Before I interviewed the queen of country music, I did a deep dive into her old interviews and discovered one from 2016 in which Parton revealed she loved going to Taco Bell for date nights with her late husband, Carl Dean.
I brought up the chain when Parton and I sat down together on Zoom, and she was happy to share her usual order.
Dolly Parton loves Taco Bell's classic menu items.
Dolly Parton's Taco Bell order.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
Parton is partial to Taco Bell's soft-shell tacos.
"I like the others, but they fall apart so bad, especially if you're riding around," she said during our interview. "So I always get a Taco Supreme, with the sour cream and all that, in the soft shell. I love that."
"I was just one of many, many people that had missed them," Parton told me at the time. "I'd just make them bigger so I could have more of it!"
And when it comes to sauce, Parton always goes with mild.
"I don't like to get it too hot and ruin everything," she added.
So I went to my local Taco Bell and ordered the Dolly special: a $5.79 Mexican Pizza, a $2.99 Soft Taco Supreme, and a $1.89 side of rice and beans.
First up was the Mexican Pizza.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
I had never ordered the Mexican Pizza before it was removed from Taco Bell's menu, so this was my first time giving it a try.
The iconic dish features ground beef and refried beans sandwiched between two tortilla shells that have been topped with cheese, tomatoes, and pizza sauce.
After my first bite, I realized why the Mexican Pizza had so much hype.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
The Mexican Pizza has a great combination of texture and flavors. I loved the crispy tortilla base, which added crunch to every bite, and thought the beef was nicely seasoned and tasted delicious.
I also enjoyed the fresh tomatoes on top and was a huge fan of the pizza sauce. I only wish the beef and beans had been more evenly distributed. While the slices I ate had plenty of beef, my parents — who were also trying Mexican Pizza for the first time — said they could only taste the beans.
Next was the Soft Taco Supreme.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
The Soft Taco Supreme includes seasoned beef, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, and sour cream.
I usually don't go for tacos at Taco Bell unless they're on the chain's delicious Cantina Chicken menu. But, as always, Parton didn't lead me astray.
The Soft Taco Supreme was one of the better tacos I've had at Taco Bell.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
The Cantina chicken taco is still superior, but I was surprised by the Soft Taco Supreme. The lettuce and tomatoes were crisp and fresh, the beef had great flavor, and there was a good distribution of ingredients.
The Soft Taco Supreme is solid and reliable, so I'm not surprised that Parton is a fan. And adding some of her favorite mild hot sauce made each bite extra delicious.
Last but not least was the side of rice and beans.
Anneta Konstantinides/Business Insider
I've had plenty of rice and beans in Taco Bell's burritos, but never as a separate side. Both still had great flavor without the extra ingredients.
The black beans were nicely cooked — not too hard, not too mushy — and the seasoned rice was delicious as always. My dad was especially surprised by how much he loved this side, and he kept going back for more forkfuls.
The Mexican Pizza was my favorite part of Dolly Parton's Taco Bell order.
Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza.
Taco Bell
The Mexican Pizza is a fun and playful dish with plenty of delicious flavors. It's perfect for an easy lunch or late-night snack, and I now understand why it has so many loyal fans.
All of Parton's Taco Bell favorites are solid choices, but I can't say I'm too surprised. After making a number of her recipes, it's clear Dolly knows a thing or two about great food.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.