When you think “Taco Bell beef,” a VERY specific kind of product enters your mind. And the beef in Taco Bell Shredded Beef Nacho Fries is not that idiosyncratic, unmistakable Taco Bell beef at all.

It’s hard to describe. It’s shredded beef, alright, but not shredded beef a la Arby’s. More like shredded beef, Sloppy Joe-style (just sans the Sloppy.) It has a decent mouthfeel and an adequate level of chewiness, but frankly, it’s a bit forgettable. After all, there are SO many different ingredients in this thing that the beef itself just kind of soaks up the congealed flavor of everything else. And for the most part, that’s a good thing.

I doubt I have to reintroduce anybody reading this to Taco Bell’s Nacho Fries. They’re a fan favorite for a reason, and TB didn’t meddle with the product at all here. In addition to the shredded beef, we get a deluge of Creamy Jalapeño sauce, a smattering of pico de gallo, and no less than four different types of melted cheese blends on top of it all. Nacho, cheddar, mozzarella, pepperjack — the band’s all here, folks, and you already know how beautiful their medley sounds (and tastes, I guess.)

It seems like the general taste of the Shredded Beef Nacho Fries would be super obvious, but there are more nuances going on than you might anticipate. The sinewy, stringy meat does a pretty good job of augmenting everything else on the plate, but it doesn’t change the mouthfeel and texture as much as you’d imagine. The fry seasoning, the sauce, and the monsoon of cheeses drown out everything else, even the pico de gallo ingredients. There’s nothing dry or savory about this dish, and I can see how that might turn off some potential consumers. Nor is it very spicy, though it occasionally catches you off guard with a “kick” out of nowhere; the flavor’s power seems to ebb and flow, with some pockets of the dish definitely carrying a more robust, potent taste.

If you’re looking for something zesty, filling, and oily in the best possible way, these things are right up your alley. Hardcore Nacho Fries fans are probably going to love this product by default, although it doesn’t taste that much different from some of the chain’s previous variants. It would’ve been nice to see Taco Bell amp up the product with something different — i.e., a new kind of sauce or more supreme-style toppings — but overall it’s hard to complain about everything you get here. The relatively steep price point might be a deterrent to some people, but you do get a rather filling dish.

That said, I still think the Fiesta Strips should’ve been included. And definitely a black olive or two.

Purchased Price: $5.99
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 480 calories, 30 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 1,080 mg of sodium, 42 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 13 grams of protein.