Tag: Fast Food

QUICK REVIEW: Burger King Cinnamon Toast Crunch Shake

Joe 1 Comment

Burger King Cinnamon Toast Crunch Shake

Having retired from gracing the cover of cereal boxes, Chef Wendell has teamed up with the brilliant minds behind the cereal-flavored shake line at Burger King to bring us the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Shake.

Wendell’s cinnamon sugar stained hands are all over the latest offering, combining what Burger King describes as cinnamon cereal-flavored syrup and cinnamon toast crunch pieces with vanilla soft serve.

Outwardly, it dons the unassuming guise of a ho-hum vanilla shake, but just as with many superhero origin stories, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. The first sip will blast even the most underdeveloped taste buds into sugary oblivion, but a warm cinnamon aftershock is definitely in play as well. This thing screams Cinnamon Toast Crunch and that beloved flavor is uniform and omnipresent.

Burger King Cinnamon Toast Crunch Shake 2

As much as I praise the shake for capturing the essence of its namesake, there are some missteps. Unsurprisingly, the cereal pieces do not fare as well as one would like. There was some crunchiness to be found, but overall, they were more soggy than not. This being the first semi-watery shake I’ve received from BK may have hastened the demise of my poor cereal bits.

For breakfast cereal junkies, and especially CTC lovers, this is a dream come true. But, while excellent in flavor, this cereal turned dairy delight hits hard and lingers, possibly even to a cloying extent for those sans adamantium pancreases forged by the cereal fueled Saturday morning cartoon bingeing of their youth.

Burger King Cinnamon Toast Crunch Shake 3

Because of those shortcomings, I cannot objectively give this a higher score. Personally though, this is everything I wanted it to be; a decadent portal to the halcyon days of color changing Ninja Turtle bowls filled with sugary goodness.

Purchased Price: $3.29
Size: N/A
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Large) 780 calories, 19 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 65 milligrams of cholesterol, 570 milligrams of sodium, 137 grams of carbohydrates, 113 grams of sugar, and 16 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Jack in the Box Pumpkin Spice Shake (2017)

Marvo

Jack in the Box Pumpkin Spice Shake 2017 1

If you decide to share your purchase of Jack in the Box’s new Pumpkin Spice Shake on social media, Jack would like you to use the hashtag — #OMGPumpkinSpice.

This new shake shouldn’t be confused with Jack in the Box’s Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream Shake that we reviewed in 2013 or the Pumpkin Pie Shake that we reviewed way back in 2004. #OMGThisBlogIsSoOld

This updated pumpkin spice shake features real ice cream blended with pumpkin spice syrup and is topped with whipped cream, gingersnap cookie crumbles, and a cherry (mine didn’t come with one). The cookie crumbles appear to be the only difference between the 2017 Pumpkin Spice Shake and the one that came before it.

Jack in the Box Pumpkin Spice Shake 2017 2

The ice cream and pumpkin spice syrup in my cup weren’t mixed well. But after some intense stirring, I got it to the color in its promotional photo. Unfortunately, it doesn’t make me think of pumpkin spice. Instead, it reminds me of the walls at my doctor’s office.

The shake’s flavor is almost as non-festive as it looks. There’s a wisp of pumpkin spice, but I don’t want a wisp. Also, the whipped cream doesn’t help. It dilutes the flavor even more.

But the doctor’s office-colored cloud has a silver lining.

Jack in the Box Pumpkin Spice Shake 2017 3

The ample gingersnap cookie crumbles amp up the flavor of the shake with ginger and cinnamon. Although they move it away from being a pumpkin spice shake and move it towards being a gingerbread shake. But they also take it from blah to rah and kind of make up for the fact that the pumpkin spice flavor isn’t strong.

The ones that topped mine weren’t crumbles. Instead, they were straw-clogging chunks that surprisingly maintained their crunchiness as they sat in the dairy.

Full disclosure: I prefer Jack’s original Pumpkin Pie Shake over the version that came out in 2013 because its pumpkin spice popped. This latest iteration might be even weaker than the previous version, but the cookie crumbles add that punch I want. Although, if I think about it, maybe the shake itself is light because it might be overpowering if both it and the cookies provide strong flavors.

Overall, thanks to the cookies, I do think this version tastes better than the previous one, and I’d buy it again. But I don’t think it beats the original. #OMGItsGood

(Nutrition Facts – Regular – 860 calories, 41 grams of fat, 30 grams of saturated fat, 1.5 grams of trans fat, 85 milligrams of cholesterol, 310 milligrams of sodium, 112 grams of carbohydrates, 92 grams of sugar, and 13 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $4.19*
Size: Regular
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Gingersnap cookie pieces take this shake from a blah to rah and kind of make up for its lack of pumpkin spice flavor. Cookie pieces maintain their crunchiness.
Cons: Shake base has a weak pumpkin spice flavor. Its color reminds me of my doctor’s office. Whipped cream dilutes the already weak pumpkin spice flavor. Gingersnap cookies make it taste more like a gingerbread shake than a pumpkin spice shake.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

QUICK REVIEW: Panda Express Peking Pork

Marvo 2 Comments

Panda Express Peking Pork 1

Panda Express’ new Peking Pork is everything I wish the chain’s original Sweet & Sour Pork was years ago — breaded pork, onions, and green bell peppers in a sweet and sour sauce, without hot pineapples.

Because hot pineapple is THE WORST!

But, oddly, hot acidic fruit chunks didn’t stop me from choosing the chain’s Sweet & Sour Pork when it was available. I’d just move the fruit to the side, eat the rest of the entree, and then, after they’ve cooled down, let my fortune cookie’s fortune decide their fate.

“Treat yourself to something of quality.” Trash the pineapple.

“Stop searching forever, happiness is next to you.” Eat the pineapple.

“Keep your expectations reasonable.” Trash the pineapple.

“You will find hidden treasures where least expected.” Eat the pineapple.

The Peking Pork’s breaded pork chop pieces remind me of Chicken McNuggets, but thinner. I don’t know how long the batch I ate from sat before being served to me, but the breading didn’t have a crispy texture thanks to thick, goopy sauce around each breaded piece. The pork itself is a bit dry and firmer than any of Panda Express’ chicken dishes, but it’s still easy to chew.

Panda Express Peking Pork 2

It’s been awhile since I had Panda Express’ Sweet & Sour Pork, so I don’t exactly remember what it tastes like. But I feel as if the Peking Pork’s sauce is less sour, which I don’t mind. It’s tastes great, but because it’s sweet, it kind of reminds me of other Panda Express dishes. Cutting through the sauce’s sugariness are the onions and bell peppers, which also add a bit of crunch that I wish the breading provided.

Overall, Panda Express’ Peking Pork is tasty addition to the chain’s lineup of sweet sauce dishes. Sadly, the hot pineapple-less sweet & sour pork dish I’ve always wanted from Panda Express is only available for a limited time.

Purchased Price: $10.70
Size: Large Entree Container
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (5.6 oz. serving) 400 calories, 180 calories from fat, 20 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 960 milligrams of sodium, 35 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 19 grams of sugar, 20 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Pumpkin Spice Doughnut

Sean

Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Pumpkin Spice Doughnut 1

This time of year people love to refer to those who adore pumpkin spice as “basic,” and they aren’t using that word in lieu of “standard” or “classic” – it’s a negative thing.

But basic doesn’t always have to be bad, and truth be told, pumpkin spice isn’t really all that basic compared to a lot of other flavors. Starbucks simply bred a generation of UGG-boot clad young girls that fawned over their PSL’s and tarnished the rep of us truly spicy folk forever.

Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Pumpkin Spice Doughnut 2

Some things are truly basic though, and I mean it in a good way. Sometimes the most basic things are the greatest, like chocolate chip cookies, white cake, vanilla bean ice cream, and a classic glazed doughnut. In a natural collision course of good versus bad basic, Krispy Kreme has cranked out a fresh spin on their money-making staple for several days only (for a second year) with the Pumpkin Spice Original Glazed Doughnut.

Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Pumpkin Spice Doughnut 3

The doughnut smells almost identical to Krispy Kreme’s iconic Original Glazed – yeasty, greasy, and sweet. Its color is notably darker, taken from a pure light tan to deep speckled brown. The size, shape, and overall appearance, aside from the color, is a classic KK affair.

The flavor is subtly spicy with little flourishes of cinnamon poking through the soft yeasty fried profile. There aren’t any deep earthy notes of cloves or nutmeg, and no discernible squashy pumpkin flavor either. The ingredient list didn’t offer me any clues, but to my palate, this is a KK glazed doughnut that’s spiked with a decent, but not aggressive, amount of cinnamon. Texturally, this pumpkin pastry is everything I’ve come to expect and love from the Kreme family – soft and doughy with a very light and airy bite that nearly dissolves on the tongue.

Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Pumpkin Spice Doughnut 4

Although the spice-level doesn’t thwart me into a cascading pile of crunchy leaves, what it does do very well is temper the usually hyper-sweet OG Krispy Kreme Doughnut. The presence of cinnamon helps balance out the intense sugariness of the glaze and makes it a much more well-rounded eating experience. I have no issues with the strong smack of sweet that the original version delivers but I know some people’s complaint about KK is they can be too cloying, and this may be a very short lived solution to that problem.

When washed down with coffee, as all doughnuts should be, the spicy cinnamon flavor becomes much more pronounced. Whereas the bitter coffee usually acts as a much-needed relief from most sugar-forward doughnuts, the bitterness actually causes a bit of a spicy sparkle that proves the existence of all those little brown dots and begins to channel the post-chew tingle of ginger.

Krispy Kreme’s Pumpkin Spice Original Glazed Doughnut isn’t a must-try by any means, but it isn’t a downgrade from their already stellar OG offering either. It’s a mellow and fun take on one of the best items the fast food industry offers, and if you’re in the area the next time this flavor inevitably pops up for “one day only,” it’s worth a stop, but don’t drive too far.

(Nutrition Facts – 190 calories, 100 calories from fat, 11 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 85 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 10 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $1.29
Size: N/A
Rating: 8 out of 10
Pros: Airy, crisp glazed texture. Presence of spice helps balance out the sweetness. Cinnamon all over my errythang.
Cons: Subdued spices until activated by coffee. No true pumpkin flavor. Only available on special days.

REVIEW: Arby’s Chicken Pepperoni Parm Sandwich

Adam 2 Comments

Arby s Chicken Pepperoni Parm Sandwich

On a confidence scale of 1-10, with 1 being the Browns winning the Super Bowl and 10 being the chances we get too many pumpkin spice-flavored products every fall, my confidence in Arby’s making a good chicken parmesan sandwich is about a 5.

On one hand, it’s Arby’s, which means A) It’s not Taco Bell, and B) The meat should be good. On the other hand, it’s Arby’s, which means the marinara is probably sitting in a box in the back and not simmering in a pot with fresh herbs and minced garlic while being stirred by someone’s nonna.

But then again, Arby’s new chicken parm sandwich is no ordinary one —- it’s a chicken parm sandwich with meat. Now I commend Arby’s for taking the Ron Swanson approach of eating several different animals in one bite with its Chicken Pepperoni Parm Sandwich, but the pepperoni ruins this sandwich.

Arby s Chicken Pepperoni Parm Sandwich 2

It’s not the pepperoni’s fault, per se. I mean, we’re above Hormel quality here and under other conditions the pepperoni’s salty, unctuous flavor would be optimal. But it’s so loud and salty that it dominates each bite.

Arby s Chicken Pepperoni Parm Sandwich 3

This is an issue because the rest of the sandwich’s components fail to stand out. The buttermilk chicken is bland, tasting mostly of soggy breading and onion powder. I expected the marinara to pick it up, but even though the much-feared saccharine tomato taste wasn’t there, the sauce was flat and (again) too salty, lacking any memorable tomato flavor.

Even the bun, which Arby’s has paired so wonderfully with various brisket and brown sugar bacon sandwiches, is just sort of there, like the mindless carbs of a forgettable bread basket at a dying chain restaurant.

The one exception is the mozzarella, which is beautifully melted to that stretchable texture and has a nuanced flavor you’d expect from a panini. But here again the pepperoni dominates, canceling out what should be a premium ingredient.

I tend to give Arby’s the benefit of the doubt, and I’m a huge fan of the quality they’ve committed themselves to. But considering the run of successful brisket, brown sugar bacon, and pork belly sandwiches they’ve strung together, the Chicken Pepperoni Parm Sandwich is a letdown.

It feels weird typing this, but this may be one case where we have the meats might be we have too many meats for our own good.

(Nutrition Facts – 610 calories, 28 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 100 milligrams of cholesterol, 1900 milligrams of sodium, 54 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of sugar, and 37 grams of protein..)

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: N/A
Rating: 4 out of 10
Pros: Not want for meat. Really good melting action on the mozzarella. Moist and plump chicken breast. Marinara wasn’t horrible for fast food. Great if you love pepperoni.
Cons: Forgettable chicken. Overpowering pepperoni. Marinara sauce lacks balance. Virtually impossible to eat and not spill sauce on yourself.