As far back as I can remember, I always wanted a chalupa.
The first thing I ever ordered at Taco Bell was a chalupa, way back when they were first introduced to the menu in 1999. I’m pretty sure I was more interested in the commercials with the adorable Chihuahua than the crispy fried tortilla shell back then because I was a 9-year-old. But my love of that texturally divine chalupa shell would soon become one of the biggest reasons Taco Bell became my favorite fast food chain. While the cheesy gordita crunch and crunchwrap supreme have become my go-to items at Taco Bell, the chalupa will always be near and dear to my heart.
So I am intrigued any time Taco Bell introduces a variation of my beloved chalupa. Its latest iteration of the dish, the cheesy street chalupa, piqued my interest even more than usual. Are they street chalupas that are extra cheesy? Are they chalupas from cheesy street? Whatever the case, the new chalupa looked excellent, and I knew I’d be rolling up to Taco Bell as soon as they were released July 18.
Taco Bell has never let me down, and I knew it wasn’t going to start now. The cheesy street chalupa is my favorite new special menu item in as long as I can remember.
Cheesy street chalupas from Taco Bell.Jeremy Schneider | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
The new chalupas were wrapped more ornately than typical Taco Bell menu items, to the point where I was afraid I’d mess them up while unwrapping them. But I got them out without issue and found them in a little paper sleeve.
The first thing that struck me about the cheesy street chalupas was their size. They’re tiny and absolutely adorable. Yes, I just called a chalupa adorable. Deal with it. They are indeed street taco-sized, about half the size of a regular chalupa. Luckily, every order comes with two chalupas. Trust me, you’ll want two. They’re damn delicious.
These chalupa shells are stuffed with melted mozzarella and pepper jack cheese. You can see crispy bits of melty cheese on the shell, and taste them right away as you bite. If you like typical chalupa shells, you’ll absolutely love these. They were hot and cheesy, crispy yet chewy, and so good that I would have eaten them on their own without any filling. But the addition of slow-roasted cantina chicken, jalapeño ranch sauce and fresh onions and cilantro made this thing so good that it felt more like I was eating at a Mexican restaurant than Taco Bell. I mean that with all due respect to the Bell.
I also tried the cheesy street chalupas with marinated steak, which were also tasty. But I prefer the cantina chicken, not only because it’s delicious but because steak is one thing I don’t need from Taco Bell.
A pair of cheesy street chalupas will run you $5.49, and the dish is available for a limited time. If you have any type of appreciation for Taco Bell, get to ringing. Because this might be the best special menu item Taco Bell has ever made.
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Stories by Jeremy Schneider
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Jeremy Schneider may be reached at jschneider@njadvancemedia.com and followed on Twitter at @J_Schneider and on Instagram at @JeremyIsHungryAgain.