Marvo

REVIEW: McDonald’s Sweet & Spicy Jam Sauce and Mambo Sauce

Marvo / October 8, 2023 / Reviews / 2 Comments

McDonald’s Hot Mustard is my default sauce. I’ve dipped my Chicken McNuggets in them for the past, um, I can’t remember how long. It’s extremely rare for me to deviate from that, although there was that brief dark moment when McDonald’s discontinued it and brought it back. My sauce swaying also happens when the Golden Arches offers new dips. The latest are Sweet & Spicy Jam and Mambo.

According to McDonald’s, the Sweet & Spicy Jam is a jammy red pepper sauce with a Szechuan peppercorn kick and extra heat from cayenne pepper, and finished with apple cider vinegar. It’s McDonald’s first-ever breakfast-inspired dipping sauce in the US. While the chain recommends trying it with various breakfast menu items, it’s available all day. Mambo is a tomato-based, sweet, spicy, and vinegary. It’s inspired by the popular condiment found at many Washington DC restaurants.

The first thought that came to mind after trying the Sweet & Spicy Jam was Panda Express, probably because of the Szechuan peppercorns. And at the same time, I thought it tasted like a spicier version of something else McDonald’s has offered. It’s sweet, peppery, spicy, and a little something else. It warmed the back of my mouth but didn’t become anything more than mild. After scraping whatever I could from the container with a rigid French fry, proving that I enjoyed it, I thought about it and realized it’s like a spicy sweet & sour sauce.

As for the Mambo Sauce, I should start with a full disclosure: This is my first experience with it (it’s also known as mumbo sauce) since I live on the opposite side of the country from where it’s famous. But Mambo is instantly the most fun Chicken McNuggets sauce name to say. It’s much spicier than the Sweet & Spicy Jam and has a slight fruitiness that I think might be pineapple. But it tastes like a sweet and peppery barbecue sauce that happens to make my head sweat a little.

I wanted to end this review by typing that the Sweet & Spicy Jam is my new jam, but I’d be lying because Hot Mustard is still my jam, er, mustard. Both new sauces are tasty takes on the pairing of sweet and spicy, and I enjoyed them equally. They’re definitely worth a try if you enjoy that flavor combo.

Purchased Price: Comes with 10-piece Chicken McNuggets
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: Sweet & Spicy Jam – 80 calories. Mambo Sauce – 60 calories. No other information is available on McDonald’s website.

REVIEW: Jack in the Box Angry Monster Tacos

Marvo / October 7, 2023 / Reviews / 3 Comments

I’m angry that Jack in the Box’s new Angry Monster Tacos don’t have jalapeños. Okay, I’m not irate, but I’m confused by their exclusion because they would’ve made these truly angry. When monsters get angry, like Godzilla, they may burn things down, so why not attempt to burn my mouth with these.

An order of Angry Monster Tacos comes with two spicy seasoned tacos with shredded lettuce, American cheese, and taco sauce inside “angry” red shells that are in neat monster-themed sleeves. Looking through the Jack in the Box app, ordering just one is impossible. But if you want to feel the anger without committing to two, you can order a pair with one regular Monster Taco and an Angry one.

So how angry are these? They’re definitely spicier and more peppery than a regular Jack in the Box Taco, but they’re not hot enough to make me wish I’d ordered a cold Coke product to go along with them, even after eating both. If you’re a fan of Jack’s regular tacos and not spice-adverse, you’ll probably like these because they pretty much taste like them but spicier. Nothing about them makes me like them more than Jack’s regular offering, and they’re flavorful enough that you don’t even need the taco sauce packets that you’ll probably be given. Although I wonder what flavor they would have if dipped into a container of Good Good Sauce or Creamy Avocado Lime Sauce.

But now let’s end on that red shell. It’s all color, no calefaction or flavor. I’ll admit its dark red hue does look cool, and much like wearing dark colors makes one look slimmer, its color makes the obligatory oil-soaked center available with all Jack in the Box tacos look less noticeable. It’s neat enough that I wouldn’t be angry if Jack used the same shell for Angry Santa Tacos or something in a few weeks.

Purchased Price: $3.00 for 2
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 440 calories – other nutritional info is unavailable on Jack in the Box’s website.

Fast Food Jack in the Box

NOT FOOD: Swag Garlic Pepper Japanese Doritos Boxer Briefs

Marvo / October 6, 2023 / NOT FOOD, Spotted on Shelves / 4 Comments

It’s so weird Swag is putting out boxer briefs with a Japanese Doritos flavor bag design. There are so many other flavors that deserve to be on boxer briefs, like Doritos Roulette, Flamin’ Hot Nacho, Screamin’ Sriracha, Spicy Sweet Chili, and Jumpin’ Jack Doritos. (Spotted by Robbie at Marshalls.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email ([email protected]) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

SPOTTED: Everything Bagel Pringles

Marvo / October 6, 2023 / Spotted on Shelves

I wonder if Julius Pringles came up with this flavor so that he would be able to get the flavors of an Everything bagel, but without having to deal with the seeds and seasoning getting into his mustache. (Spotted by Dana at Price Chopper.)

SPOTTED: 10/6/2023

Marvo / October 6, 2023 / Spotted on Shelves

Here are some interesting new products found on store shelves by your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of them, share your thoughts in the comments.