BJ's - BBQ Chicken Pizza

After about a week straight of Tacographics gorging on mexican food (Puffy Taco, Chronic Taco, Acapulco, and King Taco), this was like a breath of fresh pizza. 

I got a mini-size with no onions.  I should have also got no tomato because the texture is really meh.  Tacographics doesn't like slimy textures on his food, real talk. The pizza was damn good- having a very sweet sauce and just enough cheese. This deep-dish style 'zza was heavier than what I'm used to.  Whatevs, bro.

Fat rating: 6.5/10

Salt rating: 8/10

Taste rating: 7/10

King Taco - Chicken Taco, Steak Taco, Beans and Chips

After a long menu examination I got two tacos with no salsa, onions, or cilantro, but with a side of monterey jack cheese.  I also got a side of pinto beans, and chips.  Both sides were quantity over quality, basically being (low) supermarket level side dishes.

As for the tacos, the chicken was blended with veggies for a more authentic flavor, but Tacographics is about authentic as counterfeit jeans. If you care about authentic mexican food send me an email at:
 MOTHERFUCKINGTACOGRAPHICS@COULDN'TGIVETWOFUCKS.COM

After quickly disposing of some blended-in peppers and onions, I found the chicken moist and having a decent flavor without being salty.  As for the carne asada taco, the meat had a lime marinade, and was also on the moist side.  Good texture when I added some cheese. I tried the green salsa but didn't like it - very pepper-y and cilantro-y.  Next time I come here I will get a carne asada sope.

Fat rating: 4/10

Salt rating: 5.5/10

Taste rating: 6/10

Acapulco - Carnitas Fajitas

Finally got a pic of chips and salsa from here, even though it's a shitty pic:

From my previous Acapulco reviews, I've mentioned they are probably my favorite chips and salsa combination.  I've had better chips, but this salsa is probably my favorite hence it being my favorite combo.

As for the actual review, I got a promotional item called the Carnitas Fajitas.  I tried a little of them before and so hey, why not get them.  It came with a separate plate of charro beans and guac (which was more lime-y than usual)  The beans were better that the last time I've had them, mainly because there weren't many bits of chopped veggies or bacon fat. 

Finally, onto the entree.  A fajita skillet with a side of rice bottomed with a corn tortilla, a cheese enchilada, and the carnitas with veggies (fajita veggies can die).  The rice is solid, and the cheese enchilada was pretty basic.  Cheese enchiladas in general are meh, too much gooooooey. 

The carnitas were tender, not too juicy but not dry either.  Unlike most carnitas (as I've been told), these were not fried - they were probably slow cooked.  The main flavor was a salt and pepper seasoning (to be expected at a white people mexican place) - overall I enjoyed the shredded meat, adding it to some corn tortillas with some guac was typical Acapulco goodness.  Thumbs up.

Fat rating: 7.5/10

Salt rating: 9/10

Taste rating: 8.5/10

 

Elephant Bar - New York Steak and Coconut Shrimp Combo

Tacographics graduated COLLEGE yesterday.  To celebrate, Tacographics wanted a little more upscale dining experience.  I know what you're thinking: Elephant Bar? Upscale? Just remember, Tacographics couldn't give two fucks.  Tacographics rides solo - a lone wolf forever lost in the abyss we call reality. 

The New York steak was an 11oz. cut, ordered well done.  The steak had a seasoned and classic char-grilled taste.  I could have gotten it medium well for just a little more juice, maybe next time.  What was there had enough flavor where I didn't use A1 (even though A1 is godly).  IT WAS STEAK.

THE STEAK was served with garlic mashed potatoes which were not bad at all, not too strong or too weak on the garlic flavor.  The other side dish was a sauteed vegetable medley in place of the standard sauteed spinach.  The veggies were broccoli (meh, I've had better), carrots (they were carrots), zucchini (sucks), waterchest nut (good) and edamame (everything went better than expected). 

As for the fried coconut shrimp (which were bottomed with wontons) - they rule.  Crispy fried skewers with a great crunchy texture and slight sweetness.  The pineapple orange (I think) dipping sauce was a great pairing, adding moisture and more sweet taste.  Only complaint was the sauce was sorta cold, which was odd.  Overall, a balanced meal which I could only eat about half of because:

  

GODDAAAAMN RATING: 9/10 

Based on how much I ate (ignore the nutrition facts):

Fat rating:  8/10

Salt rating: 7.5/10

Taste rating: 8/10

Clyde Wright's Tennessee BBQ - Pulled Pork Sandwich

Tennesseein' is Tennebelievin' ....  or is it??  I went to an Angels game the other day for the first time in a while.  No, I did not enjoy it.  I did find this sandwich enjoyable, though.  Shredded meat has better texture than chopped meat, which is why I settled for this over the brisket. 

The pork was doused in a tomato-y and vinegar sort of bbq sauce which had a little sweetness to it - pretty good.  The coverage was also adequate.  The bites where there wasn't any sauce detected was where you could taste the pork - salty.  For the steep ballpark price of $9.75, Tacographics doesn't expect to be eating here any time soon.

Fat rating: 5.5/10

Salt rating: 7.5/10

Taste rating: 7/10

Acapulco - Tacos Al Carbon

Acapulco is the pinnacle of white people mexican food.  I've gotten this entree 2 previous times but each time it was at night and the pictures came out horrid.  I finally ate during the day so there was light to take the pic.

I forgot to get a pic of the chips and salsa but they remain my favorite combination - light crispy chips dusted with salt along with a mild and flavorful tomato salsa.

The entree came with two corn tortillas with a chile-lime sort of marinated grilled chicken inside, otherwise known as a taco.  The pic makes it seem that the taco is barren, but when I added my own lettuce, cheese, and salsa they came out awesome. I topped the tacos with some guac and entered into a taco-phoric state.  Acapulco just has awesome ingredients - from the grilled chicken to the beans and rice - this entree in particular caters to my tacographic - it has ALL the flavors and textures together in one meal when eaten with some chips. 

Fat rating: 8/10 (w/ chips)

Salt rating: 9/10

Taste rating: 9.5/10

Green Burrito - Taco Salad

Had a 2 for $5 coupon and for some reason the Carl's Jr. on campus is selling them. 

I don't have much to say about this salad, it was incredibly average and skimpy.  The lettuce was almost all stems, beans and meat were ok, and pico de gallo was onion-y.

Inadequate ingredients to tostada shell ratio.

Fat rating: 6.5/10

Salt rating: 6.5/10

Taste rating: 5/10

Farmer Boys - BBQ Ranch Chicken Sandwich

I would go to Farmer Boy’s a lot more if Del Taco didn’t exist.  It’s been a place I’ve gone to once or twice a year since since 7^th grade on the way home from school.  They didn’t have this sandwich until re-doing their menu a few years ago, and damn – it owns your face.

A grilled chicken breast with all the ingredients I like in a sandwich – bbq sauce, swiss (or provolone, can anyone tell the difference?), and bacon.  It also has lettuce, tomato, and ranch which I’ve gotten without before, but got this time.  It was also suppose to have onion straws but the cook who looks like Saddam Hussein didn’t put any on:

What I liked about the sandwich, as you can see, is the excellent amount of bbq sauce.  It was a sweet and salty sauce, nothing impressive but it fit the sandwich.  There was also a similar amount of ranch which created a great blend of flavors (in between the wheat bun).  This was a well crafted sandwich from top to bottom with textures galore even without the crispy onions.  

Fat rating: 7.5/10

Salt rating: 8/10

Taste rating: 8.5/10

Dolphin Bay Cafe - Popcorn Chicken

Back the fuck up, Tacographics is getting ethnic on all your asses.  First Indian and now Taiwanese.  I was
dragged against my will whilst throwing several temper tantrums  brought here by my new friend who wanted to go for dinner after lunch at Rubio's.

When I first looked in the box, I thought "this is a lot of food".  The standard sticky rice was topped with some minced pork (which was salty but not bad, minced anything has better texture) and the fried chicken bites.  There was also a little of this nasty sour stuff on the side and basil.

 I am not a chef, but a spice on the dark meat chicken seemed to be paprika?  The main flavor was that with a thin peppery taste.  It's near impossible to screw up fried chicken and this was good, albeit greasy and msg-y.

The sides were green beans? with carrots, and sweet and sour pork?  The question marks indicate that Tacographics is confused and out of his comfort zone.  Anyway, I didn't mind the green beans and like carrots - they were cooked well and salted. The sweet and sour pork I didn't really like - I'm not a fan of sweet side dishes in general. 

Overall, this was very filling like Curry Up.  I got two meals out of it.

Fat rating: 8/10

Salt rating: 8.5/10

Taste rating: 6.5/10

Rubio's - Chicken Tortilla Soup

Compared to Baja Fresh's soup, Rubio's has a less tomato-y broth - in favor of a more chicken soupish broth.  The ingredients are also more rounded than that of their rival.  It was pretty chunky - filled with rice, cheese, salsa (Rubio's needs to have this salsa available in their salsa bar), avocado, grilled chicken, and chips.  There was also a lime.  In a SOUP SHOWDOWN, this would have beat Baja Fresh easily just for the fact that there are no noticeable onions. 

Fat rating: 3/10

Salt rating: 9/10

Taste rating: 8/10

Curry Up - Chicken Curry/Chicken Tikka Masala Chicken Bowl and Garlic Naan

Tacographics goes where no review has dared to enter - to the land of a casual Indian fast food restaurant. I was here a couple years ago and and my first bite flashed me back since it's the only curry I've eaten. 

The guy nickel and dimed me by charging for two different meats even though it's the same amount regardless if I got 5 meats.  Then afterward when he saw me and my friend taking pictures he started pouring on the good customer service like a true two-face (because he knew we were doing reviews).

The food was decent.  I can't tell if I like the curry (brown) or the tikka masala more (pinkish).  I really don't know how to describe the taste aside from msg, herbs and spices with heaps of sauce.  The curry seemed to be made with a better cut chicken and had a better texture. 

Bottomed with yellow rice (which was salty), this was a really filling entree.

Fat rating: 4/10

Salt rating: 8.5/10

Taste rating: 6.5/10

Onto the naan.  For the record I LOVE NAAN IT COMPLETELY DESTROYS BREAD I ALWAYS USE IT FOR SANDWICHES. I got a side of the garlic kind. It was fresh, warm, and gooey but I really couldn't taste any garlic. 

Fat rating 4/10

Salt rating: 5/10

Taste rating 5/10

Carl's Jr. - Six Dollar Western Cheese Burger and Criss Cut Fries

Hadn't had a Six Dollar Burger here in years, I got one with basically my favorite burger ingredients - meat, bacon, bbq sauce, and crispy onions (they were technically onion rings yeah same concept).  The only thing missing was cheddar because Carl's Jr. only has american cheese.  My synopsis of american cheese.

The burger was decent, definitely near the quality of some restaurant burgers but not quite.  It wasn't greasy but c'mon - the ingredients are still ALL either fatty or salty.  At about 1000 calories, this may be the single most calorically dense single item Tacographics has eaten.  The bacon flavor with a hint of bbq sauce (could've used a little more) and crunch from the onion rings made the burger patty a secondary flavor source and more for texture.

The criss-cut fries I've also hadn't had in a long time, and damn, they're ridiculous - basically a KFC potato wedge in a crunchier form.  With ketchup it was unfair, these were borderline awesome.  Overall, I couldn't eat all of them because the order was HUGE.  I'd definitely need someone to share them with if I ever decide to get them again. 

As a whole, this meal made me feel horrible the rest of the day - headache, dry-mouth, etc.  The sheer amount of fat and salt has set a new standard of fat-assery.  I try not to eat a whole day's worth of calories in one meal because I usually feel like I'm dying for hours. 

Fat rating: I need a cardiologist/10

Salt rating: 9.5/10

Taste rating: 8/10 (burger - 7/10, fries 9/10)