Tag: Fast Food

REVIEW: Jack in the Box Caesar and Fajita Jack Wraps

Marvo Leave a comment

When Jack Wraps debuted in 2023, I complained in my review about how small the chicken pieces were compared to the tortilla. They were so dinky that I couldn’t help but feel ripped off. But now Jack Wraps are packing a chicken tender that’s strikingly larger and meatier than those found in the original. Also, there are two new varieties: Caesar and Fajita.

The Caesar Jack Wrap features grilled white meat chicken strips or a crispy chicken strip with shredded lettuce, tomato, and Caesar dressing wrapped in a warm flour tortilla. The Fajita Jack Wrap has grilled white meat chicken strips or a fried white meat chicken strip with caramelized onions, shredded cheddar, lettuce, tomato, and chipotle ranch swaddled in a flour tortilla. I decided to get both with the crispy chicken for this review.

Of the two, the Caesar one was my favorite, although the Caesar dressing sometimes reminded me more of tartar sauce than a salad dressing. Maybe whatever seasoning is in the chicken’s breading throws the taste slightly off. However, when I got a generous gob of the Caesar, the savory flavors of the dressing stood out more. Also, the chicken’s crispy breading kind of brought croutons to mind. As for the tomato slice, it really doesn’t offer much other than making me reminisce about how Costco’s Chicken Caesar Salad from the food court used to have cherry tomatoes.

Maybe I’ve watched too many Chili’s commercials, but I believe bell peppers are one of the main ingredients in fajitas, so I’m disappointed they weren’t included in the Fajita Jack Wrap. However, the ingredients that are in the tortilla create a tasty menu item, except for the caramelized onions, which aren’t noticeable. The cheddar and the smoky and tangy chipotle ranch give this wrap a fajita vibe. I guess the sauce’s pepperiness is a decent stand-in for the bell peppers that should’ve been in this.

While I wouldn’t recommend the original Jack Wraps back in 2023, I have no problem recommending these updated versions. Thanks to the larger chicken strips, they’re surprisingly hefty, making them quite filling. And they don’t make me feel like I’ve been ripped off.

Purchased Price: $3.69 each
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Caesar), 7 out of 10 (Fajita)
Nutrition Facts: Caesar – 430 calories. Fajita – 410 calories. Other nutritional numbers aren’t available on Jack in the Box’s website or app.

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Sabrina’s Brown Sugar Shakin’ Espresso

Tiffany 1 Comment

Dunkin’ is bringing some exciting espresso energy into the new year. On December 31st, it announced the limited time “Sabrina’s Brown Sugar Shakin’ Espresso” beverage in partnership with pop singer Sabrina Carpenter.

If you don’t know who that is, her hit song “Espresso” single-handedly helped Americans pronounce espresso correctly. Hint: it’s not ex-presso!

Because Starbucks popularized the iced shaken espresso, I had to compare the OG (Starbucks’ Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso) to this Dunkin’ offering.

Starting with beverage build: While the beverage may seem simple – espresso, brown sugar, and oatmilk – there are differences in how each is made.

First, the espresso itself: Dunkin’ uses what it calls “bold espresso,” which I assume is a standard dark roast. Starbucks uses blonde espresso, a lighter roast with a higher caffeine content. Second, the brown sugar: Dunkin’ calls it “brown sugar notes,” whereas Starbucks specifies “brown sugar and cinnamon together.” Lastly, I will quickly note that both list “oatmilk,” but spoiler alert: this ingredient makes a huge difference in taste.

Now, onto the actual beverage experience and taste test: The first thing I noticed was size (insert one of Sabrina Carpenter’s dirty jokes here, as she often makes them). I usually don’t order Dunkin’ and Starbucks simultaneously, but the value comparison was striking when compared side-by-side. A small iced at Dunkin’ is 16 ounces, whereas a small at Starbucks is 12 ounces. The latter is 15% more expensive and 4oz less! +1 to Dunkin’.

However, I’d rather have less of a good thing than more of a “just okay” thing. Flavor-wise, Starbucks’ version just tasted better. It had more depth – the brown sugar tasted less corn syrup-like and more deep and developed with the cinnamon as the final note.

Dunkin’s version, on the other hand, started strong. It was more espresso-forward, but I couldn’t get over the aftertaste. It wasn’t overpowering but faintly artificial and what I can only describe as “eggy” or yolk-like tasting, which I attributed to the oatmilk. Dunkin’ typically uses Planet Oat oatmilk, while Starbucks uses Oatly.

Ultimately, Dunkin’s drink reminded me more of a “regular” Starbucks Iced Shaken Espresso—not quite delivering on the promise of a Brown Sugar Oatmilk Espresso.

Sabrina made me do it, but I’m sticking to Starbucks for this shaken espresso rendition!

Purchased Price: $4.89
Size: Small (16 oz)
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 120 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 70 milligrams of sodium, 26 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 18 grams of sugar (including 18 grams of added sugar), and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Baskin-Robbins Cinnamon Roll Ice Cream

Marvo Leave a comment

Cinnabon is the Febreeze of a shopping mall. When you are within the aroma radius of a Cinnabon, all the other smells are enveloped by the enticing lure of cinnamon, cream cheese, and dough. While the Eau de Cinnabon is strong, the flavors of one of its famous cinnamon rolls are even stronger. However, that bold taste is not what you get with Baskin-Robbins’ Flavor of the Month Cinnamon Roll Ice Cream, which features cinnamon roll ice cream, dough pieces, and cinnamon cream cheese swirls.

The cinnamon roll base has a mild cinnamon flavor with a little something else that makes it taste a little bit different than a straight-up cinnamon-flavored ice cream. While the actual baked good has a bold flavor from the spice, it doesn’t hit the taste buds as hard here. With that said, it doesn’t lack flavor or anything like that, but again, it’s just that I wish the warm spice punch was more potent. Not even the cinnamon cream cheese swirls did anything to amp things up.

As for the cream cheese, the same thing I’ve written about the cinnamon level in this scoop above can be written about the cream cheese taste. While it’s definitely noticeable and gives the ice cream scoop a pleasant tanginess, it’s as slight as the spice.

As for the dough pieces, they don’t seem to add any cinnamon or cream cheese taste. They’re just there to provide a texture similar to the cookie dough pieces you’d find in any chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. As someone who loves those chewy pieces whenever they show up in ice cream, I have no complaints about their texture, but I wish they added something to help enhance the flavor.

I know I sound down about Baskin-Robbins Cinnamon Roll Ice cream, but I definitely did enjoy it. Again, I just wish the cinnamon and cream cheese notes were stronger instead of tasting closer to what I imagine eating the cinnamon and cream cheese-saturated air inside a Cinnabon location is like.

Purchased Price: $4.39
Size: Single Scoop
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2.5 scoop) 180 calories, 9 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 19 grams of sugar (including 16 grams of added sugar), and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Starbucks Cortado

Heather 5 Comments

Hello, Cortado!

Starbucks is starting the year with a bang – well, a real caffeine bang – with the introduction of the Cortado. It has three ristretto shots of the Starbucks Blonde Espresso and steamed milk.

To start, let’s have a primer on what a ristretto shot is. Yes, a ristretto shot is an espresso shot, but the way it’s made is slightly different. There is less water “pulled” with the shot from the espresso machine, so while it uses the same amount of ground coffee as a regular shot, there’s less liquid that actually comes from the machine. So to put it simply, it’s more concentrated. There’s a lot of caffeine in a little liquid!

OK, on to the review! Holy cannoli, this might be my new favorite drink. First of all, it comes in a short cup (8 ounces), and it is ADORABLE. I think this is the first time I’ve ever ordered a short drink at Starbucks (and I’ve been a proud gold card member since 2013). It somehow made the drink FEEL less intense despite the three shots inside!

The Blonde Espresso here really has a nice, light flavor. Combined with the steamed milk, I really liken this to a latte. Same concept – espresso and milk – just with the method described above. So if you’re a latte lover, consider trying this as an alternative when you need more of a buzz. It was buttery and biscuit-y in flavor and very smooth to drink. If you’re customizing, you can certainly choose a milk alternative here (whole milk is the standard recipe).

I certainly didn’t notice a taste difference with the ristretto shot, so don’t be wary of that. But the 230 milligrams of caffeine did power me through the afternoon! You could start your day with the Cortado or have it as a pick-me-up. I highly recommend and am looking forward to more of these in my future. A great way to start the new year!

Purchased Price: $4.45
Size: Short
Purchased at: Starbucks
Rating: 10 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 90 calories, 4.5 grams of total fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 60 milligrams of sodium, 8 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 6 grams of total sugars, 5 grams of protein, and 230 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Lava Cake Signature Latte

Julie 2 Comments

What’s the best way to get your New Year’s resolutions off to a rip-roaring start?

Cake for breakfast.

As if their doughnuts weren’t enough to help live this dream, Dunkin’ has released a Lava Cake Signature Latte as part of its new winter menu. Available in hot or iced varieties, the latte is inspired by molten chocolate cakes, which release a hot and gooey chocolate center when you cut into them. (Warning: This moment usually elicits an “ooh and aah!” from bystanders as the chocolate flows freely on your plate, but attempting to recreate this effect with a beverage will result in an “Argh!” as hot liquid spills all over your jeans.)

I ordered a hot latte, which consists of espresso, whole milk, and chocolatey Lava Cake Swirl flavoring. The beverage is topped with whipped cream, mocha drizzle, and hot chocolate powder, all of which create an inviting presentation and reinforce the dessert-like nature of the beverage. Like a lava cake itself, this drink oozes chocolatey flavor. A sweet, syrupy chocolate undercurrent runs through the smooth, creamy base. Dunkin’ Flavor Swirls are known for their indulgent creaminess, and this new Lava Cake Swirl delivers a similar creamy texture without sacrificing the strength of the flavors. The Swirl pairs sweet chocolate and mocha flavors that complement the beverage’s espresso taste well.

In my drink, the intended balance of chocolate, coffee, and cream was interrupted only by an unexpected aftertaste, a lightly cooling peppermint taste. I’m not sure if this effect was due to the preparation, sweeteners, and artificial flavoring, or just a holiday candy cane hangover. The aftertaste wasn’t strong enough to ruin the drink, but it was noticeable enough to make the drink seem like a Peppermint Mocha’s distant cousin who thinks he’s too good to attend family reunions.

The Dunkin’ Lava Cake Signature Latte exists somewhere in the overlapping sections of a Venn Diagram of a mocha, latte, and hot chocolate. It’s like a milky mocha that stole its toppings from a hot cocoa bar. It represents a lava cake well, although, like many of Dunkin’s Signature items, it may be too sweet for some. For me, someone who often sees meals as obstacles to dessert, the Dunkin’ Lava Cake Signature Latte is too sweet for the everyday but perfect for days when chocolate and caffeine cravings converge.

Purchased Price: $3.49
Size: Small
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 290 calories, 11 grams of total fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 120 milligrams of sodium, 42 grams of total carbs, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 36 grams of total sugar, and 7 grams of protein.