Kate Krader (@kkrader on Twitter) is Food & Wine's restaurant editor. When she tells us where to find our culinary heart's desire, we listen up.
First Bruce Willis reappeared and flashed us back to the ’80s with the latest Die Hard installment, A Good Day to Die Hard. Then Halle Berry showed up at the Oscars in a dress that looked like she got it straight from Joan Collins in her Dynasty heyday. And now New York City’s Museum of Modern Art is debuting its new collection of arcade video games, featuring the most popular one of them all, Pac-Man.
So the ’80s are back. And they’re way back in the world of food and drinks. Here are more clues that show the resurgence of the decade in all its neon pink cocktails and carb-centric glory.
Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos from Taco Bell
What’s one of the most iconic chips from the ’80s? I’ll answer that question: Cool Ranch Doritos. Now Taco Bell (which has had crazy success with its Doritos Nachos Cheese tacos) will start selling its seasoned beef tacos in shells made with Cool Ranch Dorito tacos. The tacos are set to hit counters in early March. Hopefully, the tacos will be served in the original Cool Ranch turquoise bag.
Return of the Power Lunch
Look out for more power lunch situations, like the one at Mad Hatter in Washington, DC. Their Power Lunch isn’t quite the same as the ones that corporate heavyweights clocked hours over in the ’80s. For one thing, it costs $7; for another, they say they’ll have you in and out in 20 minutes. But Mad Hatter is serving ’80s classics like paninis on Mondays, blackened chicken salad on Wednesdays, pasta bar on Thursdays and a fajita bar on Fridays.
Kitschy Cocktail Comeback
Cocktails from the ’80s were all about getting your attention, whether for their flaming color (Cosmopolitan), or their enticing names. Exhibit A: Sex on the Beach shots, which are back at places like New York City’s Mission Chinese Food. In fact, when they got their liquor license, it’s the first drink they started perfecting.
More from Food & Wine:
America’s Best Bars
Best Burgers in the U.S.
Best Pizza Places in the U.S.
Best Fried Chicken in the U.S.
Lent Recipes
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Berry was born Maria Halle Berry, though her name was legally changed to Halle Maria Berry at the age of five. Berry's parents selected her middle name from Halle's Department Store, which was then a local landmark in her birthplace of Cleveland, Ohio.
I never liked Ramen noodles. My husband loves them.
I miss the PLAIN Doritos without the flavor gurk on them. White Mountain wine coolers. Ragu Pasta Meals. Shake-A-Puddin.
Um, the 80's have been back almost longer than the original 80's lasted. Trust me on this one, if you start the clock from when Duran Duran reunited (depending on your definition, this can be anything between 2001 and 2004) the 80's have been back for quite some time. It's finally moving to food is all.
Me too! I ate so much ramen in those days that I can't stand the smell of it now. The restaurant kind is a different matter, but the grocery store stuff you can buy a few for a buck–blech!
Me too! I ate so much ramen that I can't stand the smell now.
Really???? This is beyond stupid.
Walter, you cannot eat ramen noodels on Shomer Shabbos.
I was in college in the 80s – Top Ramen was my 80s power lunch.