Not sure how to describe it. It's chewy and slimy. Idk kinda like a cucumber maybe? If you've seen it you can probably guess how it feels like. I forgot the flavor, guess it wasn't too memorable.

it's vegetal, slightly sour, and can have a nice texture. Flavor like green beans but fresher and better tasting. Nopales + beans + salsa make excellent vegetarian tacos. They are also great added to meat tacos and the acidity means you can skip the lime (or not)

the trick is to cook the shit out of them. When you cook them, they release a goopy mucus that burns in the pan. most restaurants (at least near me) stop when they turn translucent. this gives them a slimy texture i don't care for.

i recommend continuing to cook the until all the mucus burns off and you have nice non-slimy bits. taste and texture are much better this way IMO. i have heard you can get the same or better results grilling on an open flame, but i haven't tried that yet.