Del Taco Crispy Shrimp Tacos Review

Del Taco...serving poor college kids for years.  The Popeye's chicken of the taco world.  The only place I can get a chicken taco, chili-cheese french fries, and a strawberry-stuffed churro in one sitting.

I have largely ignored Del Taco through the years as Taco Bell consumed most of my desire for cheap, crappy food that while giving me toxic diarrhea.  Need a late-night snack? (Or fourth-meal as us bulky brothers like to say)  Head to Taco Bell.  For less than 3 bucks, you can have a literal onslaught of pinto-bean-esque paste, meat-ish material, and enough fire sauce to shine up a bag full of pennies.
Unfortunately, I have been disappointed at Taco Bell recently.  They have cut many of the cheaper items off the menu, and raised the prices on most everything else.  I now grab a "big box" meal (Also called the Lisa Lampanelli) and I'm out over 7 bucks.  No less than 10 years ago, 10 bucks would have bought you the "Taco bell Suicide". (where you order one of everything on the menu)  For 7 bucks, I can get authentic Mexican food at a local restaurant.  Taco Bell, doesn't even give me those cinnamon air crisps anymore that I usually throw away.  Dammit!!  I want the choice to throw those away!  Screw you Taco Bell.

Luckily, I have options.  Taco Time and Del Taco are slowly filling the void of cheap crappy food that give me toxic diarrhea.

On a recent trip to Del Taco, I was able to sample their Crispy Shrimp tacos. (which are only available for a limited time)
Unfortunately, Del Taco gives me sensory overload.  Walk through the doors--you'll see roughly 47 signs for food items on sale, new promotional items, how they're now serving breakfast, and anti-meth campaign posters.  It makes me very nervous and confused even before I see the menu.
The menu.  This is a vast expanse of items spanning multiple food genres and cultures.  8-9 wall plaques with 15 items each.  The guy at the front waits impatiently to take my order, and I'm only half-way through the Del Taco version of War and Peace.  Even Rain Man takes a few minutes to go over this beast.

Luckily, their promotion item (Crunchy Shrimp Tacos) took up an entire wall plate, and I just bailed on piecing together an order, and purchased the taco combo.

I wasn't expecting much, and at first glance, I didn't see much.  These tacos are small.  Really small.  Luckily, there is a treasure trove of crinkle fries on the side. (more on that in a moment)
The Shrimp taco comes in a small corn tortilla.  Inside, are 5-6 small fried shrimp, a cabbage-like mix, pico de gallo, and a white sauce.  They also give you a lime which I first thought might be to wash the shrimp taste out of your mouth.  I was dead wrong.
After putting one packet of del scorcho sauce on the taco, I dug in.  I was very surprised.  It was actually really good.
The shrimp were fairly meaty, and hot.  The cabbage was pretty crunchy, and the white sauce wasn't too mayonnaise-y.  I quickly turned to the second taco in this Mexi-seafood Menage a trois, and dropped it down in 3 bites.  Despite the delicious tacos, I was still fairly hungry....but that's where Del Taco has mastered the combo meal.  Crinkle fries!!
For those of you not familiar with the crinkle fry, think thicker regular french fry, but ribbed for your pleasure.  They are delicious, and Del Taco serves them in mini cardboard "life-raft" containers.  There is enough grease to fry up some eggs after you're done.  Delicious.

Don't get me wrong...Del Taco still has crappy food, and the crispy shrimp tacos are not fantastic.  But they were much better than expected, and I will most likely order them again.
4 crunchy stars!!
Screw you Taco Bell!!