The Unvegan

While never my first choice in late-night food, Del Taco is sometimes just too damn convenient to go anywhere else.

Despite the obvious Mexican origins of it’s name, Del Taco eschews the Mexican fast food norm by tossing in a few American favorites, like fries and burgers.

These additions definitely help cater to the late-night crowd like me, but they also take away a bit of Del Taco’s identity. When I go to a Taco Bell, I know I’m getting Mexican food, but when I go to Del Taco, I can’t be sure of what sort of food I’ll be ordering until I get there.

I found that a good combo involves a selection from their value menu. I like to start with their half-pound bean and cheese burrito with green sauce. The cheeseburger, without pickles, makes a good companion. To finish it off, I like a dose of the regular nachos. Sometimes, when I am in the mood for more meat, the spicy chicken burrito makes a nice substitute for the bean and cheese. This combination makes for a pretty decent unvegan meal, but I always finish thinking I could have done better. The burrito is a great value, to be sure, but the nachos seem like they were just taken out of a plastic bag. The cheese on the nachos, as well, feels entirely generic. Meanwhile, the burger is good for a Mexican fast food joint, but doesn’t really hold up if you compare it to the likes of Wendy’s or In-N-Out.

In the end, it’s enough to leave me content, but not enough to make me crave.