Fast Food Critic - Reviews, News and Nutrition Information about Fast Food.

My love for double decker tacos is undying, and they will always have a place in my fast food rotation. But I have found a new love at Taco Bell, the Steak and Chicken Grilled Taquitos. With only half the number of main ingredients, 3 compared to 6, and a fraction of the DD Taco’s size, they’re a simpler item, but no less satisfying.

Wikipedia says — A taquito (from the Spanish diminutive of taco) is a Mexican dish consisting of a small rolled-up tortilla and filling, usually beef or chicken.

In the case of the Taco Bell, it’s a smaller version of the familiar TB flour tortilla stuffed with either Carne Asada Steak or Chicken, and cheddar cheese. Once the tortilla is loaded with meat and cheese, it’s rolled-up and then grilled on two sides. The end result is a warm tortilla with a wonderful combination of textures. It’s soft and slightly chewy overall, yet it has a crispy thin shell covering part of it. The taquitos are small, but you get two per order. Each one is roughly the size of a candy bar.

Meat, Cheese and Tortilla. No refried beans, rice, veggies or sauce here. Sometimes the less-is-more formula works, sometimes it doesn’t. This time it DOES.

The cheddar cheese appears to be the same used in the Fiesta Beef Burrito, which is fairly tasty, and was the highlight of that item. With the Taquitos, that cheese has better quality companions with the steak and chicken. The ground beef is not an option, nor should it be. These solid chunks of meat are definitely an upgrade, and have a much greater impact on the taste and texture. There were moments, briefly, where they tasted like fajitas I make at home. If they had grilled onions, it would be very close. Both the steak and chicken are well seasoned, on the mild side, just the right balance of spices to still allow the natural flavors to come thru. They are pleasantly and surprisingly un-processed in appearance and taste. I’ve unrolled one of each type and took photos to show the filling. There won’t be any jokes about fake fast-food meat or formed shapes of mashed parts here. These are solid chunks of real meat, and they are tender and moist.

The steak tastes beefy, the chicken is slightly spicy with a mild kick, and the cheese is above average for the fast food variety, with a good cheddar flavor, and thick natural consistency. But what I think plays just as big of role as the tasty ingredients, is the size and proportions. Each bite has a near perfect balance of warm tortilla, melted cheese and seasoned meat. They are small, but they pack a hearty punch.

The Steak and Chicken Grilled Taquitos from Taco Bell are great. They taste like miniature fajitas. If you haven’t tried these yet, I recommend you do. They won’t make you forget your favorite “real” Mexican place, but they are better than average fast food variety. I find them to be significantly more enjoyable than the fiesta beef burrito.

Price: $1.89 — Website: TacoBell.com

Fast Food Critic Score: A-

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Nutrition Facts - Taco Bell, Steak Grilled Taquitos, serving of 2.

Calories - 310
Calories from Fat - 100
Total Fat - 11 grams
Carbs - 36 grams
Saturated Fat - 5 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 35 milligrams
Sodium - 870 milligrams

Nutrition Facts - Taco Bell, Chicken Grilled Taquitos, serving of 2.

Calories - 310
Calories from Fat - 90
Total Fat - 11 grams
Carbs - 37 grams
Saturated Fat - 4.5 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 40 milligrams
Sodium - 980 milligrams