I was in fifth grade when I had my first Choco Taco. My family went out to eat at one of my all-time favorite restaurants, Arthur’s Pizza and Mexican Foods (pizza and tacos in the same place? Amazing, I know). I had bugged my mom enough to let me get a dessert, and the Choco Taco was my choice.
This iconic treat stood out in my memory, even though that one Choco Taco was the only one I had ever consumed. What makes the Choco Taco so memorable, and why is it considered one of the best ice cream “cones” around?
Its Origin
The man behind the Choco Taco is Alan Drazer. In 1983, Drazer noticed that the ice cream company he worked for, Jack & Jill, didn’t have very unique products, so he pitched the Choco Taco product concept. The story that Drazer’s Choco Taco came to him as a heat-induced mirage in the Mexican desert is false. Mexican food happened to be trendy in the US at the time, and the idea came to him on a whim.
The Choco Taco was first sold solely wholesale, only distributed by ice cream trucks until 1996. Eventually, the company was bought by Unilever, and the branding switched from Jack & Jill to Klondike. You can now find Choco Tacos at some grocery stores, gas stations, and even some locally-owned Mexican eateries (use this store locator as your Tinder for tacos).
The original Choco Taco is quite simple: a taco-shaped waffle cone filled with vanilla ice cream with chocolate rivulets mixed in, topped with hardened chocolate sauce and peanuts. It’s an innovation comparable to a traditional ice cream cone. You’re able to get nuts, chocolate, cone, and ice cream in almost every bite. Plus, they’re actually kosher, so that’s a plus!
The Flavors
Klondike makes Choco Tacos, and there are several flavors of the infamous Klondike Bar, so why aren’t there multiple flavors of Choco Tacos? Well, several Choco Taco varieties used to exist, but Unilever only produces the Original.
I personally would love to see other flavors, like the previously available peanut butter, perhaps? Or Klondike could take a nod from the Dutch and fill the waffle cone with caramel à la stroopwafel (if any Unilever executives are reading this, hit me up. I’ve got a PowerPoint).
But how can I pass judgement on the Choco Taco without having eaten one since my childhood?
Taco Numero Dos
I enjoyed my second Choco Taco in the comfort of my parents’ house—and under the eyes of my siblings—and I thought it was very delicious. I now appreciate the chocolate-lined taco cone because it provided a barrier between my sensitive teeth and the ice cream.
I bought my Choco Taco from a local restaurant, and the ice cream that’s sold directly to businesses must be different than the Originals that are sold in retail. The ice cream filling was just vanilla, no chocolate swirls in sight.
The history behind the Choco Taco is very interesting, and the treat itself is delicious. Go out and get one or make your own. It’s the perfect nostalgia-inducing dessert to top off Taco Tuesday.