Tag: Fast Food

QUICK REVIEW: Starbucks Ultra Caramel Frappuccino

Tiffany 1 Comment

Starbucks Ultra Caramel Frappuccino

What is it?

Starbucks’ new Ultra Caramel Frappuccino launched with the Triple Mocha Frappuccino to kick off Frappuccino season. I straight up asked the barista what the difference was between the Ultra Caramel and original version. Not really selling it – he stated that it was a different caramel and whipped cream.

But it was so much more than that –- the caramel is a new dark caramel sauce, the new whipped cream is infused with cold brew (!!!), and it’s created in layers so that all the good stuff is distributed nicely throughout the drink.

How is it?

Delicious!

When I was in middle school, I used to drink a Venti Caramel Frappuccino with extra caramel every single summer day. A little bit gross, I know. So, the Ultra Caramel is like the upgraded adult version. I enjoy the smokier dark caramel sauce and the additional caffeine and coffee flavor from the cold brew whipped cream. The blended coffee is a good backdrop, but a bit icy per usual.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Starbucks Ultra Caramel Frappuccino 2

Starbucks needs to package this delicious cold brew whipped cream and sell it, please. But, you can add this topping to any drink for 50 cents extra. Also, Ultra is not replacing the original Caramel or Mocha flavors. But, the Ultra version will run you $0.80 more (than the original) for a Tall, $0.50 more for a Grande and Venti.

Conclusion:

Hello Frappuccino season! The new Ultra Caramel is a great way to kick it off.

Purchased Price: $4.75
Size: Tall (12 fl oz.)
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 350 calories, 17 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 47 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 44 grams of sugar, 4 grams of protein, and 70 milligrams of caffeine..

QUICK REVIEW: White Castle Impossible Slider

Vin 8 Comments

White Castle Impossible Slider 1

What is it?

The White Castle Impossible Slider is an abomination of science!

Nah, it’s actually pretty ground-breaking. We’re talking about a plant-based (wheat, coconut oil, and potato protein) “burger” that somehow manages to mimic beef. Has the future arrived?

How is it?

It’s interesting.

The flavor is too smoky and reminds me of bad BBQ. I could have been convinced this was mushroom-based, so I guess this is that “umami” flavor I still don’t quite understand. The lingering flavor I kept thinking of was “fake bacon.” Kinda like the powder you’d get on those Potato Skin chips.

White Castle Impossible Slider 2

White Castle Impossible Slider 4

The patty is really just clumps –- kinda like a pulled beef. I can’t tell if it succeeds texture-wise, but it’s not like a regular veggie burger or tofu, it toes the line between those. It is definitely “meat-adjacent.”

I can’t explain it. It’s somehow spongy and crumbly, but also moist and meaty. It’s like the Impossible Foods folks invented a new form of matter. It still tastes “fake,” but not as fake. Make sense?

These sliders come with smoked cheddar and fire-roasted onions, which are a slight spin on the usual White Castle toppings you’re used to.

Is there anything else I need to know?

White Castle Impossible Slider

I’d say they are about 1.5 times the size of a normal slider, and they grill ’em fresh for you on order.

The thing that kinda bugs me is for a plant-based alternative to meat, they aren’t even that healthy. I feel like that kinda defeats the entire purpose. Who are these for? What Vegetarian is regularly going to hit up White Castle anyway?

White Castle Impossible Slider 5

Impossible Sliders are only available in Chicago, New York, and New Jersey right now, but don’t get too upset, you’re not missing anything life-changing.

Conclusion:

While I didn’t enjoy the taste all that much and the nutrition numbers make this a one-time novelty purchase, I do think it’s on to something. Impossible Burgers could very well be the future, but they haven’t quite cracked it yet.

I had a regular cheeseburger slider too, and there was no contest which was better.

Purchased Price: $1.99
Size: N/A
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 300 calories, 150 calories from fat, 17 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 870 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 18 grams of protein..

QUICK REVIEW: Burger King Sourdough Chicken Club

James 3 Comments

Burger King Sourdough Chicken Club

What is it?

You kids remember a couple of weeks back when we reviewed BK’s Sourdough King? Well, this newfangled Sourdough Chicken Club is pretty much the same basic concept, except with a few obvious (and not so obvious) tweaks.

Burger King Sourdough Chicken Club 2

Essentially, it’s a big, crispy chicken patty (topped with melted cheddar) with mayo, lettuce, tomato, and bacon wedged between two pieces of sourdough toast … hence, the name “Sourdough Chicken Club,” I suppose.

How is it?

This is a MUCH better offering than the aforementioned beef Sourdough King, for several reasons. First things first, the sourdough toast set-up just seems to compliment chicken patties better than beef patties (as any Zaxby’s enthusiast, naturally, will be quick to tell you.)

Burger King Sourdough Chicken Club 3

Secondly, BK wisely eschewed the onions and “special sauce” for a more traditional BLT-and-mayonnaise assortment, which not only creates a less messy sandwich but a more harmonious-tasting one. This is a hearty, extremely filling fast food offering, and one that tastes surprisingly fresh, to boot.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Burger King Sourdough Chicken Club 4

Of course, this being a super-sized BK sandwich, the item is pretty salty, and although it’s nowhere near as sloppy as its all-beef predecessor, it is still fairly greasy. The shredded lettuce might be a deal breaker for some of the more finicky fast food aficionados out there, and for those of you on a budget, take note: at almost $6, this isn’t exactly a value-priced pick-up we’re talking about here.

Conclusion:

I went into the Sourdough Chicken Club with pretty low expectations and can safely say I was pleasantly surprised by the results. The chicken patty is juicy and crispy, the bacon is almost perfectly seasoned and all the ingredients gel incredibly well together.

It’s not a perfect pseudo-deli-style chicken sandwich, but for what it is it’s not too shabby. And like I said earlier, this thing WILL sate your appetite in a hurry — just something to think about before you order an Oreo pie and extra-large fries to accompany the meal.

Purchased Price: $5.79
Size: N/A
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 840 calories, 51 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 1 grams of trans fat, 95 milligrams of cholesterol, 1,760 milligrams of sodium, 62 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 7 grams of sugar, and 32 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Taco Bell Wild Naked Chicken Chalupa

Louis 4 Comments

Taco Bell Wild Naked Chicken Chalupa

Even though the Naked Chicken Chalupa was already a thing, the culinary geniuses at Taco Bell have managed to both recycle and reintroduce the famed poultry pocket with a new spicy sauce to kick off their latest quarter of seasonal eats.

Basically Taco Bell’s version of KFC’s million-plus selling Double-Down Sandwich, the Naked Chicken Chalupa takes a thoroughly processed and mechanically separated piece of fried chicken and flattens it to the consistency of a puffy tortilla, which, while wholly unnatural and naturally unholy, does form a solidly delicious wrap to contain those patented Taco Bell innards we’re so deeply accustomed to.

And since the original iteration of the Naked Chicken Chalupa itself has been broken down repeatedly and reviewed by both the poets and the analysts, there’s no need for me to do it here. So, instead, let’s talk about this version’s newest addition, the “wild” in the Wild Naked Chicken Chalupa—the crazed creamy additive with a momentary kick to end all kicks, at least in the Taco Bell universe.

Taco Bell Wild Naked Chicken Chalupa 3

While at first taste the Wild Sauce feels like a basic retread of their much-loved and mostly-missed Volcano Sauce right down to the sickly pinkish color, after a few seconds, the initial heat is followed by what seems to be a heavy amount of a smoky chili powder that’s been sprinkled into the proceedings. It causes a second wave of a different kind of heat that, even in moderation, is a wonderfully overpowering blast of flavor, riding the tongue and cruising up the sinuses like it was Van Nuys Blvd. on a Saturday night.

Taco Bell Wild Naked Chicken Chalupa 2

On the actual Naked Chicken Chalupa, it’s a bit of welcomed overkill, besting the rather useless cheese, lettuce, and tomato and, if you pay the extra 60 cents, the seasoned ground beef but its magic lies with the chicken chalupa itself. The seasoned fried chicken makes for both a testy compatriot and a zesty foil. However, the sauce might be too much for some. If that’s the case, then I suggest asking for a cup of “mild” chalupa sauce and mixing the two together for a fine median.

Much like the aforementioned Volcano Sauce, this does lead me with the same question: why doesn’t Taco Bell start offering a line of dipping sauces, much like McD’s, for example? This Wild Sauce would go so good with Nacho Fries, Cheesy Roll-ups, and just about everything on the breakfast menu. But maybe that’s just me. Cómpralo ya!

(Nutrition Facts – 420 calories, 250 calories from fat, 28 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 65 milligrams of cholesterol, 1070 milligrams of cholesterol, 1070 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 19 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: N/A
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Wave after wave of heat and flavor. Mixes perfect with the chicken.
Cons: Chalupa itself is kind of useless. Makes for a much better dipping sauce;

FAST FOOD NEWS: Burger King Sourdough Chicken Club

Marvo 6 Comments

BK Sourdough Chicken Club

Update: We reviewed it! Click here to read our review.

It seems Burger King is alternating releases of new burgers and chicken sandwiches in 2018. The year began with the Rodeo Crispy Chicken Sandwich. Around two weeks later, the Double Quarter Pound King showed up. March brought us the Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich, followed by the Sourdough King later in the month. So now it’s time for a new chicken sandwich and it’s the Sourdough Chicken Club.

It features a crispy 100 percent white meat seasoned chicken filet that’s topped with thick-cut smoked bacon, American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and mayonnaise on a toasted sourdough bun.

If you’ve tried it, let us know what you think of it in the comments.

Nutrition Facts: 840 calories, 51 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 95 milligrams of cholesterol, 1760 milligrams of sodium, 62 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 7 grams of sugar, and 32 grams of protein.

(Image via Burger King’s website.)