Category: Reviews

REVIEW: Pizza Hut Supremo Detroit-Style Pizza

Holly 8 Comments

Pizza Hut Supremo Detroit Style Pizza Box

It wasn’t a conscious choice on my or my husband’s part, but we’ve slowly slipped into a routine where every Saturday is pizza for dinner. When the targeted Pizza Hut ad came across YouTube advertising the return of the Detroit-Style pizza, I knew where our next Saturday pizza would be coming from.

First introduced in January 2021, this is the third release of this limited-time-only pizza from the chain. A departure from its standard circular offerings, the Detroit-Style pizza stands out with its rectangular shape, thick crust, extra cheese, and sauce strips on top. When it comes to toppings, you can choose from three recipes or build your own. We went with the Supremo, a new option that included Italian sausage, green peppers, and red onions.

I missed out on trying the item the first two times, so I was excited to get a chance to taste it for myself. While I am very much in the camp of NY Style pizza, I have a soft spot for the thicker pan-pizzas. I was shocked by the box’s weight when I picked it up. It’s certainly a lot of pizza in a smaller container.

Pizza Hut Supremo Detroit Style Pizza Top

When opening the box, I couldn’t help but immediately notice the sauce unevenly globbed on top of the pizza. I expected this and was ready to spread it more evenly across the pizza with my spoon. Visually, the green peppers and Italian sausage were there and well distributed throughout the item. The red onions were, unfortunately, substituted with their boring cousin: white onions.

Pizza Hut Supremo Detroit Style Pizza Slice Smothered

I went for a corner like the packaging recommended for my first piece. My first bite was overwhelmingly dominated by Pizza Hut’s sweet sauce, and I had never realized how sweet it was until this moment. In an effort to taste more than just the sauce, I scraped some off the top. My second bite was much more enjoyable without the mouthful of sweet red sauce. The focaccia-like texture of the crust was absolutely delightful. It was light but also had a denseness that held up to the toppings.

The toppings were present but got a bit lost in the sauce, so to speak. The Italian sausage brought an earthy savoriness, and the green peppers brought a bright crispness to the pizza when you got a bite not drowning in sweet sauce. The onions were barely noticeable both in flavor and visually. The cheese was the star for me with this item. The salty, gooeyness helped save the pizza from being completely overwhelmed by the sauce and greatly improved my enjoyment of it.

Obviously, this is a popular item to be on its third limited edition run in less than two years, but it was middle-of-the-road for me. I liked the base, cheese, and toppings, but the sauce was a huge negative for my personal tastes. If it was a less sweet sauce, it might have been a hit for me, but as it is now, it’s not something I’d get again.

Purchased Price: $12.99
Size: N/A
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 square) 290 calories, 13 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 570 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 12 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Doritos Ketchup and Doritos Spicy Mustard

Tiffany 16 Comments

Doritos Ketchup and Spicy Mustard Bag

Name a more American flavor combination than ketchup and mustard. I’ll wait.

Doritos boldly shares its take on this iconic combo with its new limited edition Classic Ketchup and Spicy Mustard flavored chips.

To clarify, the ketchup flavor is only new to the United States as our upstairs neighbors in Canada have been noshing on this since 2014. The spicy mustard one is completely new, inspired by Chinese hot mustard.

Before we get into each flavor, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that Doritos’ texture is always on point. It’s never soggy or stale – unless it’s user error and I leave the bag open. These baddies followed suit and were crunchy.

Doritos Ketchup Closeup

With that, let’s start with ketchup first: if I could only use one condiment for the rest of my life, it would be Heinz ketchup. This was no 57, but for once, I wasn’t not mad about it. The chips were simultaneously pungent, tangy, sweet but perfectly counterbalanced with the softer corn note of the tortilla chip. It was so flavorful that it almost reminded me of the punch of sea salt and vinegar chips, but with a bit of a sweeter flavor. I was also surprised by the pop of flavor because the seasoning did look a bit sparse.

Doritos Spicy Mustard Closeup

Onto the spicy mustard one – I regularly consume Chinese hot mustard. I make it to eat with dumplings, dim sum, bratwurst, and more! So, I am thrilled to share the fantastic news that we can all consume Doritos Spicy Mustard flavored chips without destroying our nasal passages! The chips were relatively mild compared to the actual condiment but were still distinctly mustard. It was almost Dijon-like but with a bigger kick on the end. Depending on how sensitive you are to heat, this could taste spicy to you.

Eating them together, however, was…underwhelming. Clearly, they weren’t necessarily meant to complement because the ketchup overpowered the mustard. Also, I sure as heck will not be using these to replace the actual condiments on my food any time soon. These are a great side of plate friends though!

Doritos Ketchup and Spicy Mustard Back

Unfortunately, these were available as a limited time on Frito-Lay’s website (Snacks.com) and they’re officially sold out. But, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them in store in the future! When that day comes, make sure to snag a bag (or a couple!)

Purchased Price: $5.59 each
Size:
Purchased at: Snacks.com
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Ketchup), 9 out of 10 (Spicy Mustard)
Nutrition Facts: (28g/about 11 chips) Ketchup – 150 calories, 7 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Spicy Mustard – 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, less than 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Mtn Dew Baja Deep Dive

Jenna 3 Comments

Mtn Dew Baja Deep Dive Can

This review started with seven simple words, texted by my partner as he checked our mail: “Hey, did you order an exclusive Dew?”

I hadn’t… but my confusion quickly gave way to unadulterated joy. A month or so prior, I’d tracked down all three of Summer 2022’s Baja flavors — the OG and its new and surprisingly-elusive-in-my-neck-of-the-woods friends Baja Mango Gem and Baja Gold — diligently plugged the codes on their caps into Mountain Dew’s website for a stab at the Lost Treasures of Baja Island sweepstakes, and then summarily forgotten all about it… until I returned home triumphant to a coveted six-pack of my Baja Deep Dive winnings!

Mtn Dew Baja Deep Dive Box

Sure, it sounds a little less impressive when I specify that I’m a mere one of 18,000 beverage buffs who got lucky this time around, but still, free, surprise, only-available-from-a-contest Mountain Dew straight to one’s doorstep is nothing to scoff at!

Mtn Dew Baja Deep Dive Glass

I eagerly cracked open a tall, spiffy dark purple can of this subnautical nectar, which is decorated with what seems to be an artist’s interpretation of what normal fish would mutate into if oceans were made of Mountain Dew. A poison-dart-frog-bright, slightly bluish green (appropriately, one could even call it “sea green”) liquid whose hue I can best describe as “Yep, that sure is Mountain Dew-colored” pulsed out.

The perplexing potion smelled deliciously — and aggressively — fruity, candy-like even, but not in a way that I could immediately attribute to any particular flavor. If you’re familiar with Mountain Dew, such sugar-soaked ambiguity is probably not surprising. It is probably also not surprising when I report that this aquatic libation tastes… pretty much how just it smells. It’s violently sweet and heavily reminiscent of its citrus-y, mango-y, pineapple-y Baja brethren, but with a strange aftertaste that, bizarrely, reminded me of cucumber. A thorough sweep of the pleasantly active Mountain Dew community on Reddit suggests that I may literally be the only person in the world who thought that. Neat!

Mtn Dew Baja Deep Dive Descript

Oh yeah, did I mention this is a mystery flavor? As of late I’ve been on an equally amused and bemused quest to try as many flavors of Dew as possible, but nevertheless, I haven’t yet developed the skill of actually being able to differentiate between them very well. So, when it came to cracking this maritime mystery, I was a bit lost at sea.

Mtn Dew Baja Deep Dive Graphics

A deep dive into, well, Deep Dive produced a few hints that were as well-buried as a hidden treasure. Notably, there is a diver on the can whose mask looks like a pineapple, but that was about all I could fish up on my lonesome. (The can also prominently features, among other things, an eel, an anglerfish, and what appears to be a sentient grenade with a narwhal horn, so I hope those aren’t also clues about the ingredients at play here!)

Fortunately, the trusty True Dew-ers of the internet have also unearthed the tantalizing tidbit that the font used on this can is the same as on the dearly departed Mountain Dew Pitch Black, which was grape flavored. Come to think of it, aren’t sea grapes a thing? If that somehow ends up being this flavor’s secret identity, Team Mountain Dew deserves a hearty tip of my pirate’s hat (but maybe also an eye roll).

All in all, the allure of this oceanic new edition, just like the allure of any Mountain Dew, is both difficult to describe and difficult to deny.

Purchased Price: Free as a sweepstakes prize
Size: 16 oz cans
Purchased at: n/a, only available to winners of the Lost Treasures of Baja Island sweepstakes
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) 220 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 65 milligrams of sodium, 59 grams of carbohydrates, 59 grams of sugar, 0 grams of protein, and 72 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Mtn Dew Energy Code Red

Marvo 5 Comments

Mtn Dew Energy Code Red Can

It makes me feel old knowing that the original Mtn Dew Code Red is over 20 years old. It’s been on shelves for so long that I can type the following: The new Mtn Dew Energy Code Red is not your father’s Mtn Dew Code Red.

I feel like it was just yesterday when my mind was blown seeing another Dew flavor next to the original. At the time, the way the original green Mountain Dew and Code Red looked on the shelf together made it seem like Mtn Dew was celebrating Christmas.

Mtn Dew Energy Code Red is the latest flavor in the Energy Drink Formerly Known As Mtn Dew Rise Line. It’s also the flavor with the damn best looking can of the bunch. It features 180 milligrams of caffeine, vitamin C and zinc for immune support, has five percent juice, and zero grams of added sugar like all the Mtn Dew Energy flavors in less eye-catching cans.

Mtn Dew Energy Code Red Cup

With the first sip, it’s recognizable as the Dew with a rush of cherry flavor. But if you’re hoping for a taste that’s a carbon copy of the original Mtn Dew Code Red, thanks to the artificial sweeteners, you won’t get that. I guess it’s more like the Zero Sugar version. Although this isn’t completely sugar free. There’s a little bit from the five percent of white grape juice in it, which does a little to hide the sucralose, aspartame, and acesulfame potassium. As someone who is used to energy drinks with artificial sweeteners from Monster, some of which are hard to tell if they’re sugar free, I don’t mind that this doesn’t have the same sugary bite as the original.

Despite being one of my favorite Dew flavors, it’s been a while since I’ve had a Mtn Dew Code Red, so it was nice to revisit it in this energy drink form. Although its flavor is not unique in the Mtn Dew Universe, this might be my favorite in the Mtn Dew Energy line, slightly edging out Tropical Sunrise.

Purchased Price: More than one should pay on eBay
Size: 16 fl oz can
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 can) 25 calories, 0 grams of fat, 170 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of sugar (including 0 grams of added sugar), and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Snyder’s of Hanover Snyderfest Beer Cheese Pretzel Pieces

Vin 7 Comments

Snyder s of Hanover Snyderfest Beer Cheese Pretzel Pieces Bag

What is it?

While certain corners of the internet were campaigning to “Release the Snyder Cut,” I was yelling at anyone who would listen to “Release the Snyder Pieces!”

Well, it appears someone at Snyder’s of Hanover heard my cry because it has dropped a new Beer Cheese flavor just in time to celebrate Oktoberfest.

Thank you, and you’re welcome.

Snyder s of Hanover Snyderfest Beer Cheese Pretzel Pieces

How is it?

I’ve always been a fan of Snyder’s Pieces because there aren’t many flavored pretzels on the market. I used to snack on the brand’s wide array of flavors all the time, but that was before I lost my dental insurance and got extremely paranoid about chomping down on rock hard pretzel pieces.

Snyder s of Hanover Snyderfest Beer Cheese Pretzel Pieces in the Bag

It’d been a while since I’d carefully indulged, so when I heard about these, I figured it’d been long enough and decided to put my molars back at risk.

Guess what? They’re good. Obviously. Do I really need to sell you on cheese-flavored sourdough pretzel pieces?

The flavor here is basically cheddar with the hint of a sweet lager.

I was afraid these would be a bright orange, generic “cheese” tasting mess, but the flavor is more along the lines of a soft white cheddar. It lets the pretzel pieces breathe, making for a balanced flavor trio of cheese, “beer,” and the bready pretzel itself.

Anything else you need to know?

Snyder s of Hanover Snyderfest Beer Cheese Pretzel Pieces Plate

I find that the beer gets lost in some so-called “beer cheese” dips, so I was excited by how much it shined through. It made for a unique flavor blend you don’t often get in the snack aisle.

Also, I could be wrong, but the pieces seemed softer and not quite as treacherous as I remember. It’s also possible I was enjoying them so much that I stopped caring about my chompers.

Conclusion:

I think I kinda loved these, but I should warn you, they’re ridiculously salty. I mean, it’s a cheese-flavored pretzel, so that’s to be expected, right?

I’m not encouraging anyone to drink, but a nice Oktoberfest brew would counteract the salt pretty well. Just have one though, and be safe.

Prost!

Purchased Price: $3.59
Size: 10 oz
Purchased at: Wegmans
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 oz) 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 260 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of total sugars, 1 gram of fiber, and 2 grams of protein.