Tag: Fast Food

REVIEW: Sonic Steak Butter Bacon Cheeseburger

Brandon 3 Comments

Sonic Steak Butter Bacon Cheeseburger

Taco Bell catches a lot of flak for taking the same three ingredients and turning them into any number of new product offerings. And this is a fair criticism, but it isn’t all that different from what most other fast food purveyors do with their LTOs. I mean, unless you’re Arby’s giving me strange and exotic meats, you’re probably just rearranging the stuff you already had in the kitchen.

And if you’re Sonic, one of your go-to schticks is taking your standard bacon cheeseburger and imbuing it with some sort of butter. In October 2019, we reviewed the Garlic Butter Bacon Burger. In March of 2021, we did their Mesquite Butter Bacon Cheeseburger. And now the fast food chain is back at it with the Steak Butter Bacon Cheeseburger. Aside from the key ingredient — “a rich and creamy butter made with steakhouse seasoning” — this thing has two slices of American cheese, bacon, grilled onions, and mayo.

Sonic Steak Butter Bacon Cheeseburger Whole

Here’s where this burger excels — it proudly and unashamedly assaults your arteries with each bite and forgoes all unnecessarily healthy pleasantries like “lettuce” and “tomato,” aka The Devil’s Burger Toppings. From the greasy, crispy, salty bacon, to the salty, creamy steakhouse butter, from the salty, creamy mayo, to the melty, salty American cheese, this burger is… well, in a word, salty.

Here’s where this burger fails — did you see how many times I used the word salty in the previous paragraph? And honestly, I may’ve been selling it short. This thing was a salt lick. And this is coming from a guy who has an incredibly unhealthy love for all things sodium. But the butter coupled with the bacon and the beef and the cheese is a lot. To be honest, doing away with one of the cheese slices might’ve been a good move; as it stands, the cheese essentially overwhelms everything else.

Additionally, I’m not sure what makes this butter “steakhouse” butter. All the butter does is melt, and you’re left with a shiny, greasy, delicious meat patty. But I didn’t notice anything distinctly “steakhouse” about it.

Sonic Steak Butter Bacon Cheeseburger Split

So, in the end, this is a fine burger. It’s cheesy and greasy and EXTREMELY salty, but sometimes that’s just what you want. It is not, however, groundbreaking or innovative. So if you’re expecting “steakhouse butter” to be something revelatory, disabuse yourself of that notion. Oh, and by the way — ask for extra napkins. The attire-decorative properties of this thing are pretty groundbreaking.

Purchased Price: $5.89
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 980 calories, 39 grams of fat, 21 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 120 milligrams of cholesterol, 1910 milligrams of sodium, 50 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, and 39 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Taco Bell Cherry Bliss Freeze

Karen 3 Comments

Taco Bell Cherry Bliss Freeze Cup

What is it?

Taco Bell’s new Cherry Bliss Freeze is for the kind of people who steal all the red Jolly Ranchers out of the bag. You know who you are.

How is it?

As big a sugar fiend as I am, I’m not a huge consumer of sugary drinks. I don’t dislike them, but my reasoning is that if I have a limited calorie allotment for treats, then I’d rather have my fun in the form of cake, or maybe a sundae, as opposed to a liquid. That said, I was excited to try the Cherry Bliss Freeze because it gave me an excuse to do something unusual for me. I also prefer black cherry soda on the rare occasions when I have soda, so I’m already something of a cherry fan.

Circumstances aligned themselves in favor of me liking the CBF: I got it on an unseasonably warm day, and I was feeling pretty thirsty by the time I got it home. It was actually hard to wait long enough to take a photo, because I was that parched.

Taco Bell Cherry Bliss Freeze Top

My first sip, all I could think about was Luden’s Cough Drops. Apparently, they’ve rebranded as Throat Drops because they were never actually cough drops, or something, but you probably know what I’m talking about. The more I sipped, the more it started to taste like fruit punch. Apparently, Taco Bell uses the flavors of strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry in this freeze, so it stands to reason that it would taste like a mix. The final impression it left me with is liquified Cherry Starburst. I think those of us who are into cherry-flavored products will approve of that.

As you would expect, this thing is incredibly sweet. I actually liked it more toward the second half of the drink, as the ice started to melt and the water diluted the flavor a little bit.

Anything else you need to know?

Taco Bell’s promotional images for this depict it as red and purple in color, but what I received was pink. Was this a mistake, or is something else going on here?

Conclusion:

If you like cherry-flavored things, you’re not going to do much better than this.

Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: Small
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 180 calories, 0 grams of fat, 70 milligrams of sodium, 47 grams of carbohydrates, 45 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Papa John’s Pepperoni Crusted Papadia

Jenna 2 Comments

Papa John s Pepperoni Crusted Papadias Top

If you’re not hip to the lingo, Papa John’s defines its Papadia as “a delicious pizza sandwich calzone combo.” Previous Papadia flavors, featuring stalwarts like Philly cheesesteak and Italian meats, were pretty squarely on the “sandwich” side of the spectrum. But there’s no question which of those three words the new Pepperoni Crusted variety most evokes.

You may be able to tell that this is not my first Papadia rodeo, but it is the first time I can remember distinctly thinking, “Wait… isn’t this literally just a personal pizza folded in half and with extra pepperoni added to the outside?” It’s also possible that I’m more observant than usual today on account of being three cups of coffee deep and so highly caffeinated that I’m hearing colors. But in any case, any potential pretense that you might be eating something healthier than you actually are is out the window with this one.

Sure, it doesn’t look THAT much different than the previous Papadias, but somehow, seeing that familiar exterior festooned with pepperonis so red and round they’re nigh cartoonish just makes the same triangular shape, smattering of parmesan, and rounded crust-like edge scream “PIZZA!” so much louder.

Papa John s Pepperoni Crusted Papadias Split

You probably already have a good idea of what this tastes like just by looking at it. The crust is buttery, the cheese mild, and the pepperoni zesty (plus there’s a side of Papa John’s signature sweet sauce if you feel like making a dish that’s advertised for its portability slightly less convenient to eat on the go). All of those flavors are wonderful, but they’re not really what I want to focus on, because to me, what’s just as, if not more, important for a pizza or pizza-adjacent product is its texture. I want my crust chewy, my cheese dense, and my pepperoni tough enough for a primitively satisfying give when I tear into it. How does this Papadia live up to those super-specific standards? Well, I am not exaggerating when I say that that first bite was a near-religious experience (though again, that might just be the three-times-my-usual-caffeine-intake talking).

As a native New Yorker, I’m used to folding a slice of pizza before I eat it, and I hope this delicious Papadia officially validates that behavior for all the out-of-town friends who’ve made fun of me for it. Because, like I said, a folded pizza is basically what this Papadia is and that improves the experience tenfold (yes, emphasis on the “fold”).

Papa John s Pepperoni Crusted Papadias Flip

To test this assertion, I took a small bite of my Papadia after I’d opened it up, and it just didn’t hit the same way. Perhaps the crust was a bit thinner and the layer of cheese and toppings a bit thicker than I’d usually expect from Papa John’s, but the dissected Papadia still didn’t feel like anything extraordinary. There’s just something about biting into those two thick layers while they’re squished up against each other and masterfully enveloped by a crisp bready crunch on either side that’s so gratifying that I can barely put it into words, even as someone who is literally paid to put food into words. And maybe that’s not such a bad thing, because that means that in order to really understand the magic of the Pepperoni Crusted Papadia, you’ll just have to try one yourself.

Papa John s Pepperoni Crusted Papadias Box

Purchased Price: $7.99
Size: n/a
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 1080 calories, 61 grams of fat, 29 grams of saturated fat, 2710 milligrams of sodium, 77 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of sugar, and 50 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Pizza Hut Melts

Marvo 21 Comments

Pizza Hut Melts Pepperoni Lover s

Pizza Hut’s new Melts appear to be its attempt to offer a menu item that’s similar to Papa John’s Papadias, which I assume have been popular since they’re still around and now can be crusted with cheese or pepperoni. They’re both basically pizza sandwiches for one person. Although, if you’re a Pizza Hut PHan (I assume that’s what they’re called), you might think Papadias are Papa John’s take on the P’Zone. But that’s another story for another never.

Pizza Hut says the Melts feature two slices of its Thin N’ Crispy crust loaded with toppings and cheese, folded over using basic crust origami, and baked to melty perfection. It’s available in four varieties — Pepperoni Lover’s, Meat Lover’s, Chicken Bacon Parmesan, and Buffalo Chicken — but I only purchased the first three listed for this review.

Pizza Hut Melts Meat Lover s
Pizza Hut Melts Meat Lover’s
Pizza Hut Melts Chicken Bacon Parmesan
Pizza Hut Melts Chicken Bacon Parmesan

(No disrespect, Buffalo Chicken. While Melts are made for one, they have the nutrition numbers for three. Yes, I did buy three of the four, but I guess 79 total grams of saturated fat is my limit.)

Also, each one comes with a dipping sauce — ranch for the chicken varieties and marinara for the other two.

Pizza Hut Melts Crust Seasoning

The top crust is sprinkled with parmesan oregano seasoning, which is something I didn’t expect nor something I read in the press release. It adds a little cheesy and herbacious flavor if you decide to take bites sans the dipping sauce, but I don’t recommend skipping the marinara or ranch. (I’ll bring that up later.) The top is also pleasantly crispy, but not so much when it comes to the unseasoned bottom crust.

Pizza Hut Melts Bottom Crust

Pizza Hut Melts Innards

When I peeled back the carb cover, it was surprising that the filling wasn’t the equivalent of smooshing two fully-topped pizza slices together. So “loaded with toppings and cheese” might not be totally accurate. Of course, there’s a chance that mine were made wrong.

Pizza Hut Melts Pepperoni Lover s Innards
Pizza Hut Melts Pepperoni Lover’s Innards
Pizza Hut Melts Meat Lover s Innards
Pizza Hut Melts Meat Lover’s Innards
Pizza Hut Melts Chicken Bacon Parmesan Innards
Pizza Hut Melts Chicken Bacon Parmesan Innards

Even though they weren’t what I hoped “loaded” would be, there still was a noticeable amount of toppings and cheese, and eating one was filling. But the dipping sauces are necessary to turn the Melts into flavorful experiences since there’s none in them. Without the marinara or ranch, these are a bit bland, especially the Chicken Bacon Parmesan.

Pizza Hut Melts Sauce Dip

Pizza Hut’s Melts seem to be the chain’s way to sell you folded pizza slices, and there’s nothing really unique flavor-wise, especially with the Pepperoni and Meat Lover’s varieties.

Now I can see how some might think I’m down on these, but I really did enjoy their crispiness and flavors when the sauce was involved. However, while great to experience once, I’m not sure I’d buy these over a cheaper and less nutritional eye-popping Personal Pan Pizza if I want something meant for one from Pizza Hut.

Purchased Price: $9.49 each*
Size: n/a
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 melt) Pepperoni – 1150 calories, 62 grams of fat, 28 grams of saturated fat, 1.5 grams of trans fat, 165 milligrams of cholesterol, 2660 milligrams of sodium, 95 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of fiber, 17 grams of sugar, and 53 grams of protein. Meat Lover’s – 1100 calories, 59 grams of fat, 24 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 130 milligrams of cholesterol, 2700 milligrams of sodium, 93 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of fiber, 17 grams of sugar, and 49 grams of protein. Chicken Bacon Parmesan – 1170 calories, 70 grams of fat, 27 grams of saturated fat, 1.5 grams of trans fat, 130 milligrams of cholesterol, 2400 milligrams of sodium, 86 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 11 grams of sugar, and 49 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. The advertised price is $6.99.

REVIEW: Dairy Queen Heath Brownie Caramel Cupfection

Karen 13 Comments

Dairy Queen Heath Caramel Brownie Cupfection Top

It’s pretty unusual for me to order something where I have no clue what it is. However, when I ordered the new Heath Brownie Caramel Cupfection at Dairy Queen, I didn’t know what I was getting.

Well, that’s not entirely true. I knew that it would have ice cream and at least the ingredients listed in the title, but I didn’t know much beyond that. Was it a shake? A sundae? What in God’s name is a “Cupfection?”

My treat was served on one of those ubiquitous little cardboard drink trays that DQ uses for ice cream and drinks, and it looked basically like a shake with abundant toppings. “Okay,” I thought, “So a ‘cupfection’ is just a fancy name for a shake; I can handle this.” Seeing all the different layers on top and the pure white soft-serve on the bottom, I assumed I was supposed to mix it all up, which sounded fun. However, I soon realized there is no mixing this thing up because there is an entire freakin’ brownie sitting on top of the treat, and you need to fully consume the brownie before you can access most of the ice cream. I had originally assumed that the “brownie” in the title must refer to small chunks in the mix, but oh, no: this thing is massive.

Dairy Queen Heath Caramel Brownie Cupfection Brownie Dig In

In addition to the brownie, this thing also has a river of caramel and Heath bar pieces. The only time I see Heath bars available in any form is as an optional ice cream topping that I never order, so I didn’t know what they tasted like, and to be honest, I still don’t. Their flavor is totally overpowered by everything else that’s going on here. What the Heath bar pieces do is provide a highly satisfying crunch that serves as a contrast to the abundant, sticky caramel and the chocolatey gooeyness of the brownie.

I started to feel a little sick about two-thirds of the way through, but for some reason, I felt compelled to finish it, maybe to prove my mettle as a dessert eater? I’m not sure what I thought I was accomplishing, but I did eat the whole thing and then felt sick for about two hours afterwards. Do I regret it? Not really; it was nice to have a sugary treat that completely satisfied my gargantuan sweet tooth, which is never truly content with more reasonable portions.

DQ’s website says that this thing has 760 calories, and I frankly think that’s a lie. I know what a 1,000-calorie-plus treat tastes like, and that’s what this thing tasted like. Maybe I got a larger brownie than usual, but 760 just sounds small for this brownie-laden monstrosity. I guess we’ll never know.

If reading this makes you Cupfection-curious, be aware that there’s also a Brownie and Oreo Cupfection that comes with marshmallow topping and chocolate sauce. The caramel was such a prominent part of the experience that I’m genuinely curious what a version without caramel would taste like. But I won’t find out for a while because I don’t trust myself to order one of these again. I guess I could always get one and split it with my husband, but let’s be honest, I’d just promise certain favors until he gave in and let me eat his half too.

Purchased Price: $5.59
Size: n/a
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 760 calories, 29 grams of fat, 14 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 117 grams of carbohydrates, 390 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of fiber, 90 grams of sugar, 65 milligrams of cholesterol, and 11 grams of protein.