QUICK REVIEW: Starbucks Mango Dragonfruit Refreshers Beverage

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Starbucks Mango Dragonfruit Refreshers Beverage

What is it?

Get excited, Starbucks Refreshers fans! There’s a new kid in town, and it’s Mango Dragonfruit. With its pretty purple-pink hue and real dragonfruit pieces, it’s a fun drink that certainly refreshes and lives up to its name.

How is it?

I wouldn’t have thought to put mango and dragonfruit (dragonfruit, for those unfamiliar, is a tropical fruit with a kiwi-like inside) together, but the results are a super smooth, easy-to-drink beverage.

Starbucks Mango Dragonfruit Refreshers Beverage 2

I loved how the sweetness was subtle – more on that below – and it has a nice aftertaste that doesn’t leave your mouth sour (which some of the other Refreshers have been known to do, at least for me).

Is there anything else I need to know?

The biggest thing that struck me about the Mango Dragonfruit Refresher is that it isn’s as sweet as the others I’ve tried – in a good way. I’m also a big fan of the Strawberry Acai Refresher, but I sometimes feel as though it’s a little too sweet for an afternoon pick-me-up.

Even though there’s only one gram of sugar difference between the two (Mango Dragonfruit has 19 grams for a grande, Strawberry Acai has 20 grams for the same size), I would have put my money on Mango Dragonfruit having much less. I loved not feeling like I was drinking a sugar bomb.

Conclusion:

Highly recommend. I now deem this my new favorite Refresher! Just don’t tell Strawberry Acai. We’ll keep it our little secret.

Purchased Price: $3.75
Size: Grande
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Grande 16 fl. oz.) 90 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 15 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 19 grams of sugars, 0 grams of protein and 44-55 milligrams of caffeine.

QUICK REVIEW: Taco Bell Watermelon Freeze

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Taco Bell Watermelon Freeze

What is it?

The latest flavor creation in Taco Bell’s Freeze line of slush drinks, this variation adds some candy “seeds” to the mix to give it a unique look.

How is it?

Gimmicky but good. The watermelon flavor is about as expected. It’s a bit milder than some previous Freeze offerings, like the Strawberry Skittles flavor, and it’s not too sweet nor too tart.

But what about the candy seeds? Well, they really don’t bring much to the table, other than slowing down the slush-making process. Your friendly Taco Bell barista must first open a little package of seeds, fill the cup about a third of the way with slush, sprinkle in some seeds, fill more of the cup, sprinkle in more seeds, and so on.

Taco Bell Watermelon Freeze 2

Eerily, the result for my drink looked like some sort of weird candy seed face starting me down, just daring me to drink it. I took the dare, and while the watermelon flavor was nice, the seeds didn’t add much flavor at all. The black coating was almost flavorless, and the inside only had a faint sugary taste, like an unflavored Smartie.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Taco Bell Watermelon Freeze 3

Nothing frustrates me more than a clogged straw caused by candy pieces mixed into an ice cream or slush drink, but there’s no need to worry about that here. The straw provided (in watermelon rind green) is of ample circumference to allow multiple seeds to easily travel from the cup to your piehole without fear of obstruction. Be forewarned though, the larger volume straw also increases the probability of brain freeze.

Taco Bell Watermelon Freeze 4

And weirdly, the seeds seem to lose their coating after a few minutes of swimming in the slush, so by the time I got to the bottom many of them had a bit of a speckled egg look.

Conclusion:

Even though the candy seeds seem like a missed opportunity —imagine if they were kiwi flavored or something else to complement the watermelon slush — overall the Watermelon Freeze still a refreshing summer drink and quite a bargain if you score one during Happy Hour.

Purchased Price: $2.29 (or $1 during Happy Hour from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.)
Size: 16 oz.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 220 calories, 0 grams of fat, 60 milligrams of sodium, 59 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 58 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

QUICK REVIEW: Krispy Kreme Strawberries & Kreme and Banana Pudding Doughnuts

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Krispy Kreme Strawberries Kreme and Banana Pudding Doughnuts

What are they?

Summer has arrived at the doughnut shop! The all-new Strawberries and Kreme Doughnut is a strawberry frosted yeast shell filled with both strawberry and KK’s signature Kreme. The returning Banana Pudding doughnut is a yeast shell filled with a mixture of banana custard and Kreme, topped with yellow icing and Nilla Wafer pieces.

How are they?

Krispy Kreme Strawberries Kreme Doughnut 2

Well, it looks like someone at Krispy Kreme didn’t get the memo because my Strawberries and Kreme Doughnut is completely devoid of any strawberry filling. I was really excited at the idea of a dual-filling and the way a jelly texture would work with a creamier one. That being said, it is BURSTING with Kreme and as a huge fan of the thick sweet stuff, I am still enjoying this immensely.

Krispy Kreme Strawberries Kreme Doughnut

The strawberry icing has a surprisingly authentic and slightly tart berry flavor that’s much more real and much less Nesquik than I was expecting. The yeast shell is soft and fresh and even though I’m a bit letdown, I’ll take Kreme over jelly any day, and even as is it’s pretty delicious.

Krispy Kreme Banana Pudding Doughnut 2

The Banana Pudding Doughnut came as advertised and the banana custard is AMAZING. It has the runny-ness of custard with the slight sugary grit of the classic Kreme and a big super delicious banana flavor that exceeded my expectations. It’s sweet, but rich and eggy and I can’t imagine any way it could be better.

Krispy Kreme Banana Pudding Doughnut

What could be better are the Nilla wafers, which are stale and don’t do much to elevate the experience, and kind of bring it down – making it taste and feel less fresh. Although it isn’t great, it’s easy to overlook, because once again the ratio of filling inside is damn fine.

Is there anything else I need to know?

What I got was essentially a Chocolate Iced Kreme Filled with strawberry on top and a fancy little Hostess-y squiggle. Since the Kreme filled is my number two favorite right after KK’s Original Glazed, I really dug it, but the potential for it to be even better is there.

Conclusion:

The Banana Pudding doughnut is a worthy returning flavor with an immaculate filling that’s up there with KK’s best. It may have been better with some sparingly placed white chocolate chips, but I can’t deny the necessity of wafers for the pudding profile.

Purchased Price: $1.89
Size: N/A
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Strawberries and Kreme, but could be 9 or better if made properly)
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Banana Pudding)
Nutrition Facts: Strawberries & Kreme – 330 calories, 17 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 135 milligrams of sodium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 23 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein. Banana Pudding – 360 calories, 19 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 45 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 24 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein..

QUICK REVIEW: Burger King Crispy Pretzel Chicken Fries

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Burger King Crispy Pretzel Chicken Fries 1

What is it?

Hooray, it’s a new Burger King menu item that ISN’T just a slight variation of its King burger formula! Alas, that doesn’t mean said product is anything radically unique, though. Instead, BK’s newfangled Pretzel Chicken Fries are more or less a minute redressing of its meaty side dish…complete with a snazzy cardboard container featuring plenty of puns about both poultry and pretzels.

Burger King Crispy Pretzel Chicken Fries 2

How is it?

Burger King Crispy Pretzel Chicken Fries 3

If you’ve tried the BK Chicken Fries before, you know what to expect here. The taste, text and general mouthfeel is the same, and to be perfectly honest with you fine people, I thought the pretzel flavor — while noticeable — was still a little underwhelming.

Burger King Crispy Pretzel Chicken Fries 4

You might expect the fries to have a nuttier, saltier taste, but by and large you have to really focus to even absorb the pretzel taste while you’re chewing. And in case you’re wondering, using any of BK’s proprietary sauces pretty much negates any kind of pretzel flavoring you might detect in these suckers.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Long story short, if you’ve had the regular Chicken Fries, you’ve basically already tried these. Yes, there is a subtle pretzel flavor in there, but it’s so subdued that I’m not even sure I’d be able to distinguish it from the regular Chicken Fries in a blind taste test. That said, the 9-piece set is actually astonishingly filling — you may not think that less than 400 calories worth of side dish can put a dent in your stomach, but these things might just surprise you.

Conclusion:

Although the product is only nominally “new,” as a limited-time-only offering it’s not bad at all. The fries are warm, flavorful and chewy, and they go incredibly well with the in-house zesty sauce (which, I think we can all agree, should’ve become a retail item a LONG time ago.)

As an overall fast food item, I’d say it’s well above average, but as an “event” food, so to speak, it’s hardly anything worth going out of your way to experience. And if you’re a health-conscious consumer, don’t even think about going anywhere near these things: with a whopping 1,200 milligrams of sodium, the Pretzel Chicken Fries contain nearly 30 percent MORE salt than a regular old BK Whopper.

Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: 9-pieces
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 340 calories, 21 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 45 milligrams of cholesterol, 1,200 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, less than one gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 16 grams of protein.

REVIEW: McDonald’s Cold Brew Frozen Coffee

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McDonald s Cold Brew Frozen Coffee

Superman is Clark Kent without glasses and a suit.

McDonald’s Cold Brew Frozen Coffee is the Golden Arches’ Cold Brew Frappe without the whipped cream and chocolate drizzle.

While it’s hard to believe no one realizes Mr. Kent is the Man of Steel, it’s easy to see the Cold Brew Frozen Coffee is a Cup of Slush.

The fast food behemoth’s newest attempt to cool and caffeinate you at the same time is a combo of the chain’s new cold brew coffee Frappe base and ice that ends up looking like a chocolate shake. Sadly, McDonald’s isn’t offering a non-frozen version of the beverage. Although, if you wanted a less crystalline drink, you could buy this and let it melt in the summer sun.

With McDonald’s Frappe, the whipped topping, drizzle, and syrup in and on it create a coffee camouflage that does a great job at hiding from your taste buds the fact you’re drinking java.

McDonald s Cold Brew Frozen Coffee 2

This blended beverage is still sweet and creamy, like a Frappe, but without the added sugary ingredients, the coffee flavor stands out a bit more. The cold brew process creates a sweeter and smoother cup of joe than hot brewed, but it’s impossible to tell in this since it comes with a bunch of sugar and cream.

Although I didn’t try the Frappe version, this has the right level of dairy and sweetness for me. Whenever I order a Frappe or a Starbucks Frappuccino, there’s almost always a point when it gets too cloying and I don’t want to finish it (but I somehow find the strength to muscle through it). But with this, I sucked the whole thing through a straw without hesitation.

Okay, not completely without hesitation. There were moments when I had to pause due to brain freeze.

Because I like my McDonald’s java drinks to be sugary, creamy, and made with a proprietary coffee base, this is right up my caffeinated alley. So if you enjoy McDonald’s Frappe beverages, but wished there was something that tastes and looks less like a dessert, the Cold Brew Frozen Coffee might be for you.

Of course, if you have coffee running through your veins from a country I can’t find on a map, you will probably shun this delicious combo of cold, coffee, caffeine, cream, and sweet crystals.

(Nutrition Facts – small – 290 calories, 100 calories from fat, 11 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 120 milligrams of sodium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 34 grams of sugar, 0 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $2.50
Size: Small
Rating: 9 out of 10
Pros: A delicious combo of cold, coffee, caffeine, cream, and sweet crystals. Tasty way to get caffeinated. No whipped cream, syrup, or drizzle to mask the coffee’s flavor. Not cloying like a Frappe (but still sweet).
Cons: Hard to notice the nuances of cold brew coffee. Was so easy to drink that I got brain freeze. Unknown amount of caffeine. McDonald’s cold brew should also come in a non-frozen form.

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