Del Taco with Alan Yang

"Del Taco with Alan Yang" is Episode 28 of *Doughboys*, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "Del Taco with Alan Yang" was released on November 19, 2015.

## Synopsis

A frequent topic of conversation on the podcast, west of the Mississippi Mexican fast food chain Del Taco gets its own episode, with foodie and TV writer Alan Yang (*Master of None*, *Parks and Recreation*). Plus, Alan reveals his Last Meal.

## Nick's intro

Yermo, California: a secluded town near Barstow in the Mojave Desert, it has little to distinguish itself from the countless other scattered enclaves along Interstate 15, the highway that connects Los Angeles to Las Vegas, with one exception.

In 1964, Ed Hackbarth and David Jameson chose Yermo as the site of their Mexican fast-food restaurant, giving it a Spanish name that literally translated to "House Of The Taco." The duo dropped "Casa," and with the help of a kitchen-equipment industry professional named David Naugle, expanded their business across SoCal's Inland Empire and subsequently throughout the Golden State at large. The '80s saw expansion across the western United States and the decision to have locations to be open for 24 hours.

Over the decades, value-conscious consumers have benefited from the race to the bottom between this chain and its much larger rival, Taco Bell, as they attempt to provide Mexican-inspired menu items at the lowest price point possible. Yet this restaurant distinguishes itself from the global #1 by offering American items like burgers and fries, in addition to the tacos, burritos, and quesadillas that form the bulk of their menu.

Now with over fifty years of operation and over 500 locations, this frequent "scorcho"-ing hot topic here on the podcast is finally getting a full episode of its own.

This week on *Doughboys*: Del Taco.

## Fork rating

* Macho Combo Burrito
* Mini Bacon Quesadilla
* Crinkle Cut Fries
* Cinnamon Churro
 Mike Mitchell
* Epic Chipotle Ranch Chicken Burrito
* Mini Bacon Quesadilla
* Chili Cheese Nachos
* Crinkle Cut Fries
* Cinnamon Churro
 Alan Yang
* Beer Battered Fish Taco
* Bacon Double Del Cheeseburger
* Macho Nachos
* Deluxe Chili Cheese Fries

With these scores, Del Taco joins the Golden Plate Club.

(A few years later, Del Taco's Beyond Meat menu was reviewed and did not make the Golden Plate Club; the rest of the menu remains.)

## ~~The Leftovers~~ Last Meal

Mitch did not follow through, and forgot to get food to keep in the refrigerator overnight for The Leftovers segment. So instead, the Doughboys play Last Meal: where Mitch comes up with a reason for the guest to be executed, who in turn gets to describe his choices for his last meal.

In the year 2037, Alan Yang attends a taping of *Saturday Night Live* and dares to laugh. In this dystopian future, *Saturday Night Live* is a serious drama, and one should not laugh at it, and since Lorne Michaels holds the power over life and death, Alan is sentenced to death by falling off a very tall ladder while pretending to decorate a Christmas tree. Before his execution, Alan must choose his last meal.

Alan's choices:

* the #5 burrito, extra crispy, from Cactus Taqueria
* his mother's fried rice
* his mother's pork, potato, breadcrumb dish
* medium fatty Toro sushi from Sushi Sawada in Tokyo

## The Feedbag

You've got greasy, big NYC slices to the gargantuan deep dishes of Chicago and your stupid veggie thin crust pizzas from who-knows-where. I'll also add, if anyone has had Detroit-style square pizza? I love the dough to sauce to cheese ratio. The pizza chains Jets and Little Caesars have a pretty good representation of the Motor City's signature pie.
While we know pizza is a staple of the American diet, I wonder if the listeners come across the same conundrum I occasionally find myself in: the dreaded but often delicious "double dip". What's the double dip? It's the same food for two different meals. Pizza for lunch and dinner, cereal for breakfast and dinner, burritos all meals. I'd also like to hear your opinions on that also.

 Mike Mitchell
* prefers Detroit to Chicago pizza
 Alan Yang

## Related Episodes

* 65. Doughlympics: Mexican Food Division
* 129. Wienerschnitzel (The Leftovers)
* 195. Mouth of the Border: Semi-Final Round 2
* DD. Mouth of the Border: Fat Chance Kitchen Finals
* 215. Del Taco 2
* 281. Steak 'n Shake 5

## Photos (via @doughboyspod)

Macho Combo BurritoCrinkle Cut FriesMini Bacon QuesadillaCinnamon Churro