreme Nacho Fries, but rather the $5 Nacho Fries box, which included an order of Nacho fries, Cheesy Gordita Crunch (my favorite), Doritos shell taco and 21 oz soft drink.
My order looked slightly different than the marketing photography. Can you guess which is which?
After trying the fried potatoes that were lightly dashed with Mexican seasoning, my honest reaction was…eh.
They were not bad but not especially satisfying either. A couple were crispy but for the most part the sogginess of them was closer to the consistency of cooked spaghetti than crispy french fry.
While I would probably still rate them above whatever it is that Burger King passes off as french fries, I don’t think McDonalds needs to worry about losing much of their potato market share.
I still hold that if the Golden Arches ever decides to bring the Japanese Chocolate covered fries to the states, they will inherent 100% of my fast food business!
YESSSS!
End result: While I will still make frequent runs for the border to obtain my Cheesy Gordita Crunches, I will probably pass on the Nacho Fries.
Have you tried Taco Bell’s Nacho Fries yet? What did you think of them?
Create your own Cheesy Gordita Crunch with a bottle of their Spicy Ranch sauce available on Amazon.com
We have all been there. The craving hits you for a Taco Bell lunch but you also have a desire for a side of fries from our friends at the golden arches. What to do?
Both of course!
I am not ashamed to admit that I have been known to make a ‘run for the border’ for a Cheesy Gordita Crunch and then shoot to the McDonalds across the street to pick up a large side of crispy golden brown french fries for the same meal.
Actually, I probably should be ashamed to admit that. But I am also I guy that spent his college years utilizing Tortino Pizza Rolls as toppings on my Hungry Howies Pizzas…
We won’t talk abut the “Pit Bill” stickers…
If you think that sounds nasty, that simply means you haven’t tried it yet.
But the fast food gods have heard our pleas and in their infinite wisdom have blessed us with a new limited time offering: Taco Bell Fries!
You heard that right! On Wednesday the chain announced that U.S. customers will soon be able to order Nacho Fries for just $1. According to Taco Bell, the fries will have “a bold Mexican seasoning” and be served with a “warm Nacho Cheese dipping sauce.” You had me at “Fries.”
Customers can also order “Supreme” fries for $2.49, which come with toppings like beef and Pico de Gallo, or “Bell Grande” fries for $3.49.
Taco Bell’s fries will be available for a limited time beginning January 25.
While fries will be new to it’s U.S. customers, Taco Bell has long served fries at international stores in countries like the United Kingdom, Korea, and Japan. The chain, owned by Yum Brands, also tested fries last spring in select California and West Virginia locations.
Southern California also recently saw the opening of it’s first liquor licensed Taco Bell! But no location will ever top the Las Vegas Strip Taco Bell where you can tie the knot while chowing down on your Taco Bell catered reception! (Just the classy wedding reception your new in-laws were hoping for)
You know this marriage is going to last!
See you at the Bell!
Make your Taco Night a Taco Bell Night at home with these sauces available at Amazon.com! Or just steal a ton of packets from your local Bell…
Regardless of whether you loved Star Wars: The Last Jedior despised it, we can all agree on a couple things:
At least we were not subjected to the idiotic Jar Jar Binks or had our intelligence insulted with terms such as “Younglings” & “midichlorians”
The Porgs are pretty darn cute and look tasty!
One of the more entertaining scenes from the latest Star Wars movie was when everybody’s favorite Wookiee, Chewbecca, was roasting himself a Porg dinner over an open fire in full view of the Porg’s extended family.
“Is he roasting Daryl!?!”
Watching the scene made me laugh and wonder if the Disney merchandising machine hadn’t already struck a deal with Buffalo Wild Wings on a cross promotion (I may or may not have stopped for an order of wings on the way home from the theater).
But how would Porg taste? Like chicken? Duck? Is Porg “the other white meat”?
And what would be the best way to prepare a Porg dinner?
Here are Geeky Daddy’s Top 5 Recipes For Porg
1. Deep Fried Porg
Turkey Fryers for the easiest prep!
Inserting the words “Deep Fried” in front of anything is pretty much guaranteed to make it taste better.
“Hey Dave, want to try a taste of this shoe leather?”
“What? No!”
“Are you sure? I just fried some up.”
“Well I guess I’ll give it a shot. A little taste can’t hurt.”
I’d imagine the prep would be pretty easy too! Snag a Turkey Fryer kit off our friends at Amazon.com and follow this simple recipe, replacing the turkey with our friendly neighborhood porg.
2. Porg Fajitas
Who doesn’t love fajitas? There’s nothing better than the aroma and sizzling sound of a fresh plate of fajitas being served to your table! Especially when enjoyed with a fresh Colt 45 cerveza!
“Hey Finn, say ‘Hi’ to your mom for me.”
Follow this recipe for some flavorful Porg Fajita (substituting the chicken for Porg obviously) and make sure to enjoy it with a beer out of this awesome Han Solo in Carbonite fridge available on ThinkGeek.com.
3. Porg Cordon Bleu
I am not the biggest fan of French cuisine (I mean, how many uses for mayonnaise are there?), but any chance to combine chicken, ham, cheese and frying, I am game to try.
Porg Cordon Bleu (which translates to English as “Porg blue ribbon”) consists of Porg pounded flat and wrapped around ham & cheese, then pan or deep fried. Based on the size of the average Porg, these may end up being appetizers as opposed to a main course.
“What are you doing Dave?”
Think of this as more of the “pizza roll” of the French cuisine Porg options.
2. BBQ Porg Wings
Whether hitting the high end night clubs in the Cloud City of Bespin or a hole in the wall cantina full of scum and villainy on a middle of nowhere planet like Tatooine, there in no better bar food than wings!
Whether you enjoy Buffalo style, Korean BBQ or Habanero Mustard, it doesn’t really matter because you are going to end up spending time in the same scary cantina bathroom later on anyway…
And who knows more about bar food, diner bathrooms and looking like a character out of a Sci-fi movie than Guy Fieri! What he lacks in fashion knowledge he makes up for in food knowledge!
How do you take anything this ICP reject-looking dude says seriously?Available on Amazon.com
1. FRENCH’s Crispy Onion Porg
How awesome are FRENCH’s crispy fried onions? As a simple cooking ingredient, a topping on a cheeseburger or by itself as a snack, so long as you don’t plan on making out with somebody in the next 20 minutes, it is the perfect food!
“Is it getting hot in here or is it just me?”
This simple recipe (taken from FRENCH’s website) has only 4 ingredients, 2 of which are “Porg” and “Porg’s egg”.
Why was Luke fishing with a 50 ft spear when he could be spending his years of self imposed exile munching on the delicacy that is porg meat? It’s not like that scene advanced the plot of the movie or anything…
Honorable Mention:
“Low-Odor Fried Porg Homestyle” From Japan
Apparently commuters traveling home from the busy Shinjuku subway station in Tokyo Japan don’t enjoy the smell of deep fried chicken goodness after a long day’s work.
So the space age engineers at KFC developed an “low-odor” fried chicken that they are selling at a temporary KFC location within the Shinjuku train station.
So how about transitioning this technology into some “low-odor fried Porg”? Not that Luke needs to worry about upsetting any neighbors or anything, but still advancements in technology is a good thing right?
Right? Like technology to remote pilot a starship maybe? Or maybe A.I programs for self-driving cars that could reprogrammed for space cruisers…
“Why didn’t I think of that…”
What do you think? What Porg recipes that I leave off the list that you’d like to try?
Tokyo has some of the most considerate public transit passengers in the world and I have witnessed this first hand when we visited the Land of The Rising Sun a couple years ago.
People simply ride quietly and everybody watching their cellphones (which is pretty much everyone under the age of 90) uses an ear piece to avoid noise pollution.
Well now KFC Japan is doing something about odor pollution on the subway!
Tokyo’s Shinjuku Station will have a temporary KFC location serving their new “Low-Odor Fried Chicken Home Type.”
Passengers will now be able to eat on the train without nauseating the passengers around them! When you get home and nuke your meal in the microwave however, it’s different story.
The fact the KFC is selling this new revolution in fast food solely at this busy train station may be a signal that many Tokyo train passengers don’t actually enjoy the smell of fried chicken on their way home. Who knew. Especially in the nation that developed KFC Fried Chicken-Scented Bath Bombs!
If you really want to get a date with a hungry personFryers Available on Amazon.com!
As I sit here all congested with a head cold, one thought keeps going through my head:
“How awesome would it be to turn the hot tub into a huge vat of chicken soup and just immerse myself in it?”
The minds of the mad scientists of Japan’s fast food industry apparently think the same way I do because they invented this very thing!
“Can somebody pass the herbs and spices?”
KFC Japan partnered with Japanese retailer Village Vanguard to bring the people what they (well, at least some of them) wanted! Enter the drumstick-shaped KFC Chicken-Scented Bath Bomb!
It’s like cologne to attract hungry people.
The limited edition explosive soap bombs were even scented with KFC’s signature “eleven secret herbs and spices.”
This Japan exclusive was extremely limited to just 100 units however. To even be eligible, you needed to follow KFC Japan on Twitter and have retweeted their special promotional post of the bath bomb between Nov. 1 and Nov. 15.
McDonald’s changed the fast food game in the 90’s when they invented the Dollar Menu and they just announced that that we will see a return of the menu this January.
McDonald’s profits and stock price are way up this year and the fast food giant is hoping this new variety menu will keep the profits rolling in.
The new menu is pretty self explanatory:
$1 will buy your choice of a sausage burrito, McChicken sandwich, cheeseburger or any size soft drink.
$2 will get you either a sausage McGriddle, 2 piece buttermilk crispy tenders, bacon McDouble or small McCafe beverage (excluding coffee or iced coffee).
If you are a baller and choose to run with the $3 menu, you have your choice of a sausage McMuffin with egg, classic chicken sandwich, triple cheeseburger or Happy Meal!
Healthy options are kind of light, but, hey, it is fast food.
January 4th is the official launch date for the new Dollar Menu.
Sweet Dixie Kitchen in Long Beach California is known in the area for their ‘southern inspired’ menu, which features items such as sweet potato hash, chicken and waffles and bread pudding.
But, as Yelp user Tyler H. recently discovered, not “everything is made here” as their Facebook page claimed (it has been amended since this story appeared on Munchies.Vice.com).
After ordering his $13 plate of Chicken and Waffles at Sweet Dixie Kitchen, he noticed some employees bringing a bag from Popeyes chicken into the kitchen. Thinking it was probably a meal for the employees, he didn’t think much of it.
Until his order of chicken and waffles arrived at the table and he thought the chicken tasted very familiar. He called the waiter over who confirmed that Sweet Dixie Kitchen does in fact use Popeyes for their poultry source.
Things took an even more bizarre turn when Sweet Dixie Kitchen’s owner Kimberly Sanchez responded to Tyler’s Yelp review with rather convoluted response, including “So whatever to you and your little review like it was some great exposure, and whatever to you dude.”
Poor public relations skills aside, Sanchez does raise an interesting point about her need to or not to reveal where she sources her ingredients from. For example, nobody is going to care which produce distributor they source their sweet potatoes from for their sweet potato hash.
From my extremely limited knowledge of business law (although I did get a 3.2 in Professor Lee’s class 17 years ago), I believe it would be Popeyes’ decision whether they would require other restaurants who use their product as an ingredient to disclose their brand name on the menu or not. Munchies has reached out to Popeyes for comment but has not heard back yet.
And to think people want to cut public school funding…
Obviously the statement that “Everything is made here” was incorrect and misleading since Sweet Dixie Kitchen doesn’t even have a fryer in their kitchen.
My question is, since they have updated their Facebook page to clarify that “most” menu items are made “from scratch,” are they really cheating or lying to their customers but not revealing whom they source their chicken from? (Provided of course that Popeyes has no disclosure requirements)
What do you think? Should the chicken be viewed the same as any other ingredient and not need to have their source revealed on the menu?
Nestle Kit Kat is consistently releasing new unique and creative limited time flavors in Japan, such as Butter, Grilled Potato and Soybean. They have even tried some more gimmicky flavors such as Frozen which was cooled to minus 196 degrees Celsius by use of liquid Nitrogen (I guess that makes the wafer “crisper”).
Anyone else getting hungry?
I remember trying Pineapple, Strawberry, Brandy & Orange (which was awesome!), Green Tea and Yellow Cake flavors on our trip to Tokyo a couple years ago. Some flavors were more memorable than others…
This November, exclusively at Tokyo Station, Nestle Kit Kat released their latest concoction: Tokyo Banana flavor!
Pack of 15 priced at 1296 Yen (Approx $11.60 USD)
The Tokyo Banana is an extremely popular Japanese souvenir sweet. Made from banana puree baked into a sponge cake and then steamed, the soft sweet flavored piece goodness is just heavenly.
So, understandably, the crowds were lined up and ready to pay handsomely for this new Kit Kat golden delight when it was released on November 15th!
The queues started early for the new treat!
The Tokyo Banana Kit Kats are sold in packs of 8 for 702 Yen (approx $6.25 USD) or 15 for 1296 Yen (Approx $11.60 USD).
If any of our readers will be near Tokyo Station in the near future and could pick us up a pack, it would be greatly appreciated!
It will be interesting to see if the Taco Bell chips cut into fellow PepsiCo product Doritos market share.
