I'm changing my tune tonight on Taco Bueno.

I realize my initial blog post regarding their restaurant was a bit over-the-top (hey, you dudes that know me know that I tend to roll that way a bit too often, at least on issues that tend to get me riled up, such as restaurants offering healthy alternatives to regular menu items). But it was heartfelt. Regardless, events tonight lead me to a general impression that Taco Bueno is more or less in the earlier stages of starting to offer some healthier alternatives, and since that process seems to be a work in progress, I didn't see those things on Taco Bueno's current online menu the other night.

So what "events"? First, it occurred to me tonight that while I saw no Fresco menu either at the Taco Bueno restaurants or on their website, I hadn't actually asked a Taco Bueno employee if they had such a menu. So I called my local one tonight in the KC area, and spoke to a very courteous, personable employee who told me that they don't have a Fresco menu per se, but that they will gladly make any menu item to order. My only problem with that is that while I can order a bean burrito without cheese and without chili sauce, I still don't know exactly what fat count I'm getting and it would probably taste fairly awful (it would be only refried beans in a shell).

But the second of the "events" was then to read an e-mail received today from Taco Bueno in response to an e-mail I sent them a few days back regarding their menu. Again it was a very courteous e-mail that explained that they are starting to implement some new low fat options. Included among those are chicken tacos under 10 grams of fat, on which I commend them. But I'm not a big grilled chicken guy (wish I was taste-wise, because it's an extremely healthy food). However, the same information e-mailed to me pointed out that pico de gallo, chunky salsa, and onions are apparently items that could be included in a "made to order" order, like the one referenced by the employee in KC. I'm actually excited about this: I think that if I'm allowed to order (and I take these dudes at face value that I will be) a bean burrito without cheese, without chili sauce, but with pico de gallo and/or salsa plus onions, I will basically be receiving the equivalent of the Taco Bell Fresco Bean Burrito. THAT I can eat! So I'm going to give that a try this week.

Moral of the story: Yours Truly likely would have been better served to look into things a little further before starting to rant and rave. But none of us are without faults, are we? ;)