Author: Holly

REVIEW: Taco Bell Cheesy Street Chalupas

Holly 3 Comments

If you were to ask me what I thought was the best thing Taco Bell has ever done, I’d answer without hesitation: the Chalupa. There have been variations of the original, but rarely have they outshined the OG. When I went into the app to order, a pop-up informed me of the newest menu item: the Cheesy Street Chalupa. Originally a test menu item from October of 2023, the Cheesy Street Chalupas consist of smaller Chalupa shells stuffed with mozzarella and pepper jack cheese, either steak or Cantina Chicken, Jalapeño Ranch, fresh onions, and cilantro.

Ordering the item gets you two smaller Chalupas that I’d estimate are about half the size of a regular Chalupa but much more dense because they’re stuffed with cheese. Unfortunately, you cannot ask for one of each protein when ordering a pair. I get why (to keep the process easy for the employees), but for the sake of trying them, it would have been nice to mix and match. They come in branded, specialty packaging that helps to keep them from getting too messy in transit.

Starting with the Steak Cheesy Street Chalupa, I was impressed by its heft. Knowing it was smaller than the standard item, I worried it would also be less substantial. My first bite would prove that thought to be very wrong. The first flavor to hit was a familiar one of salty steak, followed by the brightness of the fresh onions and cilantro and the creaminess of the Jalapeño Ranch sauce. I could tell cheese was present between the shells, but it wasn’t strong enough to stand out. I was also (pleasantly) overwhelmed by the amount of bread in the bite.

I didn’t hate the Steak variety, but it didn’t wow me. The flavors all seemed to be working independently of one another and not creating a cohesive experience.

After a swig of Baja Blast, I tried the Cantina Chicken Cheesy Street Chalupa. The difference was like night and day. The flavor of the Cantina Chicken works so unbelievably well in this item. The roasted chicken works with the fresh onions, cilantro, and Jalapeño Ranch sauce to create what is probably the closest I’ve had to “authentic flavor” at Taco Bell. If I had to point to a negative, it would be the lack of pepper jack flavor in the cheese between the shells, but I don’t think it is missed much.

I would be failing you, dear reader, if I didn’t mention the bready nature of this item. While I loved it, some may not like the bread-to-toppings ratio. These items had an almost bao bun vibe in that the bread was very much a star.

The Taco Bell Cheesy Street Chalupas are a nice limited-time offering. While the Steak version didn’t quite meet my expectations, the Cantina Chicken knocked it out of the park. Both succeed in offering a new flavor profile to the menu and will (hopefully) lead to more uniquely flavored menu items. These little bread bombs are available for a limited time, so I would definitely recommend trying them while you can.

Purchased Price: $5.49 each
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Steak), 10 out of 10 (Cantina Chicken)
Nutrition Facts: Steak – 410 calories, 25 grams of total fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 750 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of total carbs, 3 grams of dietary fiber, 3 grams of total sugar, and 19 grams of protein.

Cantina Chicken – 410 calories, 25 grams of total fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 670 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of total carbs, 4 grams of dietary fiber, 3 grams of total sugar, and 19 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Taco Bell Big Cheez-It Tostada

Holly 12 Comments

NOTE: We also reviewed the Taco Bell Big Cheez-It Crunchwrap

In June 2022, a Taco Bell store in Irvine, California, made news by being a test store for two items centered around a giant Cheez-It cracker. Initially slated for a two-week run, the location sold out in six days due to demand. Now, two years later, Taco Bell is doing a nationwide rollout of the Big Cheez-It in its stores. The Taco Bell Big Cheez-It Tostada starts with the titular cracker as its base and is topped with familiar Taco Bell items: seasoned beef, lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, and sour cream. They also offer a Big Cheez-It Crunchwrap Supreme that substitutes the standard tostada with the giant cheese cracker.

The presentation was a lot nicer than I’ve come to expect from my Taco Bell; it looked almost like the ad! I wanted to get a good idea of the size of the thing, so I went to pick it up. This was where one of its fatal flaws showed: it broke as I started to lift the 16x-sized Cheez-It.

No matter; I had a nice piece with all the toppings. Unlike the Doritos Locos taco, there was not a strong cheese smell as I brought it towards my face. My first bite was underwhelming. The standard Taco Bell flavors were there (seasoned meat, crunchy lettuce, wet tomatoes, salty cheese, and creamy sour cream), but the Cheez-It was almost non-existent. There was a slight crisp to the cracker, but sitting in a box with toppings was already causing it to soften.

I scraped the toppings off to try the cracker on its own. By itself, it tasted like a standard Cheez-It but milder. The cheeseiness felt muted, which was odd. I wondered if it lost some of its oomph because of the increase in size. Sort of like a Hass avocado versus a green avocado: Hass are smaller, so the flavor is much more concentrated. Knowing what flavor my taste buds were looking for, I went back to grab the remaining cracker, only for it to (once again) break.

Tasting it again with everything, I still struggled to notice the Cheez-It. I could taste it if I really focused on it, but it was too easily overwhelmed by the other ingredients. As for the texture, any crispiness I had in the first bite (which wasn’t much) was almost non-existent by the end.

The Taco Bell Big Cheez-It Tostada is a fun concept with disappointing execution. While the presentation was surprisingly good, the massive cracker shatters easily and loses its already muted flavor against the familiar, strong Taco Bell ingredients. I still enjoyed the taste, as I love that standard Taco Bell flavor profile, but the novelty of the giant Cheez-It wore off pretty quickly. It’s worth a try to say you tried it, but I doubt I’d get it a second time.

Purchased Price: $3.99
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 tostada) 230 calories, 13 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 570 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 10 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Starbucks Summer Skies Drink

Holly 1 Comment

There is a morning every year that I walk out of my house, and I can feel the very beginning of summer. A new warmness in the breeze takes me back to those mornings heading to school and knowing the year was nearing its end. Starbucks, hoping to capture that summer feeling, introduced a new line of Refreshers, anticipating them to be 2024’s drinks of the summer. One of the three new offerings, Summer Skies Drink, takes the Summer-Berry base (raspberry, blueberry and blackberry flavors), shakes it with coconut milk and ice, and serves it over raspberry flavored pearls.

Don’t let the name “raspberry flavored pearls” make you think they are anything new. They are nothing more than popping boba that has been on the menu at chains like Dunkin’ and Sonic. I was confused by the use of “pearls” instead of popping boba, as the term (at least to me) invokes the more traditional, chewy boba. Regardless, I was surprised to see Starbucks coming to this trend a little late.

Like most Refreshers, the drink has a nice pop of color. Reminiscent of a Bomb Pop, its visuals scream “summer.” Using the included boba straw, I took my first sip. As expected, I got a mouthful of the raspberry-flavored pearls, which overshadowed the base’s flavor. With the slightest bit of pressure, they popped, and the generic somewhat sweet raspberry taste filled my mouth.

Going back in, I made sure to try the base to get a better idea of its flavor. Without the pearls’ influence, it was a mildly sweet, berry delight. The coconut milk added a smooth creaminess and allowed the Summer-Berry base to shine. Trying the whole thing together (drink & pearls), I found the spherical additions almost unnecessary. They added the unique texture of popping boba, but I didn’t find they enhanced the drink’s taste. It was this nice, light, creamy beverage with a fake raspberry flavor at the end. Another thing of note, I was left with a large amount of pearls by the end. The size I got (grande) came with two scoops, which I felt made the drink-to-pearl ratio uneven.

Starbucks’ Summer Skies Drink is a refreshing summer option, but it doesn’t quite hit all the high notes. The real star is the Summer-Berry and coconut milk base; it offers a light, fruity, creamy sip that feels like summer. However, the boba pearls feel a bit like a trendy afterthought. They add texture, but their strong flavor clashes with the base. I might tinker with it (blended? or less pearls?) to see if it elevates the experience. For now, though, the Pink Drink will likely remain my go-to for a fruity, caffeinated summer pick-me-up.

Purchased Price: $6.45
Size: Grande
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 150 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 105 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 29 grams of sugar, 0 grams of protein, and 50 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Starbucks Spicy Cream Cold Foam

Holly 3 Comments

The barista raised her eyebrow after I placed my order. “Have you….” she paused. “Have you tried the spicy stuff yet?”

I ordered my standard drink (three shots over ice) and added the new Spicy Cream Cold Foam from Starbucks. This order prompted the barista to ask me the question laced with unspoken caution. No doubt people have been trying the drinks and, I’m guessing, disliking them. “No, I’m just curious to try it,” I answered.

The “swicy” (spicy + sweet) trend started in late 2023, but the combination of sweet and spicy is not new. I’ve been enjoying swicy foods such as hot honey and Tajin-dusted fruits for a while. By having the sweet element, it cuts down on the burning aspects that come with most spicy flavors that aren’t an enjoyable sensation to everyone.

Getting the drink, I could see the chili blend (paprika, chili powder, ancho chili powder, and cayenne pepper) in the cold foam. Interestingly, I couldn’t smell it; it smelled like the standard cold foam. My curiosity got the best of me, and I tried the foam on its own. At first, the blend of sweet heat was enjoyable. The creamy sweetness of the cold foam and chili spices gave me that swicy flavor I enjoy. However, a few moments later, things took a bit of a turn.

After the initial taste, I felt an uncomfortable, dry burning in the back of my throat. Even without knowing the exact spice blend at the time, I immediately knew the culprit for my discomfort: cayenne pepper. It had to be cayenne, as the sensation was exactly the same as when I tried the Master Cleanse diet years ago, which involved mixing maple syrup, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper into water.

Giving my drink a swirl, I took a sip to see if the espresso would help mellow the cayenne a bit. At the top of the sip, the addition of the espresso was wonderful. The normally somewhat bitter bean juice was smooth and had a bit of sweetness. The flavors were working so well, only to be ruined by the aftereffect of the cayenne’s dull burn in my throat.

I love seeing Starbucks taking swings with some of its newer drinks, but this wasn’t the home run I had hoped it would be. The flavor was outstanding, but the physical sensation from the cayenne was terribly uncomfortable. It wasn’t until I reached the last few sips that I tapped out. No amount of swirling could stop the settling of spice at the bottom of the drink. I imagine an iced latte might be better suited for the Spicy Cream Cold Foam, but I don’t think potentially being uncomfortable again is worth a second attempt.

Purchased Price: $4.90 (drink + cold foam)
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: Cold foam nutrition facts are unavailable on Starbucks’ website.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Nissin Everything Bagel Cup Noodles

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Everything bagels are my second favorite bagel flavor, so of course, I fell in love with Trader Joe’s Everything But The Bagel Seasoning and still use it almost daily. Since 2017, Everything seasoning has been a popular food trend and, as with most food trends, companies have tried to find ways to work it into their products. For 2024, Nissin Cup Noodles released a limited edition Everything Bagel with Cream Cheese flavored ramen as a follow-up to last year’s Breakfast ramen.

Announced as a limited edition flavor, it incorporates the spices (onion, garlic, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, caraway seeds) plus cream cheese flavor. Including caraway seeds gave me pause as they’re not commonly found in most Everything-seasoned items. I associate them more with rye bread, but I was curious to see how they would impact the overall flavor of the item.

After opening it, I went to fill it and encountered a unique issue: the noodles and powder had become a brick that the water couldn’t penetrate. A few (gentle) stabs to the noodles broke them up enough to let me fill the cup to the proper water level. After four minutes of cooking and one minute of standing, it was ready to be eaten.

Mixing it, the smell of “everything seasoning” was present but not overwhelming, and the sauce was smooth. It was still rather hot, but I didn’t want to wait too much longer, as I worried the seasoning would become soggy. My first few bites were surprisingly good. The seasoning still had a bit of crunch, the sauce was creamy, and the overall flavor was balanced.

The caraway was the strongest and the first ingredient I noticed. The mild anise (licorice) flavor stood out initially, but then the other Everything elements came through (garlic, onion, poppy seeds, sesame seeds) to mellow the initial taste. The sauce had no familiar cream cheese flavor, but that didn’t negatively impact the overall taste. The sauce’s creaminess sold the idea of “cream cheese” enough for me.

Everything seasoning has been the darling of the food trend world for a while now. Unfortunately, it has sort of gone the path of bacon and been more gimmick than gourmet. Thankfully, this item actually delivers a delicious interpretation of an Everything seasoned bagel. It won’t replace my usual morning breakfast, but I’ll keep a few cups around when I want to shake it up.

Purchased Price: $1.18
Size: 2.96 oz
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 container) 390 calories, 15 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, <5 milligrams of cholesterol, 1150 milligrams of sodium, 54 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 6 grams of sugar, and 9 grams of protein.