You might be among the people who justifiably believe Tex-Mex does not require the addition of Pop Rocks candy, but it seems the folks over at Taco Bell’s R&D lab do not agree with you. The chain is testing a new Firecracker Burrito that includes “Cayenne Popping Crystals” that look, and sound, a whole lot like spicy candy.
Reddit user Elbore ran across the item, which is being tested near Taco Bell headquarters in the Los Angeles area. Ground beef, rice, nacho cheese, sour cream, and crunchy tortilla strips get wrapped in an orangish tortilla and paired with a large packet of exploding candy:
According to Elbore, there are two types of Firecrackers — Cheesy and Spicy. “Mine was the cheesy type so it had i assume nacho cheese, beef, lots of rice, some red strips, and a packet of these ‘poppers’ which taste sweet and crackle just like pop rocks,” he writes. “I was very confused by the whole thing but it was only $1.49.” Despite the bargain price, he apparently felt the need to justify his purchase, even to the Reddit community, explaining that his state was already disoriented at best: “It was late, the location didnt even say it was open, and the item was on a lawn sign and not on the menu itself so i just ordered it.”
Foodbeast’s food-blogger team, whose headquarters are just a few miles from the location Elbore visited, ran over to the store to conduct their own service journalism. Per the review, the “Popping Crystals” add a “sweet flavor” and “fizzy texture,” and there is one big warning: “Too many of these popping candies at once could make the burrito taste way too sweet, which, as I’ve learned the hard way, is not a pleasant feeling.”
Taco Bell tells Foodbeast that, in all, four Los Angeles stores are testing the item, but only until August 16. If you happen to find yourself at one of these locations, please, be smart: Pop Rocks and Sprite might not kill you, but don’t tempt fate by mixing “Cayenne Popping Crystals” with Mountain Dew Baja Blast.
