Chef-inspired Crunchwraps, Cava’s all in on ranch and a visit to Bluestone Lane [Video]

On this week’s podcast, Pat Cobe, senior menu editor of Restaurant Business, and Bret Thorn, senior food & beverage editor of Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality, share highlights from their recent eating and drinking excursions.

Both editors attended a media preview of Taco Bell’s chef-created Crunchwrap Supremes. The chain tapped three emerging chefs to come up with variations of this wildly popular menu item, and the results included Indian and Thai versions as well as a Southwest-style hot chicken. 

It was all part of Taco Bell’s TBX culinary collaboration program, and the attendees got to taste the three Crunchwraps from the TBX truck parked on the street in NYC’s Soho neighborhood. The truck also popped up in two other locales last week so consumers could sample the creations and offer feedback. We think the Southwest chicken has a chance of making it onto the Taco Bell menu but the …