Long Island restaurants serving 'gourmet' crunch wraps

Taco Bell invented a new category of Mexican food when it unleashed the Crunchwrap Supreme in 2005. In a feat of engineering, the fast food chain took everything we love about the crunchy beef taco and turned it into a hexagon-shaped quesadilla, fused together on a panini press. The shape is both iconic and easy to eat, not falling apart as you scarf it down with one hand on the wheel. 

The Crunchwrap's inventor, Lois Carson, reportedly spent years perfecting the technique — which paid off, as the Crunchwrap Supreme is one of Taco Bell's most popular menu items. Of course it's not been without its detractors, the Mexican pizza die-hards and New Yorker Frank Siragusa, who recently sued Taco Bell for exaggerating the amount of beef given. The essential problem of the Taco Bell Crunchwrap: no matter how innovative the design, it's still filled with subpar ingredients.

Independent restaurants have recently gotten in the game with their own riff on the wraps. Not bound by the constraints of mass production, the fast-casual outfits can take the idea and run with it, filling their creations with as much ground beef, skirt steak or macaroni and cheese as they'd like. Trendier than ever before, here are three local crunch wraps worth seeking out. 

Bongo Burrito, Seaford

3925 Merrick Rd., Seaford

Decked out to look like a jungle, the newish Bongo Burrito takes a Rainforest Cafe approach where anything goes. An ode to the famous steakhouse, its Luger Taco consists of steak, mashed potatoes and onion rings on a Central American-style corn tortilla. But you're here for the Bongo ($16) which is twice the size of its Taco Bell namesake and also has guacamole, pico de gallo and crema on the side. This version is faithful to the original, including all of the same ingredients, just more of them. Little pockets of nacho cheese convene around the sides next to the big heap of seasoned ground beef. There is even a fried tortilla in the middle, offering the crunch, although you hardly notice it. This Bongo is everything we wanted the Taco Bell version to be, but better. More info: 516-804-5456, bongoburrito.com

Soul Brew, Huntington 

387 New York Ave., Huntington

A breakfast crunch wrap and a mighty one at that, the Cali Crunch ($15.95) was the original inspiration for this story.  Each crispy bite contains all the elements you need to start your day: scrambled eggs, bacon and hash browns mingle with fat slabs of ripe avocado, pressed into a tortilla with a healthy golden sear on it. Admittedly, this Cali Crunch is shaped more like a quesadilla, not presented in the iconic hexagonal form but cut into slices that are stacked on top of each other. But this works for a coffee shop, where you want to sit and hang out as you peruse your laptop. Also, the fresh tomato salsa paired on the side is great. (Other locations in St. James and Bellmore). More info: 631-470-4697, soulbrew.coffee

Curbside Mexican Grill, South Hempstead

1131 Long Beach Rd., South Hempstead

This fast-casual Mexican spot is the self-proclaimed "home of the gourmet crunchwraps," and indeed it has seven varieties on the menu. Half are in a section titled "North of the Curb," which includes wraps filled with fried chicken cutlets, macaroni and cheese and a beer-battered cod wrap named the Filet-O-Crunch. The other selections come from "South of the Curb," which an employee described as "more authentic." This includes a birria version and the most popular item, the Maui Waui ($15.95) with skirt steak, shrimp and a layer of rice and guacamole. But the less traditional Smackwrap actually stole the show here, with its juicy bits of steak pressed into a bed of mac and cheese. No salsa was provided, but that bottle of green habanero Spyce kicked it up. (Other location in Plainview). More info: 516-416-4169, curbsidemexicangrill.com

By Andi Berlin

andi.berlin@newsday.comAndiBerlin

Andi Berlin is from Arizona and does not know where she is going. But when she gets there, she’ll find something beautiful and delicious that the world needs to taste.