Review: May 2006 Archives
Right away one is struck with how fun it is to say "mojito burrito". Walking by Taco Del Mar I saw a window sign advertising the new Mojito Burrito and I was impressed that little Taco Del Mar was inventing such a bold new food. The 'Mojito Burrito (TM)' was announced one month ago today on April 24th when Taco Del Mar unveiled their new multi-million dollar advertising campaign showing people enjoying their newest product offering. If you've ever seen a Taco Del Mar commercial you will agree that the one thing Taco Del Mar should not send press releases out about is these commercials. They are terrible.
But regardless of the terrible television commercials, the Mojito Burrito (TM) caught my attention. A mojito is, according to wikipedia, "traditionally made of five ingredients: mint, rum, powdered sugar, lime juice, and club soda." These are not things I would think would make good burrito fillings (well, maybe mint and lime), but the design of the advertising (part of that multi-million dollar campaign no doubt) was clearly selling this burrito on it's close relationship to the drink favored by Ernest Hemingway.
After entering Taco Del Mar, it was like a mojito-advertising attack squad had just left. Everything was saying MOJITO. When I told them I wanted the "Mojito Burrito (TM)" I was asked what kind of wrap. This sort of threw me as I expected the Mojito Burrito (TM) was a pre-set list of special ingredients. So I picked a wrap (whole wheat), and then I picked the style of beans (black), and the meat (chicken), and basically everything else. The only difference between the mojito burrito and a regular burrito was the sauce they used. Mojito sauce.
I paid for my burrito and looked at the receipt:
Ticket #: 17 Register 1 - 19471617 Wed, May 24 2006 - 12:58:10 PM Cashier: Wand S ------------------ 1 JMB CHK BUR 4.99 1 SML DRINK 1.39 ------------------ Subtotal: 6.38 Tax: 0.00 Total: 6.38 Credit: 6.38 Change: 0.00
No mention of mojito. I didn't see this as a good sign. Sitting down I quietly unwrapped my burrito and took a hesitant bite. It tasted like Taco Del Mar. I took another bite, thinking perhaps the sauce wasn't evenly spread out. I started eating faster, trying to ignore the flavors I was accustomed with and seeking out the hidden and mysterious new flavor of that much-advertised sauce! IT HAD TO BE THERE! Before I knew it I was looking at a pile of crumpled tin foil. My burrito was gone, and I never tasted any mojito.
In my post-burrito funk, sipping on my Coke, I thought to myself, "Am I just not able to detect it? Is it such a subtle flavor that my crude sense of taste dulled from years of speed-eating have left me unable to taste that presumably delicious mojito sauce?" I was wrecked. But I wasn't giving up that easily.
I asked for a side of the mojito sauce, explaining that I thought my burrito masked too much of the flavor. He seemed unsurprised and filled a large dipping container full of the precious green sauce. I took it back to my table and tentatively dipped a chip into it. I lifted it to my mouth, my mouth starting to water, and I paused for a moment. This was it. The entire essence of the Mojito Burrito (TM). The subject of a multi-million dollar advertising campaign. This was like eating money.
The first flavor was a mild green chile salsa vibe, followed by the oily and salty chip. I waited for the mint and lime explosion. I waited for the mint and lime explosion.
I waited for the mint and lime explosion.
I took another swallow of Coke. It wasn't me. My sense of taste was fine. The problem was simply an incredibly under-whelming sauce being promoted as a new food. They lied to me. They lied to all of us. Taco Del Mar Franchising Corporation went so far as to trademark the words Mojito Burrito based on "a proprietary tangy lime-cilantro sauce" which tastes nothing like a mojito.
