Category: Reviews

REVIEW: Sonic Red Bull Summer Edition Watermelon Slush

Vin

Sonic Red Bull Summer Edition Watermelon Slush

What is Sonic’s Red Bull Summer Edition Watermelon Slush?

Can I interest you in a frozen watermelon flavored Red Bull?

How is it?

It’s cool, it’s refreshing, and it hits the spot. That’s not to say it delivers on the whole “energy drink” aspect of it all.

I enjoyed Summer Edition Watermelon Red Bull when I reviewed it because it actually amped me up. The watermelon flavor was a little on the sour and unripe side, but there was no mistaking it was a Red Bull.

It’s pretty much the opposite here. This tastes like a slightly watered-down Watermelon Slush Puppy, all the way down to the consistency of the ice.

Without knowing it was a Red Bull based drink, you’d probably barely notice. Without carbonation, you lose that “jolt” of a typical Red Bull, and the ice and watermelon mask that unmistakable flavor.

Is there anything else you need to know?

Sonic Red Bull Summer Edition Watermelon Slush Closeup

I’ve always preferred Slurpees to Slush Puppy style frozen drinks. I like the very fine ice mush as opposed to the course little pebbles of ice you get from a Slush Puppy machine. For some reason, one big sip is an instant brain freeze. I can feel the little ice shards scraping against the roof of my mouth and it instantly sets off that pain alarm in my cranium. Gulpers beware!

Sonic didn’t seem to offer this in a small, which would have been my preferred size.

Also, Sonic, I think it’s time to get a grip on using Styrofoam cups, no? Sure, plastic isn’t exactly MUCH better, but at least I can pretend that won’t be laying in a landfill for the rest of my life. But I digress…

Conclusion:

It may be a strange summer, but this is worth a buy if you want a quick burst of cool refreshment. It’s sweeter than the Red Bull it mimics, but you won’t get a headache from all the sugar – you’ll get it from the ice.

Purchased Price: $1.99
Size: Medium
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 250 calories, 0 grams of fat, 75 milligrams of sodium, 65 grams of total carbohydrates, 65 grams of total sugars, 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Taco Bell Flamin’ Hot Doritos Locos Tacos

Louis 2 Comments

Taco Bell Flamin Hot Doritos Locos Tacos

In 2012, arguably, the most important fast food creation of the past twenty years hit our national gullet, the Doritos Locos Taco, available in Nacho Cheese and, soon after, Cool Ranch. Only the tastiest thinkers at Taco Bell could have come up with them, and, in return, a hungry America turned these tacos into a nationwide obsession.

I’m happy to say that I’m able to relive that minor passion with the recently released Taco Bell Flamin’ Hot Doritos Locos Taco. It’s a snack food that, with one burning bite, will take us back to those carefree times eight years ago when procuring a Locos Taco was the only pressing thing on our minds.

Taco Bell Flamin Hot Doritos Locos Tacos Innards

A daunting mix of the usual blend of seasoned ground beef, cheddar cheese, and cool lettuce, the star here is the crunchy taco itself: a full Doritos Locos shell covered in the fiery Flamin’ Hot powdery foodstuff. It’s a thick layer that’ll leave even the most casual of taco noshers licking their fingertips seductively just to catch every burning bit.

With a bit of salt to tease the coming heat, though flimsy, the shell truly is another one of Taco Bell’s orchestral delights. It fills the cheeks with an uncompromising heat that actually improves the somewhat rote innards. Take each bite slowly and with meaning to catch the exact moment when it goes from merely hot to Flamin’ Hot.

It’s a momentary slap of fast food sense upside the head, one that is much needed these days.

Taco Bell Flamin Hot Doritos Locos Tacos Standing

And while, unlike the loved Cool Ranch and beloved Nacho Cheese varieties, it might be a bit difficult to down more than two of these at a time, as the Flamin’ Hot variety is far more of an unholy expert’s taco. It’s one for the practiced professional that needs this heat in their life, perhaps with a dash of Diablo sauce for tongue-searing reimbursement.

Purchased Price: $1.89
Size: N/A
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 170 calories, 10 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 380 milligrams of sodium, 13 grams of carbohydrates, 3 gram of fiber, less than 1 gram of sugar, and 8 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Burger King Jalapeno Cheddar Bites

Louis 7 Comments

Burger King Jalapeno Cheddar Bites

What are Burger King Jalapeño Cheddar Bites?

Do you enjoy jalapeño poppers from other fast food chains, like those from Sonic and Jack in the Box?

Well, Burger King’s version is basically the same thing, but in a more convenient bite-sized format with a golden deep fried coating that hides a gorgeous glob of a tangy cheddar with tiny jalapeño bits swimming in it.

How are they?

While it would be easy to compare BK’s Jalapeño Cheddar Bites to something like its gimmicky Chicken Fries or Cheesy Tots, these mouth-filling morsels manage to move past that and land almost in a full-meal territory. A bag of eight eat-em-ups can fill almost anyone’s tummy with their somewhat spicy/definitely cheesy goodness.

Burger King Jalapeno Cheddar Bites Innards

Dipping sauce is not necessary.

The peppers provide a suitable enough heat, at least for most of the BK-buying public. While I wish it was a bit hotter, the big bites taste like chile con queso.

Is there anything else you need to know?

I purchased the stacked 8-pack for $2.09, but there is a smaller 4-bite set that runs a whole buck for smaller snack-addicts.

Conclusion:

A win from Burger King, the Jalapeño Cheddar Bites deliver more cheese than heat, but here that’s a great thing that works in its favor and flavor.

Purchased Price: $2.09
Size: 8-piece
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (8 pieces) 327 calories, 19 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 24 milligrams of cholesterol, 907 milligrams of sodium, 35 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 9 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Chips Ahoy Made with Hershey’s Milk Chocolate and Reese’s Pieces

Marvo 5 Comments

Chips Ahoy Made with Hershey s Milk Chocolate and Reese s Pieces

If candy had big egos, how would Hershey’s Milk Chocolate and Reese’s Pieces would feel about Chips Ahoy Made with Hershey’s Milk Chocolate also containing semisweet chocolate chips and Chips Ahoy Made with Reese’s Pieces also containing peanut buttery chips?

I imagine Hershey’s Milk Chocolate would be like, “I am THE Great American Chocolate Bar, and I’m not going to share cookie space with something that has semi- in its name.”

And I think Reese’s Pieces would say something like, “I’m not only beloved on this planet, but extraterrestrials also love me. So I don’t want peanut buttery chips around me to taint my galactic flavor.”

Because cookies can’t express themselves, I’ll do it on their behalf. I wish the chips were left out, and they were baked with only the Hershey products. But, even though that’s not the case, these are some tasty treats.

Original Chips Ahoy have a unique flavor, and obviously, the addition of Hershey’s Milk Chocolate changes that. But are these an improvement over the original?

Chips Ahoy Made with Hershey s Milk Chocolate

They are, but it’s a slight enhancement. I do appreciate there are chunks of the Hershey’s chocolate that dwarf the semisweet chips. The milk chocolate makes the cookie taste a bit sweeter than the original and brings a different texture that’s noticeably softer and melts easier than the darker chips.

But just like Original Chips Ahoy have a unique flavor, so does Hershey’s chocolate, and it was hard for my taste buds to detect it while eating the cookie. That’s not a bad thing, just something I noticed. Also, these seem crispier than regular Chips Ahoy and the Reese’s Pieces version.

Chips Ahoy Made with Reese s Pieces

Speaking of those, if you think about it, seeing Reese’s Pieces in cookies was something we’d eventually see because, let’s be honest, Reese’s has stuffed the peanut buttery candy buttons into everything else the brand offers, so it was time to expand out a little.

Those bites with a Reese’s Pieces had the flavor of the candy and an extra crunch from the shell. But because they’re not equally distributed throughout the cookie (something that’s also the case with the Hershey’s one), there were many bites with only the peanut buttery chips. Those tasted like a typical peanut butter cookie, but lighter in flavor. But despite those issues, I really enjoy these.

If I have a craving for inexpensive mass-produced cookies and these two are still on shelves next to Original Chips Ahoy, I’d choose either one over the classic. But, between the two new products, I’d give a slight edge to the Reese’s Pieces, but that’s because of my bias as an extraterrestrial.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free samples. Doing so did not influence my review in any way.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 9.5 oz.
Purchased at: Received from Nabisco
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Hershey’s), 7 out of 10 (Reese’s)
Nutrition Facts: (2 cookies) Hershey’s – 160 calories, 8 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 85 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, 9 grams of added sugars, and 1 gram of protein. Reese’s Pieces – 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 100 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, 8 grams of added sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Tiramisu Oreo Cookies

Sean 6 Comments

Limited Edition Tiramisu Oreo Cookies

The latest release in the lengthy limited edition category for Oreo takes us on a trip to Italy as Nabisco attempts to put a pocket-sized spin on a classic romantic dessert — Tiramisu. The perfect ending to a garlic and tomato-filled meal can now be put into your lunchpail, backpack, and night table for easy access bedside snacking so the romance can commence all night long.

Limited Edition Tiramisu Oreo is one of the more bold flavor choices for a limited edition variety, and I don’t mean in the weird way that Cotton Candy and Swedish Fish are, but this is a complex flavor to replicate.

As a quick refresher, tiramisu is a layered cake made up of sweet whipped mascarpone cheese, espresso-soaked ladyfingers, a hint of liqueur, and a dusting of cocoa powder.

Limited Edition Tiramisu Oreo Cookies Layers

The layered aspect of the dessert is represented in the Oreo as two different colored cremes – one lighter brown with a sweet coffee flavor, and a white one, which reminds me of a cross between Oreo’s birthday cake and cream cheese frosting flavored cremes.

Limited Edition Tiramisu Oreo Cookies White Creme

The latter is sweet but has a hint of funkiness that I associate with a cheese-based frosting, and I like that added kick. The coffee flavor here is subtle but present. I’m not sure if my mind is playing tricks on me, but I swear I can taste and smell a hint of the alcohol that usually lingers in the ladyfingers.

These cookies remind me of the very well executed Latte Fudge Dipped Oreo Thins Bites that came out a few weeks back. Those tasted a bit more like coffee with a chocolate frosting finish. But those are similar enough in flavor with these that I almost feel as though I would have been more impressed with Tiramisu Oreo if I hadn’t had the dipped ones first. But I can’t be mad at two awesome treats in one month.

Tiramisu Oreo is an excellent cookie – complex and true to its namesake, with a more enjoyable overall flavor than the only other full-sized coffee Oreo – 2017’s Dunkin Donuts Mocha. Its only weakness is it’s a bit too chocolate heavy to be a truly faithful representation of the Italian dessert. Luckily, that’s easily remedied by removing the top chocolate wafer.

Purchased Price: $3.49
Size: 12.2 oz.
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2 cookies) 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 2.5 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 13 grams of total sugars, and less than 1 gram of protein.