NACHO CHEESE/CRUNCHY TACO DORITOS LOCOS TACOS

6.15923/10

Since the widespread news that 2013 would see the release of the ultra-meta Nacho Cheese/Crunchy Taco Doritos Locos Tacos Doritos, hot on the heels of Taco Bell's new Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco, I've been awaiting the inevitable Chip Trip review. It's too ridiculous not to review, even if my Dorito enjoyment has been more casual as of late.

Anyway, to clear things up for the uninitiated, Doritos Locos Tacos Doritos are not homogeneous chips that taste like Doritos Locos Tacos, which are "traditional" Taco Bell silicone-beef crunchy tacos with a shell coated in Doritos Nacho Cheese flavoring. They are approximately half regular Nacho Cheese Doritos and half of a new flavor, Crunchy Taco. Apart from the fact that these chips carry the Taco Bell logo, it's the same concept as those pretty decent "Collisions" that were around a few years ago. Those were good, so this is a proven concept, rebranded to capture some demographic out there (probably mine). So it's safe, definitely guaranteed to taste decent, and chuckle-worthy enough to at least reach the cusp of going "viral." I appreciate the concept fully, I'd say.

And they taste really decent. The Crunchy Taco Doritos are probably at least partly covered in dried taco "beef" dust, as well as (Julia surmises) some hints of tomato, maybe a little sour cream, probably some cheese. Unfortunately, without the awesome greasy taco texture to distract you from what is probably something you shouldn't be ingesting, it's a little too thought-provoking for the ultimate lack of something (probably salt). I ended up relishing the Nacho Cheese chips whenever I found one and finding Crunchy Taco bland in comparison. Again, Nacho Cheese is a formidable chip with which to be "Collided," but the Frito-Lay think tank is clearly treading water here.

For the record, the proper implementation of this idea is having a rack of Doritos for sale at the cash register of a Taco Bell. You heard it here first.

BONUS JULIA SCORE: 5.5/10
"[Crunchy Taco Doritos] contaminate the Nacho Cheese in a nice way."