by Bottom Line: The Tostada and Green Chili Burrito from Taco Bell offer a nice blast from the past, though not a lot of heat.
I went to Taco Bell for lunch the other day and took a trip back to the past. The chain has brought back several menu items from prior decades (more on that here), and I ordered two items that were previously favorites of mine: the Tostada (an original menu item from the 1960s) and the Green Chili Burrito (a menu staple starting in the 1970s). Here are the descriptions of each from the website:
Tostada: Crispy tostada shell layered with savory refried beans, tangy red sauce, crispy lettuce, and shredded cheese.
Green Chili Burrito: A burrito loaded with savory refried beans, crunchy onions, shredded cheddar cheese, and green sauce made with green chili, tomatillos, jalapeño peppers, and spices.
The tostada is not the same one that was on the menu as recently as a few years ago (before the COVID crunch), referred to as the Spicy Tostada. The original had red sauce instead of the spicy sauce, and I always preferred it that way (though I was fine with the spicy sauce as a substitute). The one I got did not have tomatoes, though, and I seem to remember those being there on the original version (plus that one black olive placed in the center). What I got was rather skimpy on toppings as well, but still quite tasty.
That red sauce is similar to their mild taco sauce, though warmed up, and it delivers a nice earthiness with just a bit of tang. It is not spicy at all—not even getting to Mild on my scale—so you will need to add sauce from one of their packets to kick it up (might I recommend the Fire or Diablo sauce?). But I have always loved their Tostada and would like to see it return as a regular menu item.
The Green Chili Burrito is another item I remember gobbling down in the past, and I was glad to see that one back. The tortilla that holds it together seemed fresher than usual, which was a nice plus. The beans and cheese deliver the expected Taco Bell “Mexican-inspired” flavor, while the green sauce really kicks things up. It has a nice tang with some sweetness and that good green chili taste. They also put some “crunchy onions” in the burrito, and those are actually noticeable with the occasional pungently sweet pop. This one has a little bit of heat from the green chili, but it does not get above Mild on my scale. A few dabs of that Fire or Diablo sauce kicks it up nicely, though.
Calorie-wise, neither of these items will bust your diet, with the Tostada coming in at 170 calories and the Green Chili Burrito totaling 370 calories. Both of those together are not bad for a drive thru meal, and I found them rather filling. The price was not bad either, with the Tostada selling for $1.99 in my area and the Burrito costing $2.89. So that’s just a little over five bucks with tax, which is relatively affordable for fast food these days.
The other items that are back are the Meximelt (from the 1980s) and the Gordita Supreme (from the 1990s), and the Caramel Apple Empanada (from the 2000s) returns later this month. As is typical with Taco Bell, these are only around for a limited time, so you will want to stop by soon for your own blast from the past.
Nutrition Info:
Tostada
Calories: 170
Fat: 7g (2.5g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 6g
Carbs: 20g
Sodium: 420mg
Green Chile Burrito
Calories: 370
Fat: 10g (4.5g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 13g
Carbs: 55g
Sodium: 1040mg
