Taco Bell Shredded Beef Dipping Taco Review:I haven’t been to Taco Bell in over 30 years.
And honestly?
That was intentional.
Once you discover taco trucks and actual regional Mexican cooking, Taco Bell starts feeling less like Mexican food and more like a late-night survival strategy.
So I returned fully expecting disappointment.
Instead?
I was… semi impressed.
The biggest surprise here is that the shredded beef actually tastes decent.
Not “life changing.”
Not “authentic birria.”
But perfectly passable fast food.
Honestly, if someone handed this to me at a random airport Mexican restaurant, I probably wouldn’t complain.
The consommé-style dipping sauce helps, and the beef has far more flavor than the ground beef Taco Bell built its empire on.
Because actual birria exists.
And once you’ve had properly slow-cooked birria tacos from a legit taco truck or Mexican restaurant, this still feels like fast food cosplay.
Still…
credit where credit is due.
This was far better than expected.
At 285 calories per taco, the numbers are surprisingly reasonable.
Two tacos comes out to a fairly modest fast food meal calorie-wise.
And honestly?
You probably shouldn’t eat more Taco Bell than that anyway.
While the calories are relatively low, the meal itself feels small.
And personally, I can’t imagine eating three of these things without immediately regretting my life choices.
Price Score: 5.8/10Turning Taco Bell’s Shredded Beef Dipping Tacos into a proper meal will cost you around $9.
And that’s where the value conversation starts getting shaky.
There was a time when $10 at Taco Bell felt like an outrageous amount of food.
Now?
It barely qualifies as a meal.
At this price point, you’re entering legitimate taco truck territory.
And if you live somewhere with a strong Mexican food scene, spending the same money on actual birria becomes a pretty easy decision.
Unless you live in somewhere like Bismarck, North Dakota.
In which case…
maybe Taco Bell is your birria plug.
The name may be absurdly long, but the tacos themselves were far less disappointing than I expected.
And honestly, that alone feels like a win for Taco Bell.
No, this isn’t authentic birria.
No, it won’t replace a real taco truck.
But in the context of fast food?
These tacos are surprisingly competent.
Apparently if you give Taco Bell 30 years, they eventually start catching up with the times.
If you want real regional Mexican food, seek it out.
Support taco trucks. Support family restaurants. Support the real thing.
But if you find yourself in a Taco Bell drive-thru?
You could do a lot worse than the Shredded Beef Dipping Taco.
Freddy’s Steakburger Review:Six years ago, I wrote a piece comparing Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers to an old favorite of mine: Steak 'n Shake.
At the time, Freddy’s blew Steak ’n Shake out of the water.
So I figured it was time to revisit Freddy’s in 2026 and see how their famous steakburger holds up in today’s smashburger landscape.
What followed was an enormous disappointment.
Taste Score: 7.2/10The biggest issue?
The burger simply lacked flavor.
The beef was under-seasoned, oddly lean tasting, and somehow…
dry.
Which honestly feels impressive considering smashburgers are usually designed to maximize crust, fat, and flavor.
The whole experience felt muted:
And in today’s smashburger era, that’s a serious problem.
Modern smashburger chains have raised expectations dramatically.
Whether it’s:
Freddy’s somehow feels frozen in time.
Even though it was founded in the 21st century.
Price Score: 5.8/10At roughly $8, Freddy’s costs just shy of what you’d expect for a modern fast food smashburger in 2026.
That wouldn’t necessarily be a problem…
if the burger delivered.
The quality simply doesn’t justify the price anymore.
If the burger had stronger seasoning and fresher ingredients, maybe this lands closer to a 6 or even a 7.
Instead, it felt regrettable.
At under 700 calories for a double cheeseburger, Freddy’s lands in a fairly respectable range for fast food.
And honestly, there’s a useful lesson here:
Skipping:
can dramatically reduce calories without ruining the burger experience.
Minimalism only works when the fundamentals are strong.
And unfortunately, the burger itself still tasted bland.
Final Thoughts on Freddy’s SteakburgersI genuinely liked Freddy’s back in 2020.
But six years later, the smashburger landscape has changed dramatically.
Consumers now expect:
And Freddy’s no longer feels competitive.
Either my standards changed…
or Freddy’s quality slipped.
Possibly both.
Last BiteIf you’re craving a proper smashburger in 2026?
Spend a few extra bucks and go to Shake Shack.
At least there, the burger itch actually gets scratched.
One of the best pork curries I’ve ever had came from a cookbook.
Even more surprising?
The cookbook was written by Chef Kwame Onwuachi, one of the most celebrated names in modern fine dining.
But what makes Kwame’s cooking compelling is how deeply it embraces African, Caribbean, and Black Southern food traditions.
This Geerah Pork is a Trinidadian pork curry, and the name itself tells a story.
“Geerah” comes from the South Asian word for cumin, a nod to the East Indian influence across the Caribbean. From there, the dish becomes unmistakably Caribbean through the use of Scotch bonnet peppers, allspice, lime, and layered curry spices.
I’ve experimented with pork curries before, but they never fully clicked for me.
This one completely changed my perspective.
The seasoning doesn’t overpower the pork—it showcases it. Familiar curry spices suddenly taste new again.
I made a few practical adaptations for the home cook, including swapping habaneros for Scotch bonnets and using pickle juice instead of preparing a separate pickling liquid from scratch.
And honestly?
This might be the best pork curry I’ve ever made.
There are a handful of pantry staples and recipe components you’ll want to prepare ahead of time. For practicality’s sake, I scaled a few things back and made some home-cook-friendly substitutions.
Still, this is the extra mile that separates a good curry from one you think about for days afterward.
One thing that immediately stood out in Chef Kwame Onwuachi’s recipe was the curry powder.
This isn’t the generic yellow curry powder sitting forgotten in the back of your spice cabinet.
The blend leans heavily into toasted coriander and cumin with warm notes of allspice, anise, and fenugreek. It smells earthy, floral, and deeply aromatic in a way store-bought curry powders rarely do.
That said…
The original recipe makes a fairly large batch, so I scaled it down for practical home cooking purposes.
Highly recommend toasting the whole spices in a dry pan before grinding.
The original recipe makes a massive batch of pepper sauce. I scaled things back considerably and made a few practical substitutions using ingredients I already had in the fridge.
Throw everything into a food processor and blitz till smooth. Pour into a jar and place a little wax paper between the lid and the sauce because vinegar has a tendency to react with metal lids.
And fair warning:
this stuff has some kick.
Blend everything till smooth and bright green.
This is where the curry starts feeling unmistakably Caribbean. The culantro, thyme, peppa sauce and onion create something far more herbaceous and alive than your average curry marinade.
I swapped the pork belly from the original recipe for pork shoulder with a generous fat cap. You get a better meat to fat ratio and Pork Shoulder is cheap.
As it should be.
Chick-fil-A Review:I have something to confess:
I’d never really eaten at Chick-fil-A before.
Well… sort of.
I had it once at a sporting event years ago and remembered thinking:
“This is it?”
The sandwich felt small, plain, and a little dry.
So I went into this review fully prepared to rip Chick-fil-A apart as another regional fast food phenomenon fueled more by hype than actual flavor.
And honestly?
That’s at least part of the story behind chains like In-N-Out Burger too.
The difference is In-N-Out also delivers some of the best bang-for-your-buck value in fast food.
Then something totally unexpected happened:
Chick-fil-A blew me away.
At the end of the day, this is basically:
That’s it.
And somehow…
it works incredibly well.
The breading is heavily seasoned, which immediately reminded me of Korean fried chicken I had while traveling in South Korea. That aggressive seasoning is what gives the Chick-fil-A sandwich its signature flavor.
Additional points for the chicken breast not being bone dry.
Just juicy enough.
The pickle was pathetic.
Full stop.
And the famous Chick-fil-A sauce?
Did absolutely nothing for me.
It looked radioactive and tasted like a strange honey mustard variation from another planet.
Also, while the sandwich is tasty, it doesn’t feel as hearty as something like the Popeyes chicken sandwich.
My sandwich cost $5.62 with tax.
In today’s fast food economy, that honestly feels reasonable.
And shoutout to Chick-fil-A for not hitting me with tablet tip guilt before I’ve even touched the food.
I skipped fries and a drink, mostly because the sandwich itself already felt indulgent enough.
More on that in the calorie section.
The sandwich isn’t huge.
At best, it’s a modest meal—but still a satisfying one.
At 540 calories with sauce, the Chick-fil-A Original Chicken Sandwich is actually pretty modest for fast food.
For comparison:
Which raises an interesting point:
Maybe fried chicken sandwiches aren’t the calorie apocalypse we assume they are.
Personally, I’d skip the Chick-fil-A sauce entirely and use those 140 calories on a little good mayonnaise like Duke's or Hellmann's instead.
About 30 minutes later…
the food coma arrived.
That unmistakable fast food crash where suddenly a nap sounds incredible.
The hype?
It’s real.
The sandwich is:
And it delivers exactly what fast food is supposed to deliver: comfort, convenience, and flavor.
But it also delivers the classic fast food trade-off:
The crash afterward.
Hot take: the sauce is wildly overrated.
Still…
I’d absolutely eat Chick-fil-A again.
I’d just pair it with a cold brew chaser.
Last BiteChick-fil-A Nation…
I get it now.
But like all fast food, even when the price feels right at the register, there’s usually another price to pay later.
Especially if it becomes a habit.
Most weeknight-friendly recipes don’t exactly scream authenticity—especially when it comes to the bold, layered flavors of Thai cooking.
But Thai Garlic Pepper Chicken, also known as Gai Pad Kratiem, proves that simple ingredients can still deliver serious flavor.
Built around garlic, black pepper, soy sauce, and herbs, this Thai chicken stir fry comes together quickly while still tasting restaurant-worthy.
And this version comes from an incredibly trusted source:
Chef Nok Suntaranon of Kalaya in Philadelphia, an award-winning chef featured on Chef's Table.
So yes…
this recipe absolutely passes the vibe check.
Combine all marinade ingredients and mix well.
Slice the chicken tenders into thin strips—the thinner the better.
Marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet until lightly smoking.
Add the marinated chicken and chopped garlic. Stir fry for 1–2 minutes until the chicken begins to change color.
Add:
👉 Be careful with additional salt since the marinade and soy sauce already bring plenty of sodium.
Cook for another few minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through.
Turn off the heat and stir in the scallions and cilantro.
Serve immediately with rice.
What makes Gai Pad Kratiem special is how much flavor comes from such basic ingredients.
Black pepper brings warmth.
Garlic brings intensity.
Soy sauce adds savory depth.
And the cilantro plus green onion add the bright, herbaceous finish that makes the dish feel unmistakably Thai.
It’s fast.
It’s affordable.
And it absolutely works on a busy weeknight.
Pad Thai may get all the attention, but Thai Garlic Pepper Chicken deserves a spot in the weeknight dinner rotation.
Especially when it comes from a source as trusted as Chef Nok Suntaranon.
Bold flavor.
Minimal fuss.
Perfect Tuesday night dinner energy.
And more importantly…
is it actually better than their burger?
I went to Shake Shack over the weekend to try their limited-edition BBQ Boneless Baby Back Rib Sandwich, part of a seasonal BBQ lineup that also includes a burger and chicken sandwich.
BBQ sauce on a fast food burger isn’t exactly groundbreaking.
But entering McRib territory?
Now we’re talking.
The sauce, slaw, and pickles all work.
And surprisingly, the “rib” portion actually tastes like pork ribs—not the processed ground pork experience of a McDonald's McRib.
That alone makes this a major upgrade.
Shake Shack clearly put thought into the texture and overall flavor profile.
There’s one problem:
No smoke.
I live in Austin, where BBQ standards are high and the smell of post oak smoke is practically a personality trait.
This sandwich tastes oven-cooked—which it almost certainly is.
And if there ain’t smoke…
there ain’t real BBQ.
Nothing at Shake Shack is cheap.
But quality changes the conversation around fast food pricing.
At nearly $15, this sandwich costs more than many actual BBQ sandwiches—and even more than Shake Shack’s burgers.
Still, there’s novelty value here.
Outside of the McRib, almost nobody in fast food is attempting a BBQ rib sandwich.
Because the burger is cheaper.
And honestly?
The rib sandwich feels like the definition of:
“I ordered the wrong thing.”
At 710 calories, the Shake Shack BBQ Rib Sandwich is surprisingly reasonable for something this indulgent.
For comparison:
Which raises a strange question:
Are rib sandwiches healthier than burgers? My guess is cutting cheese cuts calories.
Because for essentially the same calories…
I’d still rather eat the burger.
Here’s the bottom line:
Shake Shack absolutely made a better McRib.
That part isn’t even debatable.
The pork tastes more real.
The toppings are better.
The sandwich is more balanced overall.
But there’s another truth here:
The original McRib is kind of terrible.
So improving it was never the hardest challenge in fast food.
The Shake Shack BBQ Rib Sandwich is good.
But the burger is still the move.
Back in 2020, I tried improving the McRib by dragging it through a Mexican street taco stand.
Yes, really.
Check out that post here →
Once you make refried beans in an Instant Pot, you may never go back.
I didn’t grow up cooking Mexican food, so forgive the confidence here—but skipping the tedious overnight soaking process makes the Instant Pot one of the best ways to cook dried beans.
And when you blend those beans with a little reserved bacon fat?
Game over.
These homemade refried beans are creamy, smoky, inexpensive, and perfect for tacos, breakfast tacos, burritos, or meal prep throughout the week.
Place the dried pinto beans, water, garlic, and bay leaf into the Instant Pot.
Pressure cook for 35–40 minutes, depending on how soft you want the beans. For refried beans, softer is better.
Allow for a natural release.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked beans to a container with a tight-fitting lid. Add enough of the cooking liquid to cover the beans.
👉 Don’t throw away the cooking liquid.
You’ll use it later to thin the refried beans to the perfect consistency.
Place the cooked pinto beans into a container just wide enough to fit the head of your immersion blender.
A tighter fit helps the blending process work more efficiently.
Add the reserved bacon fat and stir.
Begin blending, adding small amounts of the reserved cooking liquid as needed to help the beans emulsify into a smooth texture.
👉 Be conservative with the liquid.
You can always add more, but overly runny refried beans are harder to fix.
Blend until you reach your desired consistency, then season with salt to taste.
Traditional refried beans rely heavily on fat for flavor and texture.
Using reserved bacon fat adds:
And you don't need to use another pan.
These Instant Pot refried beans are:
And the best part?
No overnight soak required.
Now go make yourself a taco.
Preferably a breakfast taco.
In this Chipotle review, I tried one of the most expensive burrito bowls on the menu to answer a simple question:
Is Chipotle still worth it in 2026?
With prices pushing close to $20 for a fully loaded bowl, I decided to lean into what Chipotle does best—a fast food meal that feels healthier than the competition.
Here’s what I ordered:
This is about as expensive as it gets at Chipotle.
Double steak drives up the cost fast, and guacamole adds another ~$3. I meant to add fajita veggies but completely forgot—and honestly, the bowl didn’t need it.
This thing was loaded.
Just picking it up, you could tell:
This is two meals, not one
Even more surprising?
815 calories.
I’ll be honest—I’ve barely eaten at Chipotle before.
Like a lot of people, I assumed a big national chain might be underwhelming.
But…
Chipotle actually tastes good.
I gave it an 8/10 for taste, which puts it firmly in the “I’d eat this again” category.
This is where Chipotle really stands out.
I scored the bowl a 9/10 for calories.
At 815 calories—and realistically two servings—you’re looking at:
400 calories per meal
Compared to fast food burgers that can hit 800–1,100 calories in one sitting, this is a completely different category.
More volume.
More balance.
Better macros.
Here’s the problem.
I scored the price a 4.5/10.
At nearly $20, this is expensive—even if you split it into two meals.
Even swapping steak for chicken brings it down to around $16.
👉 Chipotle is expensive. Full stop.
Chipotle scored 21.5/30 overall.
And that’s the trade-off.
Chipotle offers something rare:
👉 a healthier fast food option that actually tastes good
But you’re going to pay for it.
Chipotle isn’t cheap.
But when you want something fast, filling, and relatively healthy…
it still serves a purpose.
The best food in Austin, Texas this month includes a fine dining Italian deal, a German food truck parked at a brewery, kid-friendly pho, authentic Sichuan Chinese cooking, and a Mother’s Day PSA: get Mom a cake from Paris Baguette.
Take notes… or just bookmark this page.
The Vitals: the spot: L' Oca D' Oro 1900 Simond Ave, Austin, TX 78723 the eats: Meatballs, House Mozzarella, Rigatoni, housemade bread, NA cocktails the bucks: $$$ except on Tuesdays the full nelson: fine dining Italian deal
Loca D' Oro serves a mix of comforting Italian dishes but with fine dining touches of execution. House marinara is kinda perfect even if Marinara is a name your six year old is familiar with. And seriously don't skip the bread course, it was uncannily a standout of a carb soaked evening. And I'd say the bread here qualifies for best food in Austin. The dishes read familiar and like dining out everywhere, the bill adds up. Folks, dining is a more expensive endeavor these days, full stop. However on Tuesdays, Loca D' Oro offers a "pay what you will" deal. And yeah, the name implies just that. You pay what you can, save the drinks. I think of it as an opportunity to treat yourself and while it might seem odd to short the restaurant on a tab, businesses are experiencing a slowdown so I can think of worse things than pretending I had a coupon for free bread. And more importantly, if you are in a bind and it feels like it has been forever since you have gone out, go out to Loca D' Oro. We have all been there.
The Vitals:
the spot: Black Forest ATX 1615 Crozier Ln, Del Valle, TX 78617
the eats: Chicken Schnitzel, Hot Dogs, Sausages
the bucks: $
the full nelson: best chicken schnitzel I've had
German food doesn't have the rep that German cars do. And that's about to be remedied. Black Forest Food Truck serves the best chicken schnitzel sandwich I've had. The Chicken cutlet itself is perfectly cooked - aka it aint dry. And the pretzel baguette is has just the right amount of chew for a sandwich. This sandwich easily qualifies for a best food in Austin in my book.
Honorable mention to the Smokey Denmark Hot Dogs which a score for the local weiner scene. Oh, and this place is parked at Live Oak Brewery which is more or less, perfect.
The Vitals:
the spot:Bamboo House 7010 Easy Wind Dr Suite 100, Austin, TX 78752
the eats: Peking Duck, Beef "sauerkraut" stew, anything off the specials
the bucks: $$
the full nelson: Best Chinese Deal in town
I don't eat at Bamboo House enough. It is safe to say they make the best Peking Duck in town, often running lines out the door and selling out. It's also very darn reasonable considering how generous the portion sizes are. This the type of restaurant best dined at by groups.
While the duck is the draw, there is mysterious stew featuring beef or fish that has the same sauerkraut description. Except I'm pretty sure there is no Szechuan dish that features German fermented cabbage. But there is one that features Mustard Greens that are fermented.
Every table seemed to have this dish. Even the two tops. So, you know order it. It could be a candidate for low key best food in Austin.
The Vitals:
the spot:Sip Pho 512 W 29th St, Austin, TX 78705
the eats: Wagyu Pho, Beef Rib Pho
the bucks: $$
the full nelson: Bougie Pho that still does it right
When it comes to Pho, Vietnam's soup staple, hardcore foodies and critics may point you to Pho Phung Lu'u which I actually still need to try. But it turns out, my 14 year old has a soft spot for Pho spot for softies: Sip Pho.
Located on the Guadalupe drag, this spot screams UT College kid crowd and probably not the most cost effective option. Oh and the place has this strange element called atmosphere.
And yet, the pho is really good and frankly not that much more money than other places around town. My kid loves the Wagyu Pho and I like beef ribs. The latter is a generous albeit pricey serving and money be damned it is going on the list for best food Austin.
The Vitals:
the spot: Paris Baguette 128 South Brook Dr , STE 160 , Leander, TX 78641
the eats: Mother's Day Cakes
the bucks: $$
the full nelson: Because Cake beats Flowers
Paris Baguette is one of my fav chains of all time. I first encountered the Korean French Patisserie in Los Angeles and have been hooked on their croissants and sweets every since. This Mother's Day they are offering two special cakes along with a darling macaron. Me thinks Mom deserves cakes over flowers but you can always do both.
Paris Baguette is also reasonably priced with locations in Central Austin as well as in Leander where I go to because that's where my mom lives. Check out the Leander one and you might see me there! Either location and you are in for some of the best food in Austin if you crave croissants and assorted sweets.
Shake Shack broke the fast food mold when it launched in the early 2000s.
What started as a hot dog cart in New York City turned into a publicly traded company worth billions, with locations around the world.
More importantly, it helped define a new category:
premium fast casual.
But in 2026, with burgers pushing $10–$12…
is Shake Shack actually worth it?
Almost.
And I’d still eat there again.
The answer starts with founder Danny Meyer.
Known for his fine dining restaurants in New York City, Meyer set out to answer a simple question:
What if you brought fine dining principles to fast food?
The result:
It’s a quality-first approach.
And quality costs money.
Shake Shack doesn’t really play the “value meal” game.
There’s no real combo system. No upsizing for a small bump in price.
You want fries? That’s extra.
You want a drink—or even a beer? Also extra.
And it adds up fast.
For a simple order—a double cheeseburger and fries or a drink—you’re looking at around $12.
And yes… there’s a tip screen.
From a pure food standpoint, Shake Shack delivers.
The beef quality is excellent. The produce is fresh. The burger has a clean, well-executed flavor profile.
The bun is fine. The sauce is optional—I usually skip it.
But the core elements?
They’re a step above typical fast food.
I rate burgers across three categories: taste, price, and calories.
Here’s how Shake Shack performed:
The double cheeseburger comes in around 700 calories, which is relatively low given the amount of protein.
Skipping the Shake Shack sauce cuts another ~60 calories—and honestly, the burger doesn’t need it.
For fast food, that’s a surprisingly strong nutritional profile.
Shake Shack isn’t cheap.
And it doesn’t feel like traditional fast food when you pay the bill.
But that’s not really the point.
Shake Shack isn’t selling value.
It’s selling quality.
Not quite.
But it’s close enough that I’ll still go back—especially when the alternatives don’t measure up.
Do you think Shake Shack is worth it?
