Taco Bell's fare baffles Mexicans

Seattle Times ^ | 10/10/07 | MARK STEVENSON

[AngelesCrestHighway]

It sounds like a fast-food grudge match: Taco Bell is taking on the homeland of its namesake by reopening for the first time in 15 years in Mexico. Defenders of Mexican culture see the chain's re-entry as a crowning insult to a society already overrun by U.S. chains from Starbucks and Subway to KFC. "It's like bringing ice to the Arctic," complained pop-culture historian Carlos Monsiváis. The company's branding strategy — "Taco Bell is something else" — is an attempt to distance itself from any comparison to Mexico's beloved taquerias, which sell traditional corn tortillas stuffed with an endless variety of fillings, from spicy beef to corn fungus and cow eyes. Taco Bell, a unit of Louisville, Ky.,-based Yum Brands, made its name promoting its menu to Americans as something straight out of Mexico. But it's a very different dynamic south of the border. Here, the company projects a more "American" fast-food image by adding French fries — some topped with cheese, cream, ground meat and tomatoes — to the menu at its first store, which opened in late September in the northern city of Monterrey.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

"Defenders of Mexican culture see the chain's re-entry as a crowning insult to a society already overrun by U.S."......Is this a joke?...and defenders of American culture see illegal Mexicans as a crowning insult to a society overrun by Mexico.

[subterfuge]

‘Serves’ Mexico right...take that!

[Sue Perkick]

Define irony

[Clemenza]

I remember the Taco Bell in the Zona Rosa in Mexico City. It was always empty, as the tacos cost four times more than those sold on the street.

My favorite sign in Mexico was at a bar in Monterrey: "Hora de Happy Hour."

[tennteacher]

Is this a test of whether we’re paying attention?

That tears it. No more “authentic” Mexican restaurants for me. My bucks go to Taco Bell.

[Dumpster Baby]

“Yeah, I’ll have two corn fungus and three cow eye tacos.....”

[Red Badger]

Run for the border!..................

[MrB]

I’ve always hated “authentic” Mexican food - the lard that they put in everything is simply putrid.

[wideawake]

It was always empty, as the tacos cost four times more than those sold on the street.

Aha - but tortilla prices have been rising dramatically!

[Hydroshock]

Way back when I was in college I dated a girl who worked at what her and the manager called “Toxic Hell.”

[Just another Joe]

Taco Bell does not serve "Mexican" food.
At the best it serves Tex-Mex food.
At the worst it serves really bad attempts at food.

I have never seen a "Mexican" crunchy taco.
Every "Mexican" taco I have ever seen is soft shell.

My aunt is a full blooded Mexican and her food is NOTHING like Taco Smell.

[Red Badger]

I was raised on “lard”. It’s not bad. Foods made with lard taste much better than Hydrogenated Trans-Esterfied Vegetable Oils......

[RedQuill]

To my grave I will defend the Enchirito as the crown jewel of Mexican cuisine!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

"stuffed with...corn fungus and cow eyes."

Hard to believe this hasn't caught on in America! :) Actually, corn fungus is called "smut" and is quite the delicacy. It's like a big, blob of a mushroom that grows on ears of corn.

[gridlock]

Anybody who thinks that Taco Bell bears any resemblance to Mexican food probably thinks the Chihuahua is really talking.

[Red Badger]

I refuse to eat at Taco Bell. They were deemed the most dangerous fast food by some research group a couple years back because of their unsanitary practices. I can attest to that fact, as I have gotten violently ill from Taco Bell crap.........

[ArrogantBustard]

I don't much care for lard ... I also don't much care for "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil".

Butter Rules!!!!

[Crimson Elephant]

Isn’t this sort of like the Russians starting a Russian burger chain and trying to compete with Hardee’s and In N Out Burger?

Then again, McDonald’s burgers suck...so who knows?

[freekitty]

Hey, Mexico, you want to be America.....Deal with it.

[martin_fierro]

Caption away!