It’s time to live más. This Halloween, Vals is dressing up as Taco Bell and launching a limited-time menu with familiar favorites.
Vals, a New Orleans-born restaurant, opened its original location on Freret Street in 2020 and became known as a fast-casual taco spot. It opened a second location in July inside the former Rock Paper Taco building at 7242 Perkins Road in Baton Rouge.
The Baton Rouge location is now serving a limited menu, called the “Cantina Bell,” available from 4 p.m. Oct. 27 through Oct. 31, features five items ranging from $7 to $16. The business posted a menu look on Instagram on Monday.
Vals Sous Chef Craig Culpepper mastered the “Crunchwrap Supremo” with beef picadillo, queso, salsa Mexicana and shredded lettuce. Culpepper created the wrap just for fun one day, according to executive chef Braden Messinger, who took the dish home, tried it and was wowed.
“It was so ridiculously delicious that I just knew we had to serve them at some point,” Messinger said.
Executive chef Braden Messinger prepares beef barbacoa at Vals in Baton Rouge on Thursday, July 2, 2026. Staff photos by Javier Gallegos
From there, Messinger created the rest of the menu. There’s the “Pizza Mexicana,” served as two crisp flower tortillas, beef picadillo, pinto beans, chipotle puree, jack cheese, salsa Mexicana and crema.
Baja Blasts are the glue of every Taco Bell dining experience. Don’t worry — that made the menu too in the form of a frozen margarita. There are also cheese-dusted fries served with queso blanco, called nacho fries for short. For a sweet treat, try the “Cinnamon Delights,” which are churro bites served with Mexican vanilla condensed milk.
The idea for the limited menu struck Messinger after he saw some restaurants “dress up” as other restaurants, fictional or real, for Halloween.
Vals in Baton Rouge is serving a limited menu, called the “Cantina Bell,” available from 4 p.m. Oct. 27 through Oct. 31, features five items ranging from $7 to $16.
“It was then that it clicked,” Messinger said. “With their legendary menu items and our dedication to quality and freshness, I knew this would be such a fun way for us to celebrate the season with our community.”
