I’ve developed a few personal rules about breakfast:

Don’t mix orange juice with coffee.

Don’t put grapefruit in the omelette.

Don’t put broccoli in the chocolate ice cream.

If you want a donut, get one.

The last of these, while the seemingly simplest of the bunch, is not always easy. When the craving for a rotund chunk of fried dough strikes, there’s no stopping it, but, in a city where the only fresh-made Krispy Kreme is in an underground cement “garden” and the price of artisan donuts could empty the bank, it’s easy to find yourself stranded in lower Manhattan without a reasonably priced fried dough option in sight…but what’s this?! Burger King offering me instant puffs of fried dough?

It proposed such unknown…and yet such happiness. And are we to deny ourselves potential happiness for fear of the unknown? Nay, dear readers! We are not chicken-bellied fools! We boldly go forth and pursue happiness!

It may be a Whopper box, but you can’t fool me!

You donuts and your secret identities.

I take a bite and, ahhh, yes, warm donut holes. Or rather, doughy, cube-like shapes. Nothing scary at all. At the same time, nothing too spectacular. On first bite, the dough is warm and a bit chewy, the glaze sticky and sugary. This is a yeast dough, to be sure, somewhat reminiscent of the cross between a grocery store donut and a brioche roll.

However, this joyous experience is time-sensitive. Give these suckers two minutes and the dough takes on taste and texture of a frozen Pillsbury dinner roll that’s been put in the microwave a few seconds. The eating process gets to be a bit of a calisthenic session for the jaw.

The glaze was simple enough, tasting mostly of sugar, sugar, and sugar, a one-note satisfaction to which I’m especially keen on, although I wouldn’t have argued if a little vanilla or cinnamon showed up in there. Both in the warm and cool phases, the glaze remained sticky. I was hoping this sugary patina may dry and crackle along the edges like a Krispy Kreme, but it remained shiny and thin as the wax on a 1957 Ferrari Testa Rossa at a car show.

One of the more frustrating qualities of fast food restaurants is the 10:30 breakfast shutdown. Oh, the days that have passed where my 4:30 p.m. sausage biscuit craving is left unfulfilled! Luckily, BK put these donut holes on their all-day menu, so, if the craving hits, you can trust BK will be there with your yeast rolls and sugar.

But, overall, I don’t think I’m up to buying these again. Maybe it was the weather or the lunch rush, but the dry dough and thin glaze didn’t fill the empty donut pocket in my soul. If you really, really need a glazed fix or enjoy microwaved dough, these are an acceptable stand-in, but I would recommend the grocery store Krispy Kreme first.

(Nutrition Facts – 5 donut holes – 280 calories, 100 calories from fat, 11 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 300 milligrams of sodium, 0 milligrams of potassium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 18 grams of sugars, and 4 grams of protein.)

Other Burger King Donut Holes reviews:
Brand Eating
Man Reviews Food
Serious Eats

Item: Burger King Donut Holes
Purchased Price: $1.40
Size: 5 donut holes
Purchased at: Burger King
Rating: 3 out of 10
Pros: Available any time of day. Sweet glaze. A good idea. Nice portion.
Cons: Dry. Tastes of microwaved dinner roll. Tough to chew. Weak glaze. Grapefruit in an omelette. Low Krispy Kremes population in Manhattan

You know what three things scare me regarding food?

Cilantro, balut, and Burger King drive-thrus. In that exact order.

And yes, I would rather eat a soapy-tasting weed or a bird embryo than deal with a Burger King drive-thru. Because it took two attempts and two different Burger King drive-thrus to get a proper Burger King Bacon Gouda Muffin Sandwich in my hands.

Now before I begin my foul-mouthed rant about my Burger King visits, I want to add that both were done on the weekend and before 8:30 am when the only person up is my neighbor with OCD who brushes the lawn so it is “straight.” Lastly, it was a rare cold morning in central Florida where the temperature was in the low 40s. So, basically, nobody was on the road except me, my wife, and my neighbor who ensures each leaf is pointed correctly on her tree.

My first attempt to get this sandwich was abysmal. You can get the Burger King Bacon Gouda Sandwich on either a comfy biscuit or stodgy, yet classy, English muffin. You Francophiles are also in luck; the menu indicates it comes as a Croissan’wich too. I didn’t want the bread to overwhelm the mild Gouda so I decided on the English muffin.

I’m also leery of fast food biscuits because biscuits are a Southern institution as my wife would attest. To me, fast food biscuits (for the most part) are clunky, flavorless and unpleasantly dense. Alas, as luck would have it, “We don’t have no English muffins” buzzed through the speaker.

(sigh)

Window jockey, can you at least feign a sorry?

Annoyed, hungry, and not thinking clearly, I settled on the biscuit and waited six fucking minutes for it. Yes. Six…fucking…minutes in the drive-thru for basically a damn bacon and cheese sandwich. Needless to say, the cheese was not melted and appeared it was thrown on the sandwich like it was a discarded Band-Aid.

I felt like Michael Douglas in Falling Down. At least my wife got a good chuckle until I horse-stomped the sandwich in the bag on the passenger side carpet.

Sure, my behavior could be the result of the three hours of sleep I had after a marathon-gaming session, but I don’t think so because I’m still angry and want to choke slam the idiot that made my sandwich. Then I want to take that person’s teeth and put it in the sandwich so I can make them eat it too.

Boy, I need anger management.

My second attempt at another Burger King only reiterated their crappy drive-thru service in my area. I ordered the same thing with an English muffin which they actually had. Great, right?

No, because apparently I’m an asshole for thinking a drive-thru works as simple as:

Step 1. Place your order.
Step 2. Pay.
Step 3. You get your order.

I got up to the window and the manager goes (and I’m paraphrasing), “Uh, did you want cheese and sausage?” Why the hell did I order from the stupid speaker if I have to tell you again what I ordered? So, I repeat my order with disdain and in a minute she hands me the sandwich.

They were fast…almost too fast. My wife, of course, thought the whole thing was funny, but also reminded me to check my sandwich.

Hey! What do you know? It’s a bacon sandwich sans the herb spread and with orange American cheese. Not what I ordered!

After a half-assed apology and dealing with my outrage (I’m pretty sure there was spit in my sandwich now), I received only what I can say was close to perfection, but not enough to quell my anger.

The sandwich was warm and felt great in the cold morning. It radiated in my hands in its neat little package. Unwrapping the white paper, I smelled the buttery eggs embracing me. The English muffin was toasted, yet fluffy, and it was generously slathered with the rich herb sauce.

The nooks and crannies of the muffin created flavor pockets of butter and it carried the Gouda and eggs away to breakfast heaven. The herb spread and rich buttery flavor complemented each other well. The bacon provided a pleasant fatty saltiness that heightened the sandwich and made me ask myself, “Do I still want to make that person eat their own teeth?”

The melted Gouda was mild, but flavorful. The cheese immersed itself into the egg and buttery spread. The combined components of the sandwich created one lush flavor. I would order it again, although from inside a Burger King. Here’s a tip too, the Bacon Gouda Muffin Sandwich has 140 less calories than the biscuit version. So decide wisely.

Admittedly, it’s hard to beat the trifecta of a good breakfast — bacon, cheese, and eggs — but Burger King slightly elevated it with this sandwich. It was so good that I don’t care if a BK employee’s DNA may have been in it. In fact, if you put balut, complete with tiny feathers and beak, into that sandwich, I would still eat it.

(Nutrition Facts – 380 calories, 22 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 195 milligrams of cholesterol, 920 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of sugar, and 21 grams of protein.)

Other Burger King Bacon Gouda Sandwich reviews:
Man Reviews Food
Brand Eating
Grub Grade

Item: Burger King Bacon Gouda Muffin Sandwich
Purchased Price: $3.39
Size: N/A
Purchased at: Burger King
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: The muffin sandwich was buttery, salty, crispy, warm, and lush all at the same time. Horse-stomping things. The herb spread complemented the sandwich’s butteriness. The Gouda melded well with the eggs. Falling Down.
Cons: Burger King Drive-Thrus in my area are manned by imbeciles. This is a limited offer. Unmelted cheese on breakfast sandwiches is disgusting. My wife laughing at me. Cleaning up the car after my antics.

If I had a dollar for every time Burger King released a burger topped with their mediocre onion rings, I’d have enough money to buy a Burger King burger topped with their mediocre onion rings. But even though Burger King’s onion rings aren’t anything special, when BK combines them with one of their burgers, it usually creates magic. There was the Rodeo Cheeseburger, Angry Whopper, Western Angus Steak Burger, Western BBQ BK Toppers, Rodeo Whopper, and now there’s the Burger King Bacon Cheddar Stuffed Burger.

This new Burger King sandwich isn’t the first one topped with onion rings and it also isn’t the first one to have a beef patty stuffed with, um…stuff. In 2011, they attempted to burn our mouths with their Jalapeño Cheddar BK Stuffed Steakhouse Burger.

I’m now going to explain what’s in the Burger King Bacon Cheddar Stuffed Burger like I’m an overzealous marketing person and use more adjectives than I need to. The Bacon Cheddar Stuffed Burger is made up of a juicy and cowtstanding USDA-Inspected fire-grilled ground beef patty stuffed with yummy, swinesational hardwood smoked bacon and delicious, gooey cheddar cheese, topped with fresh-cut, crisp, and greenish lettuce; ripe, succulent tomato slices; red, vinegary, and stain-causing ketchup; creamy, white, and oozable mayonnaise; and crispy, golden brown, and bad breath-causing onion rings all on a warm, squishy artisan-style bun.

With the inclusion of onion rings, I thought the Burger King Bacon Cheddar Stuffed Burger would’ve followed in the footsteps of many other onion ring-topped BK burgers and come with barbecue sauce. But alas, I had to settle for barbecue sauce’s condiment cousins, ketchup and mayo. However, and this is going to sound strange, the ketchup and a few other ingredients, at times, made the burger taste as if it had barbecue sauce. Besides that, the ketchup and mayonnaise made my hands look like I turned into the Incredible Hulk and SMASH STORE CONDIMENT SECTION!

If you’re like me and complain regularly on a semi-popular food review blog about how I can rarely taste the bacon in most fast food burgers, then you’ll be happy to hear the flavor of the bacon in the thick patty stands out. Every bite I took from this burger had a nice smoky and swinetastic flavor. It feels a little weird to be biting on bacon bits instead of strips of bacon and it makes the patty taste even saltier, but who cares? I can finally taste the bacon in a fast food burger!

Let’s celebrate with bacon!

However, what didn’t stand out were the bits of cheddar in the beef patty, which was the same issue the Jalapeño Cheddar BK Stuffed Steakhouse Burger had. But the onion rings did somewhat make up for the cheese by providing a mild onion flavor that went well with the beef and gave the burger a slight crunchiness.

With Burger King’s limited time only spring menu, they’re giving you a lot of new sandwich choices — a turkey burger, a new Whopper variety, a new chicken sandwich, a veggie burger, and this burger. If you’re having trouble deciding what to eat, I think you can’t go wrong with the Bacon Cheddar Stuffed Burger.

(Nutrition Facts – 650 calories, 350 calories from fat, 39 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 1.5 grams of trans fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 1420 milligrams of sodium, 51 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 10 grams of sugar, 23 grams of protein.)

Other Burger King Bacon Cheddar Stuffed Burger reviews:
Brand Eating
The Food Chain Review
Grub Grade

Item: Burger King Bacon Cheddar Stuffed Burger
Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: N/A
Purchased at: Burger King
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Nice flavor. I can taste the bacon in a fast food burger. Thick patty. Onion rings provided a little crunchiness. At times, the burger tasted as if it has barbecue sauce. BK burger + onion rings = magic.
Cons: Cheddar in the patty didn’t add anything. Someone may have put too much ketchup and mayonnaise in my burger. Awesome source of sodium. Available for a limited time. Going adjective crazy.

The paleness of the turkey patty used in Burger King’s limited time only Turkey Burger may make it look a little unappetizing and tofu patty-ish, but think of it this way: it’s pretty much the same color as the white meat turkey you’d eat on Thanksgiving and the turkey leftovers you’d eat for many days after Thanksgiving.

Although Burger King is not the first fast food chain to sell turkey burgers (Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s had/have turkey burgers), they are the first of the big three burger chains to offer one. And, to be honest, I’d like to see McDonald’s and Wendy’s attempt their own versions, especially McDonald’s since they’re always trying to create healthier fare.

Yes, a turkey burger is supposed to be a healthier option and it was in Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s case. But what about Burger King’s Turkey Burger? Let’s dish the digits and compare nutrition facts, shall we?

A Burger King Whopper has 630 calories, 35 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, and 980 milligrams of sodium. A Burger King Turkey Burger has 530 calories, 26 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, and 1,210 milligrams of sodium. As you can see, BK’s Turkey Burger is mostly better nutrition-wise when compared to a Whopper. However, a Burger King Tendergrill Chicken Sandwich, which has 470 calories, 18 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, and 1330 milligrams of sodium, makes the Turkey Burger look like a Whopper.

But how does Burger King’s Turkey Burger stack up against another turkey burger?

Hardee’s Original Turkey Burger has 390 calories, 17 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, and 860 milligrams of sodium, so it’s significantly better for us than Burger King’s Turkey Burger. However, the reviews for the Hardee’s/Carl’s Jr. Turkey Burger haven’t been glowing.

To be honest, those reviews had me worried about Burger King’s Turkey Burger. But after tasting it, it turns out I shouldn’t have been concerned.

My sandwich with the pale fire-grilled turkey patty was supposed to be topped with almost-as-pale lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, ketchup, and mayonnaise on a premium, artisan-style bun. I say, “supposed to” because instead of red onions, my sandwich came with onion rings, which I took out and placed on the side before eating the burger.

The turkey patty had a mouthfeel somewhat similar to a beef patty and was slightly juicy. While it’s the same color as white meat Thanksgiving turkey, it doesn’t quite have the same flavor. It’s flavorful, but my taste buds didn’t immediately register it as turkey. It turns out that it’s not 100 percent turkey. According to the ingredients list, the turkey patty contains a smidgen of dried chicken and dried chicken broth.

Dammit! If Burger King added some dried duck, they could’ve had a turducken patty!

The lettuce, tomato, ketchup, and mayonnaise did an awesome job of falling out of the sandwich and/or getting all over my hands. But the ketchup was also one of the dominant flavors in the burger, masking somewhat the patty’s flavor.

Overall, my Burger King Turkey Burger was surprisingly tasty, even without the red onions. I’ve had better turkey burgers at casual dining places, but for fast food, it’s good. I enjoyed it enough that I hope Burger King decides to create other turkey burger variations.

(Nutrition Facts – 530 calories, 240 calories from fat, 26 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 90 milligrams of cholesterol, 1210 milligrams of sodium, 46 grams of carbohydrates, 11 grams of sugar, 2 grams of fiber, and 27 grams of protein.)

Item: Burger King Turkey Burger
Purchased Price: $4.89*
Size: N/A
Purchased at: Burger King
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Nice flavor, although doesn’t instantly register as turkey. Surprisingly tasty. Better for you than most BK burgers and sandwiches. Burger King continuing to release a slew of new products on a regular basis.
Cons: Pale turkey patty may look unappetizing to some. Messy ass sandwich. Pale lettuce. Ketchup masks the patty’s flavor. No dried duck to make it a turducken patty. Burger King location messing up an order.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the price I paid is probably much higher than you’ll pay.

Like many Americans, I consider myself completely incapable of functioning without the glorious benefits of caffeine. I’ll kick around a couple Coke Zeros a day and maybe even an energy drink now and then, but by far, my shaking, yet functioning, hands rely on a strong cup of coffee every morning to get me through the work day.

Being that coffee seems to be one of the few beverages left that science says can actually lengthen my life and not just send me to an early, morbidly obese (if not cancerous) grave, I don’t feel too bad about this otherwise breath-killing addiction.

Embracing this habit, I figure I might as well be drinking something reasonably good and affordable too. I fancy myself something of an everyman when it comes to coffee, mind you, but I do recognize an objective hierarchy in the kinds of roasted beans I want to ingest. And no, I’m not just talking about Jelly Belly Cappuccino jelly beans.

I really don’t think about Burger King when it comes to coffee. At least, I haven’t thought about it much since that one time when I actually had their coffee. Perhaps slightly better than stale DMV coffee but not quite up to the level of West Virginia roadside truckstop brews, Burger King’s previous BK Joe was, at best, a black substance that was (sometimes) hot.

But with the chain deciding to take one step closer towards becoming McDonald’s by ditching its traditional burgers and fries only lineup in place of something bordering on vaguely café-ish, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see if the new Seattle Best Smooth Roast Coffee could take the bitter taste (pun completely and egregiously intended) of my past experience from my mouth.

Seeing that my local Burger King just happens to be right next to my local McDonald’s, I figured a side-by-side comparison was in order. I’ve never been wowed by the “100% Arabica beans” of the Premium Roast from the Golden Arches, but it seems popular enough amongst those who frequent fast food for breakfast.

The first thing I noticed about Burger King’s coffee was, like McDonald’s, the lack of control you have over flavoring. True, ask for a few creamers (thankfully of the real variety) and sweeteners of your choice and each chain is happy to provide them, but when it comes to spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or vanilla (like Starbucks or Einstein Brothers provides) you’re out of luck. You’re also out of luck for multiple cream/milk options, although I guess you could always purchase a kid’s meal milk separately.

Advantage? It’s a draw, with both chains clearly not catering to the consummate coffee drinker.

While both chains serve iced coffee with a variety of flavors, when it comes to keeping coffee hot, and not just lukewarm, both did the trick. But where McDonald’s coffee was served in a scalding hot manner that left a nasty little burn bump on my upper lip, Burger King’s was just right. It really doesn’t help that the McCafe cups come with an awkward lid that doesn’t funnel hot beverages so much as it releases liquid in the coffee equivalent to a surging river. It’s a point I probably wouldn’t have noticed had it not been for Burger King’s more drinker-friendly lid, which funneled the just-right Smooth Roast Coffee into my sleep deprived system.

Advantage? This one goes to Burger King.

Now, on to flavor. The Seattle’s Best Coffee is indeed smooth, especially when compared to McDonald’s “Premium” McCafe blend. Taking initial sips from each chain’s coffee, I find the McCafe coffee bland, bitter, and a touch watery, with no substantial flavor notes or earthy characteristics. Burger King’s blend is naturally a bit sweeter, slightly nutty, and noticeably less bitter, and has a higher drinkability factor all on its own. I didn’t pick up any of the advertised “chocolaty,” notes, but on its own it came across as sharper and better tasting than McDonald’s blend.

After initially tasting both coffees black, I added the prerequisite cream and sweetener (Splenda). Here again I enjoyed the Seattle Best Coffee more, and felt like the smooth and light flavor complimented the cream better than McDonald’s coffee, which still came off as watery and underwhelming to me.

Advantage? Clearly, the King did something right here.

Is Burger King’s coffee something that a serious coffee drinker should seek out? Only if you’re a serious coffee drinker in a town full of truckstops offering stale tasting coffee. But even though I wouldn’t take the Smooth Roast over chains like Starbucks or even my own favorite, Einstein’s Brothers, Burger King’s Smooth Roast Coffee from Seattle’s Best Coffee is a real improvement over Burger King’s previous java attempts.

(NOTE: For a limited time, you can get a small cup for just a quarter and, according to the worker taking my order, you can get a shot of flavor for free.)

(Nutritional Facts: 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 0 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of carbs, 0 grams of sugar, 0 gram dietary fiber, and 0 grams of protein.)

Other BK Smooth Roast Coffee reviews:
Brand Eating
Man Reviews Food (Iced Mocha version)

Item: Burger King Smooth Roast Coffee from Seattle’s Best Coffee
Purchased Price: .25 cents (limited time only price)
Size: 12 ounces
Purchased at: Burger King
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Caffeine! Better than McDonald’s “Premium” coffee. Not watered down. Mellow and slightly sweet flavor. Not overly bitter. User-friendly lid. Free flavor shot.
Cons: Won’t appease serious coffee drinkers. Only comes in one flavor. Not very bold or complex. Add-ins like cinnamon or cocoa not available. Costs extra for whipped cream. Not as tasty as Jelly Belly Cappuccino jelly beans. Contemplating burger and coffee pairings.

Is there something about chocolate and volcanoes that I should know about?

First, Domino’s came out with their Chocolate Lava Crunch Cake. Arby’s followed with the Chocolate Molten Lava Cake. Now, Burger King has new Molten Fudge Bites. Listen, fast food marketers. Volcanoes are scary. Just look at Pompeii.

Well, at least Burger King stayed away from the direct implications of lava. They describe their Molten Fudge Bites as “warm, bite-sized treats featuring a fudge-brownie outside and creamy molten chocolate filling on the inside. Served hot and finished off with a dusting of powdered sugar.”

Hey BK, you need to decide if these Bites are warm or hot. You can sugar coat it (sorry) all you want, but your own marketing has led me to believe that your Molten Fudge Bites want to squirt hot chocolate filling into my mouth that sticks like napalm and leaves me screaming and reeling around my house in agony.

Okay, so that’s not really true. I wasn’t afraid of these Molten Fudge Bites for two reasons: one, I’ve eaten a Hot Pocket straight out of the microwave before, so my mouth has already experienced the feeling of screaming-hot fillings fused to my tongue, and two, the only time a fast food item has actually burned my mouth has been either coffee or french fries, no matter their claims of warm or hot.

I also had this weird vision of the chocolate squirting into my mouth like the liquid center of a piece of Freshen-Up gum, which I couldn’t decide if I would like or hate.

Coming in a group of four packaged in the paper sleeve usually reserved for sissy-sized french fries, these little guys were plump and about the size of a half-dollar. Nobody knows what a half-dollar looks like anymore, making this analogy completely worthless, so let’s just say they were the perfect size to bite in half, or shove the whole thing in your mouth if you have a giant maw.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that my Fudge Bites were, indeed, warm. I was more afraid they’d be cold as opposed to mouth-scorching hot. Each bite also had an aesthetically pleasing dusting of powdered sugar on it.

Upon biting one in half, my mouth was flooded with rich chocolate. I was surprised at the amount of layers Molten Fudge Bites had; the gooey inside dominated, filling my mouth with chocolate fudge that was very rich and not at all artificial-tasting. The outer “fudge-brownie” shell was pretty thin, and while the strength of the chocolate filling canceled out most of the shell’s taste, it added a surprising amount of crunch to compliment all that goo. I would liken it to the crunchy edge of a pan of brownies, which everyone knows is the best part, especially given the proliferation of “all edge” brownie pans now available.

Powdered sugar has a distinctive yet delicate flavor, and I found that if I popped a whole Fudge Bite into my mouth, you couldn’t detect the flavor at all, but if I bit a Bite in half, the sugar coated my lips, which made for a nice finishing flavor when I licked my lips. I would suggest that this is how you eat Molten Fudge Bites, as long as you don’t mind looking like the character Tyrone Biggums from Chappelle’s Show.

Despite all my huffing and puffing about volcanoes and the like, I really wasn’t expecting anything special from Burger King’s Molten Fudge Bites. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they had a depth of flavor, from the gooey, fully-fudge-flavored inside to the crunchy brownie outside that worked so well with the goo. The powdered sugar seemed like an afterthought, but when eaten in two bites, it did contribute to the flavor.

My biggest complaint about Molten Fudge Bites is that they are so very, very rich. That fudge filling ain’t playin’ – imagine eating a spoonful of fudge ice cream topping straight from the jar and then biting into a brownie. Repeat that three more times.

If you’re a really serious chocoholic, four of these Molten Fudge Bites will definitely satisfy your cocoa craving. I myself was more than satisfied after two, yet felt obligated to eat all four, which left me feeling like I had turned into a fudge golem.

(Nutrition Facts – 4 bites – 330 calories, 17 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 19 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.)

Item: Burger King Molten Fudge Bites
Purchased Price: $1.99
Size: 4 bites
Purchased at: Burger King
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Chocolate fudge filling was gooey and non-artificial. Old-school liquid-squirting gum. Bites were actually warm. Will satisfy chocoholics. Outside was pleasantly crunchy. Powdered sugar was a nice touch. Fudge golems.
Cons: Too rich for some people’s tastes. Looking like Tyrone the Crackhead. Even four pieces still seemed like too much. Volcanoes.

There are numerous Facebook pages dedicated to bringing back Crystal Pepsi. These Facebook pages probably outnumber the amount of unopened Crystal Pepsi bottles and cans in existence today. But despite all the Facebook likes and ALL CAPS pleads these pages have accumulated, Crystal Pepsi is still just a memory from the 1990s.

Another product I was surprised to find out has numerous Facebook pages dedicated to its revival was Burger King’s Cheesy Tots. However, unlike Crystal Pepsi fans, Cheesy Tots fans can celebrate with ALL CAPS Facebook posts because the starchy and cheesy menu item is back for a limited time.

To be honest, I didn’t experience the pleasure of stuffing my mouth with Cheesy Tots the first time they were around, so I’m glad my mouth has a second chance.

Burger King’s Cheesy Tots come in three sizes: small, medium, and large. I picked up the medium, which came with ten of them. (A small has eight pieces, while a large has 12.) The side dish looks like school cafeteria chicken nuggets, but within the thick, crispy, and golden brown exterior is an interior that’s basically a tater tot bleeding light orange American cheese.

Speaking of the cheese, it’s slightly chalky. Although that texture could’ve been caused by potatoes that were broken down while being deep fried. The cheese also lacked flavor. In other words, the Cheesy Tots weren’t very cheesy. They did have a nice potato flavor, similar to tater tots, but with its very mild cheesiness, I can’t say I’m impressed with them.

Burger King’s Cheesy Tots don’t come with a dipping sauce, but I wish they did. I do think they would go well with Burger King’s Zesty sauce and I also believe they would be a neat topping to add to your Whopper. However, by themselves, I don’t think they’re good enough to make me want to create Facebook page dedicated to bringing them back when they go away again.

(Nutrition Facts – Medium size – 350 calories, 150 calories from fat, 17 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 880 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 15 grams of protein.)

Other Burger King Cheesy Tots reviews:
Brand Eating
Grub Grade
Man Reviews Food

Item: Burger King Cheesy Tots
Purchased Price: $3.39*
Size: Medium
Purchased at: Burger King
Rating: 5 out of 10
Pros: Nice potato flavor, perhaps better than their fries. Nice crispy exterior. Burger King’s Zesty sauce. Crystal Pepsi.
Cons: Not very cheesy. Cheese was slightly chalky. They look like school cafeteria chicken nuggets. They don’t make me want to make a “Bring Back Cheesy Tots” Facebook page.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the price I paid might be significantly higher than what you’ll pay.

When I first heard about Burger King’s new Philly Chicken Sandwich, I thought they were going to top one of their Original Chicken Sandwiches with thin slices of steak, chopped onions and peppers, and cheese, similar to what Carl’s Jr. did when they topped one of their burgers with innards of a Philly Cheesesteak.

But Burger King didn’t and I’m a bit sad about it.

According to the Burger King website, here’s what they did:

A lightly-breaded chicken fillet topped with traditional Philly-Style toppings – a colorful mix of bell peppers and seasoned grilled onions, served with American cheese and smothered with a creamy cheese sauce. All served hot on a toasted sesame bun.

Oppa Philly-style toppings?

If putting bell peppers, onions, and cheese on top of another food allows one to label it “Philly,” then I’d like to see supreme pizzas be called Philly pizzas and fajitas called Phillitas.

When I pulled back the top bun of the Philly Chicken Sandwich, the bright red and green bell peppers made it feel like it’s still the Christmas season. There was a good amount of peppers and onions on the sandwich, but there was even more cheese. The bell peppers and onions had a crunchiness to them and gave the sandwich a nice flavor.

The orange goo that prevented the veggies from falling out tasted like typical American cheese and actually provided some decent flavor, which is surprising for fast food cheese. But I guess it’s easy to taste the cheese where there aren’t any sauces or mayo to overpower it.

As for the chicken patty, it was dry, but I’m not surprised by that because I believe every Burger King Original Chicken Sandwich I’ve ever had has come with a dry patty. Before taking my first bite, I already knew that the chicken patty in my Philly Chicken Sandwich was going to be devoid of any juiciness because the breaded exterior was darker than the skin of a tanorexic.

The Burger King Philly Chicken Sandwich is a decent fast food menu item, albeit a salty one. The flavor of the toppings almost completely made up for the dry chicken patty. Although, I think it would’ve been better (and more deserving of the Philly name) if Burger King also topped it with thin steak slices.

(Nutrition Facts – 550 calories, 25 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 75 milligrams of cholesterol, 1870 milligrams of sodium, 54 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of sugar, and 30 grams of protein.)

Other Burger King Philly Chicken Sandwich reviews:
An Immovable Feast
Man Reviews Food

Item: Burger King Philly Chicken Sandwich
Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: N/A
Purchased at: Burger King
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Decent sandwich. Crunchy veggies. Cheese had flavor and kept veggies from falling out. Christmas-y innards. Awesome source of protein.
Cons: Bell peppers, onions, and cheese equals Philly? Awesome source of sodium. Not having thin steak slices. Tanorexia.

Aioli.

It looks like it could be the Hawaiian word for “maybe,” but ‘a’ole.

However, if you watch Food Network cooking shows or call yourself a “foodie” and have more pictures of food you’ve made/eaten than pictures of your children, you know what aioli is. If not, let me explain what aioli is…after I Google it because I have no idea what it is.

According to the first search result, aioli is a creamy French sauce made using lemon juice, eggs, garlic, and olive oil. Oooh, fancy! Aioli is also an ingredient found in Burger King’s new Avocado & Swiss Whopper. Oooh, fancy! Along with an avocado aioli, the limited time only Whopper features a beef patty, bacon, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and an avocado spread on a sesame seed bun.

Hey! Wait a minute!

That’s sound awfully similar to Burger King’s California Whopper, which also has a beef patty, bacon, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and an avocado spread (guacamole) on a sesame seed bun. However, while many of the ingredients are the same, the Avocado & Swiss Whopper is a much better tasting burger.

The thin beef patty, pale lettuce, tomatoes, and sesame seed bun that make up most of the sandwich didn’t provide any surprises since it’s the same stuff you’d find on a regular Whopper. Also, much like the guacamole in the California Whopper, the avocado spread in the Avocado & Swiss Whopper didn’t have much flavor and it seemed like it was there mostly as glue to keep the lettuce and bacon from falling out.

Speaking of the bacon, it was smoky, thick-ish, and somewhat crisp. It was pretty good fast food bacon, but the amount in the sandwich was less than a slice of bacon fried at home, which wasn’t enough to cover half the burger. As for the Swiss, it surprisingly added some cheesy flavor to the sandwich that doesn’t get lost under all the other ingredients.

But, again, what makes this burger special is the avocado aioli, which sounds like an ingredient you’d find on a sandwich from an upscale burger joint or on a Whopper from a European Burger King. The sauce was pleasantly zesty and its flavor reminded me of hot dog relish. It gives the Avocado & Swiss Whopper a unique flavor that makes the sandwich one of my favorite Whopper varieties of all time.

* ‘a’ole is the Hawaiian word for “no”

(Nutrition Facts – 730 calories, 350 calories from fat, 39 grams of fat, 15 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 100 milligrams of cholesterol, 1510 milligrams of sodium, 58 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 10 grams of sugar, and 38 grams of protein.)

Item: Burger King Avocado & Swiss Whopper
Purchased Price: $6.69 (sandwich only)
Size: N/A
Purchased at: Burger King
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Wonderful limited time only Whopper. Tasty avocado aioli. Unique flavor. Good bacon. Avocado keeps lettuce and bacon from falling out. Getting to use a Hawaiian word in a review, which I hope I spelled correctly. Google.
Cons: Avocado spread didn’t have much flavor. Pricey. Not enough bacon. Putting everything you eat on Instagram. Thin beef patty. Some folks won’t like the avocado aioli.

Last year, Burger King introduced their chicken nuggets-looking Chicken Tenders, which replaced their crown-shaped chicken nuggets. To start the new year, Burger King has replaced their Chicken Tenders with their new Chicken Nuggets, which look similar to their Chicken Tenders.

I’m so confused.

BK’s new Chicken Nuggets have white meat chicken on the inside and a crispy tempura-style batter on the outside. It’s available in four-, six-, 10-, or 20-pieces, and comes with your choice of six sauces — Honey Mustard, Ranch, Sweet and Sour, Buffalo, Barbecue or Zesty.

Along with new chicken nuggets, Burger King is also offering four new limited-time-only menu items, one limited-time-only product back by popular demand, and one limited-time-only sandwich that sounds like something Burger King has introduced before.

Avocado Swiss Whopper – A fire-grilled beef, topped with naturally smoked thick-cut bacon, Swiss cheese, a creamy avocado spread, freshly cut lettuce, ripe tomatoes and a zesty avocado aioli, all on a toasted sesame seed bun.

Philly Original Chicken Sandwich – A BK classic Original Chicken Sandwich topped with red and green bell peppers, seasoned grilled onions and two types of melted cheese, all served on a toasted sesame bun.

Molten Fudge Bites – Features a fudge-brownie outside and molten chocolate filling on the inside. Served hot and dusted with powdered sugar.

Molten Fudge Sundae – Vanilla Soft Serve combined with Molten Fudge Bites. Topped with chocolate fudge and a buttery caramel swirl.

Cheesy Tots – Back by popular demand. Tots with a crispy outside, and potatoes and American cheese on the inside. Available in eight-piece, 10-piece or 12-piece servings.

Italian Original Chicken Sandwich – A lightly breaded chicken fillet topped with mozzarella cheese, and sweet and tangy marinara sauce, all served on a toasted sesame seed bun. Yes, it does sound similar to this sandwich that was offered by a little company called Burger King.

All items are available now at participating Burger King restaurants. If you’ve tried any of them, let us know what you think of them in the comments below.

It’s almost holiday/low productivity at work/dealing with annoying parents time.

It’s that time when big band holiday music is played at Crate & Barrel and Banana Republic stores all across the nation to lend that over the top affluence. It’s also that time of year when I relish how bourbon tastes when there’s a chill in the air and that warm feeling in my tummy that follows.

Yet, what I love most about this time of year are the holiday variants of food products that are unleashed. Turkey gravy cough drops, anybody?

Lately I’ve been on a Burger King kick. Partly because BK seems to be one of the few fast foodie joints taking some chances, but, mostly, because BK is within walking distance from my mansion that houses an extensive blazer collection. Also, I can’t drive until my probation is over.

I’m not a big fan of milkshakes, unless it’s a McDonald’s strawberry milkshake. And when I say, “McDonald’s strawberry milkshake,” I mean the vintage version sans whipped cream, the maraschino cherry, and McCafe logo-branded cup. However, as I walked up the curved asphalt in the Burger King drive thru, I couldn’t I pass up what I saw on the backlit menu and in the pictures on the windows? A gingerbread cookie shake.

What came from Burger King’s decked out stainless steel kitchen looked very close to the oversized photos that hung in the window. It was light brown with creamy white swirls throughout the soft serve shake and dolloped with whipped cream and gingerbread cookie crumbles on top. I have no idea what that chemical dairy smell that soft serve exudes, but I’m a fan of it. It’s hard to describe, but when I smell it, I pop a gustation boner.

For a paltry $2.39 (entry fee for the small size) I was given the chance to mentally escape, at least temporarily, the heavy burdens of my ankle bracelet. I straightened my red wool tartan driver’s cap, pressed my button down blue shirt flat with my hands and sat in the booth with determination.

Will I finally tell my wife that I want a divorce because she needs to watch that awful Once Upon A Time show when all I want to do is play Borderlands 2? Will I stand up to the world and tell my probation officer to eat the streets today? Will this be the day my opinion of milkshakes change?

No on all three counts, but allow me to explain.

Great milkshakes have that Goldilocks-like range. Not too watery which makes it like melted ice cream, and not too thick which makes it so hard to suck through a straw that you might as well be performing fellatio. The milkshake I got was perfectly in between.

The gingerbread flavor was at the forefront and it was intense. It was buttery, rich and savory the way excellent gingerbread can be. The cookie bits on the top were a whimsical touch, but also served its purpose to emphasize the gingerbread flavor.
There were notes of musky cloves and cinnamon that played very well with the vanilla soft serve blended in the shake. I could taste hints of ginger, which was nice. I thought it was a possible non-alcoholic liquid holiday drink that could help me deal with the frayed nerves of my family.

As perverted as it sounds, this felt so good going down my throat. For a second I thought, “You know what? Life is going to be all right, buddy.” That neighbor who throws chicken bones on my lawn isn’t so bad; he’s just trying to help me fertilize the grass. And you know what else? When my mother says, “Jeff, you’re an idiot and a mistake, we never wanted you,” it’s her way of motivating me to become a better person.

I love you, Mom.

However, just as I was embracing the complexities of a good ginger cookie, the sweetness of the shake did donuts on my tongue and then monster trucked into some old rusty Pontiacs. My teeth began to hurt from how sweet it was. And Tiger Mom, I hate you! You’re always saying such hurtful things. Why didn’t you give me up for adoption to a Non-Chinese family with no Tiger Moms and unfeeling dads?

Happy Holidays, dammit!

Similar to a tidal wave crashing on shore or your gross uncle who lays a fart in the room, the sweetness takes over everything it can reach its proverbial hands on. Basically it’s as if my taste buds were placed in a sleeper hold and the sugar was shouting in their ears to tap out. “SUBMIT, bitch! Tap out! SUBMIT! You know you want to submit! You don’t have it in you! GIVE UP!”

Even though my experience was slightly ruined by the sweetness of the shake, I kept slurping because that gingerbread flavor was so damn good. However, I did not drink the whole shake because it was pretty decadent. But let me say Burger King’s Gingerbread Cookie Shake is worth a try just for the gingerbread flavor, even though you’ll probably find yourself submitting to the sugar high.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be submitting myself to my regular old brown liquors to get me through another Thank(less)giving.

(Nutrition Facts – small size – 490 calories, 15 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 290 milligrams of sodium, 82 grams of carbohydrates, 70 grams of sugar, 8 grams of protein.)

Other Burger King Gingerbread Cookie Shake reviews:
Grub Grade
Man Reviews Food
On Second Scoop

Item: Burger King Gingerbread Cookie Shake
Purchased Price: $2.39
Size: Small
Purchased at: Burger King
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Gingerbread flavor is buttery and savory. Thickness of shake was perfect. Big band holiday music. Crate & Barrel. Musky clove and subtle cinnamon flavors. Gustation boner. Banana Republic. Gingerbread cookie crumbles on the top are a nice addition. Borderlands 2.
Cons: Too sweet. McCafe vs. the old shakes. Too damn sweet. Once Upon A Time. Really, it is so sweet. So sweet, my teeth hurt.

You know what geometric phenomenon doesn’t get enough love these days? The curly object, that’s what. Think about it. Have you ever known something curly that wasn’t also straight up awesome? From Taylor Swift’s curly hair to the always dependable curl route, curly stuff has always been dependable even when it’s not in style.

You know what’s not dependable, though? Burger King’s new Seasoned Sweet Potato Curly Fries. Launched as a limited time only menu item as part of the chain’s 55th birthday bash for the iconic Whopper, the new fries give the corkscrew treatment to the sweet potato fry Burger King originally brought out this summer. They also give the soggy, burnt, and cold treatment to the sweet potato, and mark another “just ok” development in a long history of “just ok” Burger King sides.

So why did I find myself chucking them in my mouth with all the intensity of Garfield letting loose on a hot lasagna? Because sweet potato fries are like pizza, that’s why. At best, they’re the kind of ethereal, salty-sweet-crispy addiction that makes downing hundreds of calories in the time it takes to read this sentence completely acceptable. And at worst, they’re still chock-full of sweet and salty sweet potato flavor that makes downing hundreds of calories in the time it takes to read this sentence moderately acceptable.

As any serious fry eater will tell you, making the perfect fry out of sweet potatoes is hard enough without trying to throw them through a corkscrew. Often soggy or burnt, with interiors that are more creamy that the ideal fluffy, sweet potato fries may taste great, but the texture is always off. It’s the same dilemma with Arby’s Curly Fries. I love the seasoning on Arby’s Curly Fries as much as the next guy, but unlike that always dependable curl route from your tight end to get your team a much needed first down, Arby’s drops the ball half the time when it comes to perfecting the texture of their signature side.

It’s the same story at Burger King. I only found one true, slinky-esque Curly Fry in my small order, and met a mixed bag carton of fries that ranged from overcooked and crunchy pieces of fry “burnt ends” to the aforementioned slinky, which while fun to look at, was limp and soggy. I can take limp and soggy, but the cold part was really what bothered me. If I wanted cold sweet potato taste, I could have at least bought a bag of chips, which would have at least been crunchy.

Still, like Sbarro pizza, there’s something just intrinsically tasty about it. Perhaps it’s the mere fact that it’s a French Fry made out of sweet potatoes. Obviously they’re naturally sweet and a bit earthy, but it’s the addition of a kind of raw sugar seasoning that allows for snacking on the fries plain to be particularly addicting. This is a good thing, because it took me all of three seconds to reaffirm my belief that ketchup and sweet potatoes just don’t mix.

If anything, I’d say the fries were a bit undersalted. Also, I’m scratching my head trying to figure out if their was some kind of cinnamon addition to the seasoning. I could have sworn I tasted the classic sweet potato sidekick on some of the fries, but a scan of the ingredient list via the BK website shows no signs. Not cool, Burger King. Sweet potatoes and cinnamon need each other.

Burger King could have done a lot worse with their Seasoned Sweet Potato Curly Fries. Like, they could have made regular curly fries, which probably just would have sucked because of a lack of Arby’s signature seasoning. Still, with more and more fast food and fast casual restaurants going orange on us, you can do a lot better if you’re really looking for that salty-sweet mix.

(Nutrition Facts – Small size – 170 calories, 90 calories from fat, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 380 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 8 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.)

Item: Burger King Seasoned Sweet Potato Curly Fries
Purchased Price: $1.89
Size: Small
Purchased at: Burger King
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Addictive sweet potato taste. Not greasy. Has a salty-sweet vibe working. Probably the healthiest fry in fast food (just 170 calories for a small order)
Cons: Horribly inconsistent texture. Served cold. Seasoning is sporadic and hit or miss. Could use a little more salt. One of the few things on earth that does not go with ketchup. Pricey for a small side.

The Burger King Whopper has had many costume changes. It’s like the Madonna of the fast food world. The list of Whopper variations gets longer every year. There’s been the California Whopper, Angry Whopper, Windows 7 Whopper, Western Whopper, Texican Whopper, Whiplash Whopper, and many more.

This week, the list got a little longer with the introduction of Burger King’s Wisconsin White Cheddar Whopper. The burger features fire-grilled beef, naturally smoked thick-cut bacon, Wisconsin white cheddar cheese, iceberg lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and pickles on a sesame seed bun.

The Wisconsin White Cheddar Whopper has 950 calories, 62 grams of fat, 23 grams of saturated fat, 1.5 grams of trans fat, 135 milligrams of cholesterol, 1660 milligrams of sodium, 58 grams of carbohydrates, 13 grams of sugar, and 46 grams of protein.

Holy hell! 62 grams of fat! 23 grams of saturated fat!

It’s a good thing there’s also a Wisconsin White Cheddar Whopper Jr. which has “just” 480 calories, 30 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 810 milligrams of sodium, and 23 grams of protein.

This week, Burger King introduced two limited time only holiday desserts — the Gingerbread Cookie Sundae and Gingerbread Cookie Shake.

The Gingerbread Cookie Sundae features vanilla soft serve, topped with a gingerbread sauce and crumbled gingersnap cookies. It has a suggested retail price of $2.49. The hand-blended Gingerbread Cookie Shake is made up of vanilla soft serve and gingerbread syrup blended together with whipped topping and crumbled gingersnap cookies on top. It has a suggested retail price of $1.99.

Personally, I would’ve liked to have seen the Gingerbread Cookie Sundae feature a gingerbread man cookie dunked into the soft serve feet first to make him look like he’s lounging in the sundae.

That’s would’ve been extremely adorable.

Source: Business Wire

I’m guessing there was a conversation between two junior execs at Burger King Headquarters that went down like this.

Junior Executive Douche #1: “Hey, would you rather do an Italian chick or a Latina?”

Junior Executive Douche #2: “What kind of Spanish chick? That’s important.”

Junior Executive Douche #1: “Good point yo, hmmm….Mexican. Mexicans are hot, Selma Hayek is hot. Those broads on Univision are friggin’ balls hot.”

Junior Executive Douche #2: “Bro, so true, so true. Italian chicks are cute too, like that bangin’ one with the nice rack (gestures with two hands by his chest as if he were holding oranges) on that witch show.”

Junior Executive Douche #1: “Witch show? Buffy?”

Junior Executive Douche #2: “No, that’s vampires or something. You know that girl who was a kid actress with Pesci or Danza, I think.”

And after twelve offensive minutes with numerous references to “Sabado Gigante” and Xuxa”, the sordid origins of Burger King’s Italian Breakfast Burrito went from spank bank ammunition to reality.

I imagine this because the burrito tastes exactly like what douchbags would make, rave about, and chow down on before drinking a Red Bull and vodkatini. The name is funny too…Italian…Breakfast…Burrito. Seriously. I can already see popped collars and smell the Axe body sprays.

I have to give Burger King credit for adding a little Italian flavor to make their stale menu a little more eccitare. They had to do something to help them get back the title of Number Two Burger Chain from Wendy’s.

What else can Burger King do?

Well, maybe bring back the subversive King to the forefront in their ad campaign. I love that guy. Also, take this burrito off the menu.

There are several reasons why, including one that is not the corporation’s fault but the individual franchisees. Now before I wake up with a horse’s head next to me wearing a frosted mane and a sombrero, let me plead my case.

Junior Executive Douche #2: “Ya gotta make it the size of my cock!”

Junior Executive Douche #1: “Yeah, Broski. Not mine because the amount of sausage would bankrupt BK if it were the size of mine! (high five slap)”

Yes, Junior Executive Douche #1, the burrito was the size of a porno boner. I was impressed it was similar in size to one of those Taco Bell seven layer behemoths. I incorrectly assumed it was going to be one of those rinky dink skinny breakfast burritos from McDonald’s. The burrito had an alarming heft and I was left stunned because I wasn’t expecting this. Of course, the old adage is quantity does not mean quality and this crappy burrito proves it with an exclamation point.

Forget about the projected bacon shortage, Burger King must be aware of a tomato shortage we know nothing about because I’ve had their chicken parmesan sandwich and there was very little marinara. That was also the case with this lousy burrito.

Both times I purchased it, there was only a smidge (smudge?) of marinara. I actually got angry about it and wanted to place it on the floor so I could stomp on it.

Potatoes are awesome in a burrito and the hash browns in this heavy package were a welcomed surprise. This was a smart move by Burger King. We love fried potatoes and we love them in burritos dammit! They were still crispy despite the moisture that collected inside, but it also may have been due to the minute, non-existent ghost of tomato sauce.

The sausage was too peppery and a bit salty. The flavors were intense on its own, but the hash browns really tempered the pork. The scrambled eggs were just sad puffy yellow blobs but they too assisted in keeping the overpowering sausage at bay. It was, at best, on par with airline scrambled eggs where they look like an obligation rather than something edible.

Along with the marinara sauce, I’m assuming the diced red and green peppers with onions make this Italian. The watery vegetable slurry did give the burrito a nice bitter edge, but something didn’t taste right. I felt there were too many flavors beating each other “Goodfellas”-style trying to grab your taste buds’ attention.

You know “A Tale of Two Cities”? Well, let me give you a tale of two cheeses.

In casseroles, the cheese is important because it binds things together. The melted mozzarella in this burrito was creamy and it blended very well with the multiple ingredients. The mozzarella did its job.

However, the mozzarella couldn’t do its job in the second Burger King Italian Breakfast Burrito I purchased because instead of mozzarella, I was given a burrito with slices of American cheese (which I suppose made it an Italian Americano Breakfast Burrito).

What’s with that, Burger King? You’re as consistent as the writing of How I Met Your Mother this year. Oh, and Ted, you’re a fucking loser…

A Vespa scooter, which I proudly own but can no longer ride, is an iconic Italian image. This burrito is not a Vespa, it’s a clunky Buddy scooter from China with scuff marks and questionable stains on the seat. Avoid.

(Nutrition Facts – 490 calories, 28 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 175 milligrams of cholesterol, 1220 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of sugar, 20 grams of protein.)

Item: Burger King Italian Breakfast Burrito
Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: N/A
Purchased at: Burger King
Rating: 4 out of 10
Pros: Fried potato in a burrito. Big for a fast food breakfast burrito. Vespa! Potato was still crispy. Red and green peppers lend well to the flavor. Placing things on the floor and stomping on them. Sabado Gigante and Xuxa.
Cons: American or Mozzarella cheese couldn’t save it. Hardly any marinara sauce. Sad eggs. Axe products. That guy who screams, “Gooooooaaaaaaaal!!!” (drives me nuts). Over-seasoned sausage. This season of How I Met Your Mother. Porno boners.