Category: Reviews

REVIEW: Sonic Trick or Treat Blast

Brandon 10 Comments

Sonic Trick or Treat Blast Cup

Never, in the history of man, has anyone ever proclaimed “Oreo” to be their favorite Halloween treat. This is because, quite obviously, Oreo cookies are not a Halloween candy. Much like a succulent ham, or a roast leg of lamb, they are an everyday indulgence that knows no seasonality. Therefore, the King of Sandwich Cookie’s inclusion in Sonic’s new Trick-or-Treat Blast is a bit confounding.

That said, it’s actually one of this treat’s few bright spots. I’ll explain in a bit.

But first, you’re probably asking, “What is this Sonic Trick-or-Treat Blast, anyway?” Well, let me tell you. This seasonal Sonic Blast comes in either vanilla or chocolate ice cream, and features Oreo cookie crumbles, mini M&M’s, and Snickers candy bar pieces.

So, you know, two perfectly fine Halloween candies and a random creme-filled cookie.

Sonic Trick or Treat Blast Top

Like I said, though, the cookie works well in the midst of all the ice cream chaos. And really, it’s because the ice cream-softened pieces give your teeth a much needed break. If you are at all familiar with ice cream “mix-ins,” you’ll know that M&M’s — particularly those of the miniature variety — are a cracked molar just lurking in a mountain of sugary goodness. Biting into the Blast for the first time, that was my initial thought: Dear God, please protect my teeth.

Sonic Trick or Treat Blast Spoon

My next thought was, hey, was that peanut butter, and if so, why? However, a nugget of nougat quickly followed and reminded me about the presence of Snickers; I’d simply encountered a rogue nut. The Snickers was a nice respite, but unfortunately, it seemed to be the least prevalent of the three inclusions.

Sonic Trick or Treat Blast Topless

By the lower 50% of the confection, in fact, it was a virtual wasteland, void of candy (and cookie) chunks; there was nothing left but plain ice cream featuring colorful streaks from the ghosts of M&M’s past.

And truly, that was the story of this Blast: bits and piece of mostly-indiscernible sweet stuff in regular vanilla ice cream. Nothing was bad (well, with the exception of the painful candy shard factor, I suppose), but nothing was really great, either. I was left thinking the whole thing felt a little one-dimensional. My 6-year-old had a bite and said, “YUMMY!” which, sure, why not. Perhaps she’s the target audience. And so, if you are a 6-year-old reading this review, this Sonic Trick or Treat Blast is a 10. But also, if you are a 6-year-old reading this review… huh? Shouldn’t you be not on the internet at all, please? I beg of you.

Anyway, what would have made this better? Well, some Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, for one. Maybe some Twix? How about a Butterfinger? You know, other actual Halloween candies. In true gluttonous American fashion, why not, as they say, go “big” or go “home”? Remember going to the soda fountain at the gas station when you were a kid and making a “suicide” with 10 different kinds of soda? Do that, but make it a Blast. That would have been a winner. Maybe next October.

Purchased Price: $4.59
Size: Small
Purchased at: Sonic
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: Unavailable on website.

REVIEW: Dairy Queen Oreo Mocha Fudge Blizzard

Denis 3 Comments

Dairy Queen Oreo Mocha Fudge Blizzard Cup

What is the Dairy Queen Oreo Mocha Fudge Blizzard?

It’s proof that the marketing department at Dairy Queen is lazy! OK, maybe they are not lazy, and I’m sure they have lots of other important work keeping them busy. But the Oreo Mocha Fudge Blizzard was part of the fall Blizzard menu announced back in early September (which, by the way, was still summer), and now the same flavor is the Blizzard of the Month for October. The DQ website even proclaims it to be “new.” This new-ish Blizzard features Oreo cookies, choco chunks, and coffee.

How is it?

Let me preface this review by saying I’m not a coffee drinker, and I think I’ve only had it maybe five times in my life. With that said, it’s not that I dislike the taste of coffee but rather that I view it simply as a vehicle to get caffeine into my bloodstream. As a kid, my preferred vehicle (besides the Ferrari poster on my wall) was Mountain Dew, then Red Bull and Monster, and now just any of the 217 varieties of energy drinks at the convenience store will do the trick for me. So I’ve never really felt the need to drink coffee, and being one who spills drinks with great regularity, I’ve found it better not to mess with liquids that are hot and/or brown. I trust your enjoyment of this Blizzard will partly depend on whether you like coffee, but I was a bit surprised how much I enjoyed this considering my coffee indifference.

Dairy Queen Oreo Mocha Fudge Blizzard Spoon

The coffee taste is rather mild and subdued, and if you get enough Oreo cookies and chocolate in a spoonful, you might forget the coffee flavor is even there. Oreo and choco chunks are two Blizzard staples that have appeared many times over the years, along with various sugary friends and for a good reason.

Dairy Queen Oreo Mocha Fudge Blizzard Dig

The big Oreo pieces are always tasty, especially when you get one with some crème filling still attached, and I love the way the magical Oreo dust gets mixed in throughout the Blizzard. And the choco chunks deliver an extra dose of chocolatey goodness throughout. The coffee flavor is just enough to make this version different, but not so much that it overpowers the chocolate flavors. It’s like the coffee knows that he or she is not the star of the show and is happy to play a supporting role.

Anything else you need to know?

This Blizzard does not contain coffee straight from the pot but instead has coffee concentrate, which includes ingredients that I can neither pronounce nor define, like polydimethylsiloxane. According to Wikipedia, my one-stop-shop for all research, polydimethylsiloxane is the “most widely used silicon-based organic polymer due to its versatility and properties leading to a manifold of applications.”

Dairy Queen Oreo Mocha Fudge Blizzard Top

Now that I have cleared that up for you, I researched whether this Blizzard might have any caffeine. After minutes more of research, my answer is that it probably has little, if any, but I don’t really know. Judging by the mild coffee taste, I don’t think too much coffee concentrate is used, so I had to drink a can of Lightning Tornado Laser Super Turbo Energy Drink that I picked up at 7-Eleven to finish this review.

Conclusion:

In general, I think there are three types of Blizzard: ones that are just OK (with ice cream and candy/cookies/brownies a Blizzard can never truly be bad), ones that are solidly good, and then a handful that truly stand out, like the long-gone-but-not-forgotten Nerds Blizzard.

This one falls into the middle category. It’s not worth dropping what you are doing to head to DQ (especially since it will likely still be around in November as part of the fall menu). But it’s certainly worth ordering one the next time you visit.

Purchased Price: $3.99
Size: Small
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Small) 740 calories, 30 grams of fat, 17 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 340 milligrams of sodium, 108 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 84 grams of sugar, and 14 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Kellogg’s Mermaid, Unicorn, and Birthday Cake Waffles

Holly 6 Comments

Kellogg s Mermaid Unicorn and Birthday Cake Waffles Boxes

Frozen waffles are one of those items I buy randomly, enjoy immensely, and then immediately forget about until the next time I see them on sale. While I could easily get sucked into a long winded diatribe about the simple joys of Eggo Mini Waffles, that’s not why we’re here. Nope, we’re here to look at three new frozen waffle varieties from Kellogg’s — Birthday Cake, Mermaid, and Unicorn.

For some reason I assumed it was an expansion to the already popular Eggo line, but they are stand alone Kellogg’s branded items. My theory is that they did this to try and appeal to the tween crowd who are like so totally over Eggo.

The pastel boxes help set them apart and announce that these aren’t your little sibling’s waffles. There is also the possibility they are trying to appeal to the lazy Instagramers who want the aesthetics of cute food with the flick of a toaster lever. Either way, I am neither of those and was cautiously optimistic as I walked with my arms full of frozen waffles to the self-checkout.

Mermaid

Kellogg s Mermaid Waffles Box

The Mermaid is a blue raspberry-flavored waffle.

The first thing that struck me was the strong blue raspberry smell. This worried me because if the smell was this intense, how overpowering is the taste going to be?

Blue raspberry as a flavor is always extremely hit or miss. Either it’s an overly sweet sugar assault or tastes more like raspberry with a hint of blue sugar. I also noticed it was a thicker waffle, more of the Belgium variety versus your standard frozen waffle.

Kellogg s Mermaid Waffles Closeup

After toasting, I went in for the first bite and found myself pleasantly surprised! Despite the strong smell, the blue raspberry wasn’t overpowering. A few more bites in and it reminded me of when you’d get those sno-cones with the chunky ice. All the flavor syrup would sink to the bottom, leaving just a hint of it at the top. That’s how subtle the blue raspberry came through.

It was a nice break from the expected and I could see it being a hit with kids.

Fun Mermaid Fact: Throughout history sailors often mistook manatees for mermaids.

Kellogg s Mermaid Waffles Fun Fact

Purchased Price: $2.96
Size: 11.6 oz/6 waffles
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutritional Facts: (1 Waffle) 130 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 260 milligrams of sodium, 26 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 7 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

Unicorn

Kellogg s Unicorn Waffles Box

The Unicorn is a cotton candy flavored waffle.

While I’m not a HUGE pink person, the pink hue of this waffle was incredibly appealing. Like, take down to the paint shop to have it matched for a bathroom trim cute.

Kellogg s Unicorn Waffles Closeup

Then I noticed what appeared to be blueberries embedded in. This immediately confused me. I looked the box over to see if blueberries were even an ingredient (they weren’t) and eventually concluded they must be “pieces” of cotton candy.

Much like the Mermaid, the smell out the box was strong. Also like the Mermaid, eating it resulted in a much more subtle flavor. However, where they diverge from one another is the little pockets of not-blueberries. With the Mermaid, I got an even flavor in every bite, but with the Unicorn it was incredibly inconsistent. The pieces with little to no sugar pockets tasted like generic waffles, but then I’d hit a vein of the blue-colored sugar pockets and get that cotton candy flavor.

Personally, I prefer when I get a more even distribution of flavor so this wasn’t a hit for me.

Fun Unicorn Fact: The Unicorn is the national animal of Scotland.

Kellogg s Unicorn Waffles Fun Fact

Purchased Price: $2.96
Size: 11.6 oz/6 waffles
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutritional Facts: (1 Waffle) 130 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 260 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 6 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

Birthday Cake

Kellogg s Birthday Cake Waffles Box

The Birthday Cake is a yellow cake flavored waffle with sprinkles

Just like the other two, the smell opening the box was very strong. However, as a big believer that there is no such thing as too much birthday cake, I was happy to inhale a deep breath of it.

Kellogg s Birthday Cake Waffles Closeup

Kellogg s Birthday Cake Waffles Split

Of the three, I found it to be the most visually pleasing. The rainbow sprinkles embedded in that unnaturally yellow color takes me back to homemade cupcakes in elementary school. Also, like the other two, the flavor is fairly subtle. I guess I was expecting it to be more like cake batter turned into waffles, but instead it was a waffle flavored to taste like cake.

To its credit, it had that unmistakable cake flavor. The rainbow sprinkles added a little sweetness, but overall just seemed pretty. Of the three, it was the most enjoyable. Unlike the other two flavors, I feel there is a lot more that these can be used for outside simply heating and eating.

Maybe if they get put into the deep freeze, I can add a little whipped cream and turn them into a panic birthday cake next time I forget someone’s birthday.

Fun Birthday Fact: About 15 million people are celebrating their birthday today!

Kellogg s Birthday Cake Waffles Fun Fact

Purchased Price: $2.96
Size: 11.6 oz/6 waffles
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutritional Facts: (1 Waffle) 130 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 240 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 6 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

A few final thoughts on these products. If you always put butter and/or syrup on their waffles, I’d tread very carefully.

While I’d personally recommend them plain and toasted, I realize that makes me probably sound like a sociopath. Trying all three with just butter it didn’t necessarily take away from the flavors, but it certainly didn’t enhance them. If you’re the kind of person that needs some moisture on their waffles, this is the way to go.

Kellogg s Mermaid Unicorn and Birthday Cake Waffles Closeup Syrup

However, adding syrup was a disaster. It immediately overpowered all of them and made for a very bizarre flavor profile with the Mermaid and Unicorn. The Birthday Cake was the only slightly passable one with the syrup, but even then it still was weird. Otherwise, they are more than enjoyable enough plain and toasted. I’d love to see some other unique flavors.

Maybe a Kraken-flavored one? Green and just salty?

REVIEW: Crush Sour Patch Kids Berry Soda

Marvo 4 Comments

Crush Sour Patch Kids Berry Soda

What is Crush Sour Patch Kids Berry Soda?

It’s a blue raspberry-flavored and Blue 1-dyed soda with a sour twist that’s brought to you by our friends at Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc. and Mondelez International. Also, like all Crush sodas, it’s caffeine free.

How is it?

It has that familiar, sweet blue raspberry aroma. But if I jam my nose into the bottle’s spout and take a good sniff, I smell a hint of something that could be considered tropical. Maybe that’s from the sour ingredients. Or possibly my nose got damaged from jamming it into a bottle’s spout. But, as a whole, it smells wonderful and enticing.

But I’m hesitant to use those same adjectives to describe the soda’s flavor.

Look, it sounds like I’m about to type that I hate this Cool Water cologne bottle-colored soda, but after drinking half of it, I find it to be decent tasting. However, I’m not craving for another bottle.

The blue raspberry flavor is super sweet, and perhaps too sweet for my taste buds. Its sourness level is noticeable, but it isn’t high enough to make me pucker even a little after each sip. But it does make me want to drink this slower than other soft drinks. Also, just like when I took a good sniff from its spout, I noticed something that registers as “tropical” in the aftertaste.

Anything else you need to know?

This isn’t the first Sour Patch Kids soda. 7-Eleven and Jones Soda Company partnered to come out with the Sour Patch Kids Watermelon Soda back in 2016. It’s also not the first collaboration between Crush and Sour Patch Kids. Earlier this year, the two offered Crush-flavored candy.

Also, is this the season for blue raspberry beverages?

Conclusion:

Crush Sour Patch Kids Berry is a novelty soda, and like most novelty foods, it’s worth a try at least once.

Purchased Price: More than anyone should pay on eBay
Size: 20 fl oz bottle
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bottle) 290 calories, 0 grams of fat, 105 milligrams of sodium, 75 grams of carbohydrates, 74 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Talenti Gelato Layers Pumpkin Pie

Brandon 3 Comments

Talenti Pumpkin Pie Gelato Layers Tub

What is Talenti Gelato Layers Pumpkin Pie

A seasonal offering from the undisputed gelato king of Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Talenti’s layered pumpkin pie offering goes: pumpkin gelato, pie pieces, brown sugar sauce, pumpkin gelato again, and more pie pieces.

How is it?

Talenti Pumpkin Pie Gelato Layers Top

The first time I tried it, I wanted to call it “bland” or maybe “inoffensive.” You know, the Neil Diamond of frozen dairy-based confections. I didn’t like how I couldn’t easily get all three layers in one spoonful, or how the “brown sugar sauce” didn’t seem to have the cinnamon undercarriage brown sugar generally requires in a dessert setting. (Cinnamon is listed as an ingredient, for what it’s worth.) And while the pie pieces are, I don’t know, dough-like(?), overall, the texture is one-note and is missing a good crunch.

Talenti Pumpkin Pie Gelato Layers Closeup

But then I had some the next day, and although nothing in the gelato had technically changed — the brown sugar sauce and the pie pieces were still limply uninspired — I found myself thinking everything was SO GOOD! SO GOOD! (That’s a Neil Diamond reference for those of you who aren’t a 65-year-old aunt.) Instead of being upset with the gelato’s gentle nature, I found myself appreciating the subtlety of the pumpkin flavor. As an unabashed pumpkophile, I generally want my pumpkin to be aggressive and unapologetic; if you are not a fan this approach, however, you might enjoy this gelato.

Anything else you need to know?

Will Ferrell doing Neil Diamond doing an episode of VH1’s Storytellers on SNL in 1998 is seriously one of the greatest Ferrell moments in his tenure on the show. Drop whatever you’re doing, open another tab (don’t leave TIB, obviously), Google it and then watch the video. Tell me it’s not amazing, I dare you.

Conclusion:

If you want an in-your-face, violent pumpkin gelato, this probably isn’t it. But if you’re in the market for a smooth, reasonable dose of gourdy goodness, this is a good bet. (Mostly because I don’t think there is a ton of pumpkin gelato out there to choose from.)

Purchased Price: $4.29
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 280 calories, 13 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 60 milligrams of sodium, 37 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 grams of fiber, 29 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.