I tried Taco Bell's new Grilled Cheese Burrito and it's the chain's best dish in years

The burrito also contains seasoned beef and rice, crunchy red tortilla strips, reduced-fat sour cream, and chipotle sauce.

"The Grilled Cheese Burrito is the master of first impressions," reads the description on Taco Bell's website. "Just one look at this burrito and you know: this burrito radiates con-queso confidence."

It was quite the claim. But would the Grilled Cheese Burrito live up to its name?

I picked up two burritos and two tacos — as well as a Pineapple Freeze drink – for just under $10.

The tortilla looked nice and crispy, and the fact that I could already see nacho cheese sauce oozing from the sides was a good sign.

My burrito wasn't quite as stuffed as the one in the ad, but it still looked plenty filling. I spotted a number of red tortilla strips poking through the yellow seasoned rice, which glistened with sour cream.

And it was immediately clear that there'd be no shortage of cheese in this burrito.

The burrito was cheesy, but the oozing nacho sauce didn't overpower it. The tortilla strips — along with the grilled tortilla — gave everything a nice crunch, and the seasoned rice was a great touch.

While I had initially worried that the sauce might make the burrito taste like bad stadium nachos (that plastic-tasting, neon-yellow cheese still haunts me), every bite of this burrito was warm and fresh.

I love getting second opinions when I'm doing a taste test, so I had my parents sample the burrito as well. My mom loved how the burrito tasted "almost buttery from the cheese," while my dad liked that there was a bit of a kick to each bite thanks to the chipotle sauce.

The taco — which was first released in 2016 — also comes with seasoned beef, lettuce, red strips, cheese, and nacho cheese sauce.

"It does the job of a Soft Taco and a Hard Taco, all topped with a satisfying Nacho Crunch," Taco Bell's description reads. "One bite and you'll see that you too can truly have it all for only $1."

The taco definitely didn't look as stuffed as it had in the promotional image.

There was a thin layer of beef at the bottom of the taco and the lettuce and cheese appeared to be clumped together. Unlike with the Grilled Cheese Burrito, I couldn't spot many of the tortilla strips in the taco.

Since the cheese sauce was only on the sides of the taco, I had a feeling that it was going to taste far drier than the burrito as well.

I thought the tortilla was really dry, even with the nacho cheese sauce on the side. The hard shell added surprisingly little crunch, and there wasn't much meat overall. It all just kind of tasted like a lot of stale lettuce, in my opinion.

While I wouldn't order this again, my dad said the taco was better than he expected. And at just $1, it's a snack that definitely won't break the bank.

The $2.69 Pineapple Freeze, which was released in May, is honestly one of the best original drinks I've had from a fast-food chain. The pineapple flavor was strong but didn't taste artificial, and the drink as a whole was super refreshing and perfect for summer. My dad said it was his favorite part of the entire meal.

I loved the Pineapple Freeze so much that I could see myself stopping by a Taco Bell for the drink alone.

I can't say that the Grilled Cheese Burrito has replaced the Crunchwrap Supreme as my one true Taco Bell love, but it easily surpassed my expectations and proved that there's a place in the world for really cheesy burritos.

I would happily order it again with a Pineapple Freeze. Next time, though, I'll skip the taco.

• Read more:
• A teen's college essay all about burrito bowls earned him free food for a year and a spot at his dream school
• I tried every burrito from Taco Bell and most of them disappointed and shocked me
• I ate 17 plates of cheese off a conveyor belt and learned you can have too much of a good thing
• I tried the world's best cheese — the first to be made in the US — and now I'm a blue cheese believer
• This is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author(s).