Review: Taco Bell - Steak Cheesy Street Chalupa

Taco Bell's Steak Cheesy Street Chalupa features a small Chalupa shell (fried flatbread) and a small flour tortilla with a toasty layer of melted mozzarella and pepper jack between them. Nestled in the fold of the shell, you'll find grilled marinated steak plus onions, cilantro, and new Jalapeno Ranch sauce.

These come two to an order and cost me $5.99.

While the original Quesalupa shell was a Chalupa shell that was mostly sealed up with a layer of melted cheese inside, the Quesalupa-inspired shell of the Cheesy Street Chalupa differs in two major ways beyond just being smaller. First, the shell is a combination of a chalupa shell and a flour tortilla. Secondly, there's a toasty, crispy cheese skirt that flows along the seam between the chalupa shell and flour tortilla.

The flour tortilla appeared to be lightly fried and felt a bit softer in my hand versus a chalupa shell. I'm curious as to what prompted the switch but would hazard a guess that the flour tortilla is less prone to cracking. The cheese skirt gave the Cheesy Street Chalupa an extra layer of both flavor and texture.

Biting into the Cheesy Street Chalupa yielded some gumminess from the cheese core of the shell although I did manage a decent cheese pull at one juncture. With the light frying, there was a nice flakiness to the shell.

Taco Bell's steak managed a soft and tender texture and light beefy flavor. However, it didn't feel like "steak" as it lacked the chew and searing that I expected. With the relatively low profile of the shell, the Cheesy Street Chalupa felt a lot meatier than a proportional amount of steak would feel in a regular-size Chalupa shell. The onion and cilantro were relatively mild and middling in terms of freshness but lent a street taco feel to the proceedings. I struggled to taste the difference between the new Jalapeno Ranch versus Taco Bell's regular Spicy Ranch as they're both creamy, tangy, and slightly spicy. I struggled to find a discernable jalapeno taste in the new ranch.

Overall, Taco Bell Steak Cheesy Street Chalupa turned out very well in my book. It's the rare "new" item at Taco Bell that actually felt new. The simple beef, onion, and cilantro combo let a different set of flavors shine versus the standard seasoned ground beef, lettuce, and cheese combo.

Nutritional Info - Taco Bell Steak Cheesy Street Chalupa
Calories - 410
Fat - 25g (Saturated Fat - 6g)
Sodium - 750mg
Carbs - 27g (Sugar - 3g)
Protein - 19g