Do you remember when Late Night with Conan O’Brien had bands you’d never heard of? Musical acts like Brother Cane, Juicy Doves, At The Drive-In, Spicy Spicy Spice, The Spinanes, December Showers, Jawbox, Buffalo Tom, Flowerbot, and Pizza Redux.
Over the past three years, Taco Bell has been introducing me to hot sauces I’ve never heard of, like Yellowbird, Secret Aardvark, Disha Hot, and now Zab’s. More specifically, Zab’s St. Augustine Style Sauce, which has a sweet heat and gradual burn from Datil peppers. By the way, the Orange Sweet Datil Peppers would be a decent name for a Red Hot Chili Peppers cover band from Florida, which is where most Datil peppers are grown.
The Taco Bell Zab’s Chicken Ranch Nacho Fries feature Nacho Fries topped with slow-roasted chicken, warm Nacho Cheese sauce, a three-cheese blend, pico de gallo, and Zab’s Datil Pepper Ranch sauce, which is a combo of Zab’s St. Augustine Style Sauce and Taco Bell’s Spicy Ranch.
With that combination of a hot sauce and a spicy ranch, I expected at least a little kick from the Nacho Fries, but as I ate them, I kept thinking, “Where’s the heat?” The Zab’s sauce is supposed to provide a gradual heat, but instead, I got no heat. However, I’m not going to complain too much about that because I liked most of the flavors here. I say “most” because, and this might sound strange, I actually preferred the bites without any chicken. Look, I’ve enjoyed the slow-roasted chicken in plenty of other menu items, but they were a distraction here. Without it, I thought the flavors of the fries and toppings were more pronounced.
While the Zab’s ranch sauce lacked heat, it had plenty of flavor. Though I’m not sure I’d call it a ranch sauce. It was tangy like a ranch dressing, but also a little sweet. Think of a tangier offshoot of ketchup and mayo with a hint of pepperiness. It was also not overpowering, which allowed the tomatoes in the pico de gallo, the Nacho Fries seasoning, and the nacho cheese sauce to shine alongside each other, creating a tasty tower of toppings and fries that are worth a try. Well, except for the chicken.
Well, Zab’s, I now know who you are. I wonder what hot sauce brand Taco Bell is going to introduce us to next. Perhaps Vermont’s Angry Goat Pepper Company, Slap Ya Mama or Frog Bone from Louisiana, or Horsetooth Hot Sauce from Colorado?
Purchased Price: $5.99*
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 490 calories, 31 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 1170 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 13 grams of protein.
*Because I live on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.
A hot sauce with flavor but lacking heat is something my “born to be mild” digestion would be willing to try at least once. Might be easier to try (as part of a Nacho Fries topping) if I were eating at the local Taco Bell, though, instead of bringing home a takeout order. (And I wouldn’t want those Nacho Fries to be the only thing I ordered for myself, so I’d be spared going hungry if the hot sauce was unpalatable for me.)
Buffalo Tom!! I cackled aloud 😀
Such shit. Yum brands has really hurt their own products. Why’s do they insist on chicken at taco bell? Why straighten fries instead of wedges considering you dip them or you have a bowl covered in various liquids. I don’t get it.