QUICK REVIEW: Jack in the Box Steak Teriyaki Bowl (2018)

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Jack in the Box Steak Teriyaki Bowl 2018

What is it?

A steak version of Jack in the Box’s Chicken Teriyaki Bowl, both of which come with broccoli, carrots, and now with your choice of white or brown rice (I got white rice). While it’s advertised as “new,” it’s not the first time Jack has offered a teriyaki bowl with steak.

How is it?

There’s a decent amount of meat, and the pieces are tender, but there were a few that I had to get a little rough with. The broccoli and carrots are bright, fresh, have a pleasant crunch to them, and there’s enough that it’s safe for me to proudly exclaim to anyone who cares about my health that I had a serving of vegetables.

Jack in the Box Steak Teriyaki Bowl 2018 2

As for the teriyaki sauce, it’s sweet with a slight peppery kick. But it’s also annoyingly salty and completely masks the steak’s flavor. If anyone who cares about my health tasted the sauce, they would most definitely say I negated any health benefits from eating the serving of vegetables in this bowl with the sodium in that sauce.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Use the fork that comes with the bowl to mix everything because the teriyaki sauce isn’t drizzled over the rice and vegetables. But there’s enough of it under and around the steak pieces to make the white rice not so blindingly white if you toss the ingredients well.

Conclusion:

Jack in the Box’s Steak Teriyaki Bowl is okay fast food fare. But the sauce makes me hesitant to purchase it again. I’ve had the chicken teriyaki bowl several times, but I don’t remember the teriyaki being that salty. Maybe it’s the combination of meat with the sauce. I don’t know.

Jack in the Box Steak Teriyaki Bowl 2018 3

Purchased Price: $6.99*
Size: N/A
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (with white rice) 800 calories, 130 calories from fat, 14 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 2450 milligrams of sodium, 135 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 35 grams of sugar, and 36 grams of protein.

*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: Krispy Kreme Reese’s Outrageous Chocolate Doughnut

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Krispy Kreme Reese s Outrageous Doughnut

What is it?

The latest and (hopefully) greatest follow up to last year’s Reese’s Peanut Butter Doughnut – the Reese’s Outrageous Chocolate Doughnut; inspired by Reese’s latest chocolate bar. The new menu item features a chocolate yeast doughnut dipped in Hershey’s chocolate fudge icing, topped with mini Reese’s Pieces and drizzled with Reese’s peanut butter and salted caramel sauce.

How is it?

Krispy Kreme Reese s Outrageous Doughnut 2

I gotta say, for a non-filled doughnut this is pretty much as good as it gets. The chocolate yeast base is different for Krispy Kreme and carries the same wonderful light and fluffy texture as its Original Glazed but with a pleasantly less sweet chocolate flavor that lays an excellent foundation. It reminds me more of a yeast-cake hybrid in that it’s nice and moist but also ever so slightly dense from the presence of the cocoa.

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The dual action drizzle brings some serious bolts of flavor, almost acting like a lush creamy filling the way it elevates the entire experience beyond a typical iced or glazed. I get more peanut butter than caramel, but the slightly salty sticky drizzles work brilliantly together to emulate the profile of the Outrageous Bar, highlighted by the occasional crunch of Reese’s Pieces.

Is there anything else I need to know?

As with most Krispy creations, this one performs well in the microwave. Popping it in for eight seconds melts the icing on top and softens the cake to a melt-in-your-mouth treat that reminds me of peanut butter hot chocolate. All the flavors combine into one delectably sweet coffee companion that will no doubt disappear in less than 30 seconds.

Conclusion:

This is an awesome doughnut. It lives up to the Reese’s name and brings all the contrast of textures and salty sweet flavors that make Reese’s products the most craveable in the candy aisle.

Purchased Price: $1.59
Size: N/A
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 00 calories, 14 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 125 milligrams of sodium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 26 grams of sugar, 2 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of protein.

QUICK REVIEW: Starbucks Caramel Brulee Iced Coffee Straw and Pineapple Iced Tea Straw

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Starbucks Pineapple Iced Tea and Caramel Brulee Coffee Straws

What is it?

Starbucks recently debuted these straws – but unlike the Frappucino Cookie Straw of 2015, these are not entirely edible. The Caramel Brulee (made for iced coffee) and Pineapple (made for iced tea) are paper straws with the bottoms dipped in a hard candy-like shell.

How is it?

Well, folks, this is a lesson in asking questions and not making assumptions. I assumed that the flavored end of the straw would go inside the drink to add a little something special. Well, after checking with my friendly barista, I learned it actually goes OUTSIDE the drink – as in, you drink through the candy end. That way, you get the flavor right at your lips as you sip the drink.

Starbucks Caramel Brulee Iced Coffee Straw

I favored the Pineapple over the Caramel Brulee. While the Caramel Brulee was good, it didn’t add to my coffee experience and was slightly artificial in taste. The candy itself tasted like a Werther’s Original hard candy that your grandpa used to slip in your pocket.

Starbucks Pineapple Iced Tea Straw 3

Pineapple had just the right amount of sweetness to flavor my iced green tea and had a more natural taste. The Pineapple also gets bonus points for the adorable pineapple design on the straw itself.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Starbucks Caramel Brulee Iced Coffee Straw 2

Be aware that you might have to bite or suck some of the candy to get your beverage through the straw. The hard candy may cover the opening when you first open the package. And if you want to enjoy the whole straw, you’ll have to work your way down it as you drink.

Conclusion:

These are a fun concept, but now that I’ve used them once, I probably won’t again. There’s something about walking into my office with my coffee and a candy straw that doesn’t seem right in corporate America! But if you’re up for fun, I say go for it.

Purchased Price: $1.75 each (Although when I purchased, they were running a Buy One Get One Free deal, so I got both for $1.75)
Size: N/A
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Caramel Brulee)
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Pineapple)
Nutrition Facts: Caramel Brulee – 20 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 0 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of sugars, and 0 grams of protein. Pineapple – 20 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 0 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of sugars, and 0 grams of protein..

QUICK REVIEW: Dairy Queen Reese’s Outrageous Blizzard

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Dairy Queen Outrageous Blizzard

What is it?

Like last month’s Oreo Firework Blizzard, the Reese’s Outrageous Blizzard is a copycat of the candy that shares its name. August’s Blizzard of the Month combines peanut butter and caramel topping in vanilla soft serve with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and Pieces — but not the eponymous candy bar.

How is it?

The Outrageous is a dream come true for my accordion-necked alien induced addiction to Reese’s Pieces. The peanut butter-flavored soft serve is appropriately brash for a treat heralded as outrageous, and the extra saltiness it brings is complemented fantastically by the sweeter caramel.

While the base is full of leguminous goodness, what really had my heart Skippying a beat is the addition of Reese’s Pieces. Broken bits of crispy shell provide the crunch that famously enamors wrinkly extra-terrestrials. The sweetly coated candy’s classic taste is amplified by the caramel and peanut butter infused vanilla ice cream.

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Sadly, the less numerous Cups are crowded out. There are enough to impart a needed chocolate vibe, but it lacks the pronounced punch one expects from Reese’s Cups. To the Outrageous’ credit though, every spoonful includes a large, if imbalanced, amount of candy.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Dairy Queen Outrageous Blizzard 3

This is an iteration on 2017’s Reese’s Extreme Blizzard where chocolatey topping is swapped out in favor of caramel. As peanut butter and chocolate will probably be found on my death certificate, I am shocked that I love the Outrageous whereas I was underwhelmed by yesteryears not so extreme take on Reese’s. I guess the more accurate Reese’s Satisfactory Blizzard didn’t have the same ring to it.

Conclusion:

If you need a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup fix, stick with the classic menu mainstay. If on the other hand you love Reese’s Pieces or peanut butter in general, then the Reese’s Outrageous will leave you phoning home to tell all of your friends about it.

Purchased Price: $3.89
Size: Medium
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Medium) 1010 calories, 45 grams of fat, 21 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 55 milligrams of cholesterol, 540 milligrams of sodium, 137 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 105 grams of sugar, and 17 grams of protein.

QUICK REVIEW: Burger King Frosted Frozen Fanta Orange

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Burger King Frosted Frozen Fanta Orange

What is it?

In case the name didn’t give it away, it’s Burger King’s new summer drink blending Frozen Fanta Orange with vanilla soft serve.

How is it?

Burger King Frosted Frozen Fanta Orange 2

Decent, adequate, ordinary.

Grab a thesaurus, or use that Google thing, and pick your favorite adjective for average. Mine is fair to middling. With a simple concoction such as this, it would be hard to envision it being incredible or terrible. And it’s not; it’s just okay.

Burger King Frosted Frozen Fanta Orange 3

I was expecting more of an orange Creamsicle/Dreamsicle taste. This will remind you of that, but only faintly. There just wasn’t much tang from the Fanta and not much sweetness from the soft serve. Also, the consistency was a touch gritty — not quite a milkshake and not quite a slush.

Maybe the BK soft serve is to blame (after all, Dairy Queen and McDonald’s are known for their soft serve; BK not so much). I’m not sure I even knew BK had soft serve before having this.

Is there anything else I need to know?

One caveat about this review: upon ordering I was given the dreaded “let me see if the machine is working” response. After a less-than-confident “I think so” from the manager, my order proceeded. And the Burger King I patronized did not have Fanta of any variety at the soda fountain, so that made me wonder where said Fanta came from for my drink. Unfortunately, the machine that might or might not have been working properly was located out of view, so the mystery endures.

Conclusion:

If you are having one of those blah days where you don’t want to be too excited about something or too disappointed, this might be the drink for you.

Purchased Price: $2.00
Size: 16 oz.
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 180 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 grams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 42 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 41 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

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