What can be said say about the Cheesy Gordita Crunch that hasn't been said many times before? A strange child of the decent, very filling Double-Decker Taco and the Baja Gordita with an extra layer of cheese to provide a little taste and prevent any slipping. The name presents an immediate problem: there is very little crunch, as a decent application of sauce and heat robs the taco shell cushioned in the gordita of any actual crispness. The slight resistance provided by the softening shell, though, helps to cut the mushy feeling of the regular gordita entree and lend a little more substance to the experience. The layer of cheese - again, unlike the regular gordita - is melted by the heat, making it noticeably more appealing than the dry unmelted shavings on the regular dish and bringing out the flavor.
The Cheesy Gordita Crunch relies, otherwise, on the same staples as the simpler version: ground beef, lettuce, a couple of scallion bits, and the special sauce which, whatever its actual recipe, might be a child of sour cream and orange ground beef grease. It's a more enjoyable item than the straight Gordita, and fifty extra cents is a reasonable payoff, but one must question whether the sizeable increase in fat and calories is a concern.
Rating: C (Cheesy-G)
Reviewed by Matthew Abrams