William Grimes writes, “The meat filling just lay there like ballast, but the lettuce was fresh and crisp and the grated Cheddar had an assertive tang. In other words, for what it is, the Doritos Locos taco is pretty good.”

Here’s my thing: I’m casting a broad net here, and Grimes typically writes good, accessible stuff for the Times, but I think this and all other “serious” food criticism about Taco Bell would strongly benefit from a little background about the author’s history with Mexican-inspired fast food. In other words, when was the last time Grimes ate Taco Bell?

Because it strikes me that any food critic who hasn’t been to a Taco Bell since his teenage years — and has since, perhaps, come to judge the place — would be struck upon first bite by how delicious the food is and assume that Taco Bell is doing something new and different. But meanwhile Taco Bell has been awesome all along.

Which is to say: Hey New York Times, call me if you ever need a Taco Bell review in the future. I’ve got you covered. Trust me, I’ve done my research.

Link via Brad Z.