Tag: Fast Food

REVIEW: Dairy Queen Cinnamon Roll Centers Blizzard

Denis 10 Comments

Dairy Queen Cinnamon Roll Centers Blizzard Cup

What is it?

Dairy Queen’s Cinnamon Roll Centers Blizzard is the Co-September Blizzard of the Month (along with the Pumpkin Pie Blizzard) and also part of the Fall Blizzard Menu. This one has soft cinnamon roll center pieces with brown butter cinnamon topping and DQ soft serve.

Dairy Queen Cinnamon Roll Centers Blizzard Top

How is it?

I’ve never met a Blizzard that I didn’t like…until now. I thought this new flavor might be good after reading the description, but I was wrong. Very wrong.

Dairy Queen Cinnamon Roll Centers Blizzard Center

I think we can all agree that the center is the best part of a cinnamon roll. To me, the center part is wonderful because it’s soft, gooey and decadent. But these pieces had a strange texture and taste. They were a bit gritty, not really soft and didn’t even taste much like a cinnamon roll. They just tasted like semi-sweet pieces of cookie dough.

Dairy Queen Cinnamon Roll Centers Blizzard Spoon

And things did not get any better by avoiding the cinnamon roll pieces and just eating the ice cream with the cinnamon topping. I could tell the topping was in there because of the color, but it had only a faint cinnamon taste. This one was just disappointing all around.

Anything else you need to know?

Since this Blizzard isn’t particularly good to eat, perhaps you’d prefer it as a scented pillow? While the details are somewhat vague, the DQ website is promoting “The Fall Blizzard Menu Pillow Fight,” which is a collection of pillows that are supposed to smell like Blizzards. Most of the pillows appear to the standard square variety, but there’s also one in the form of a slice of pumpkin pie and another in the shape of a cinnamon roll. The website says to check back on September 7 for more information on how to order, or maybe win a set as there looks to be a sweepstakes component to this promotion.

Conclusion:

Dairy Queen Cinnamon Roll Centers Blizzard Digging

I’m guessing I’ve had at least 100 varieties of Blizzards over the years, and this might be the first one that I didn’t not finish. It’s just not good. But I will happily forgive DQ for this dud considering all the delicious Blizzards I have previously enjoyed.

Purchased Price: $4.49
Size: Small
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Small) 620 calories, 22 grams of fat, 14 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 85 milligrams of cholesterol, 270 milligrams of sodium, 93 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 75 grams of sugar, and 13 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Sonic Chophouse Cheeseburger

Brandon 8 Comments

Sonic Chophouse Cheeseburger Whole

Thanks to Patrick Mahomes, King of Kansas City (with all due apologies to Roger Miller [and props to the eight readers who will get my archaic reference]), my city and its surrounding suburbs are now home to several Whataburger restaurants.

Now, because there isn’t a particularly close one (yet), and the lines are still at the “OMG OMG OMG, WE’VE GOT A NEW _____” stage, I still haven’t had it. But from what I can tell, it’s like a lot of these things in that people either swear by it, or they don’t think it’s anything too special. What both camps seem to do, however, is compare it to Sonic. (Maybe it’s an Oklahoma/Texas bitter rivalry thing?)

Anyhow, I’ve had Sonic all my life, and in the chain burger hierarchy, I think they’re in my top 3. (Or maybe top 5. I’d probably have to give it some deeper thought.) And while Sonic tends to knock it out of the park on their standards — the chili cheese coney, the bacon cheeseburger, the tots, and the onion rings — its LTOs are much more hit or miss.

It’s my sad duty to report that the new Chophouse Cheeseburger is in the latter camp.

Sonic Chophouse Cheeseburger Top

It features Sonic’s beef patty topped with “Chophouse aioli,” fried onion strings, and two slices of American cheese, all situated on a toasted brioche bun. Now, some collateral I came across in my research suggests that the patty is seasoned with “Montreal steak seasoning,” but other things — including the app — don’t mention this. Did I notice a different seasoning on the patty I consumed? I mean… eh? I thought I noticed something, maybe, but it’s hard to tell if I was willing myself into tasting a deviation from a standard Sonic patty or if there was actually something there. In either case, it wasn’t enough to make much of a noticeable difference.

The same is true of the “Chophouse aioli,” a lackluster, oily substance that added absolutely nothing. It barely registered, giving me no sense of what I was supposed to be experiencing. What is chophouse aioli, anyway? Fancy steak mayo? To be fair, and as evidenced by the picture, the burger technician had a very light sauce hand.

Sonic Chophouse Cheeseburger Split

What this burger had plenty of, however — too much, in fact — is cheese. Honestly, one slice would have sufficed, as the standard melty Americanness overwhelmed everything except the meat. The fried onion straws added a nice textural element and a welcome sweet component to contrast the saltiness of the proceedings. The brioche bun — which Sonic has used on multiple other burgers — was pedestrian but held up well, as it typically does.

While I appreciate Sonic’s regular efforts at giving customers something new, the Chophouse Cheeseburger doesn’t feel like it’ll create any long-lasting memories, nor will it convince any Whataburger die-hards to switch allegiances.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, maybe I’m finally ready to go sit in a drive-thru for 45 minutes to see if “spicy ketchup” is worth it.

Purchased Price: $5.49
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 980 calories, 69 grams of fat, 18 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 110 milligrams of cholesterol, 1610 milligrams of sodium, 57 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and 32 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Blood Orange Refresher

Vin 4 Comments

Dunkin Blood Orange Refresher Hand

I’d like to share a joke with you that I distinctly recall reading on a Popsicle stick.

What was the vampire’s favorite fruit?

G’head and take a few seconds to think.

Ready? Here we go. The vampire’s favorite fruit was…

“DRACberry!”

Yeah. It was, uh, it was the Dracberry. Look, it’s a weak joke. They always are. The fact that the answer wasn’t “blood orange” kinda made me want to chisel that popsicle stick into a stake and go vampire hunting.

I guess ol’ Vlad and the boys don’t like citrus? That’s a real shame because that probably means they won’t be trying Dunkin’s new Blood Orange Refresher.

I only look like a vampire, so I tried it, and I have some thoughts.

Just to refresh you on Refreshers, they are Dunkin’s line of B vitamin and green tea-infused fruit drinks, and they mostly live up to their name. Mostly.

Blood orange is a solid flavor addition to the menu, but I’m not sure it’s a worthy “Refresher.”

I’ll cut to the chase; the Blood Orange Refresher is basically just Dunkin’s attempt at an Orangeade. It smells and tastes like orange-flavored green tea. That’s not necessarily a bad thing –- mission accomplished. After the first sip, I thought it was the most refreshing Refresher I’ve tried.

Dunkin Blood Orange Refresher Top

While the orange flavor was vibrant and landed right in a sweet spot between typical fresh Tropicana style orange juices and the more sugared up fare that have to be labeled as “drinks,” I don’t necessarily associate “_____ades” with the word “refreshing.”

I could be alone here, but lemonade isn’t refreshing. It might be for a sip or two, but then it starts to dry my mouth out and just makes me thirstier. That’s exactly what happens here. This should be the drink that peps me up and quenches my thirst, not one that makes me wish I also bought a bottle of water.

With that said, it’s still a good flavor, and the green tea does the job. I think you can get away with replacing a coffee with one of these and get that boost of caffeine you crave, but once more, you’ll probably just be thirsty again once you finish.

Dunkin Blood Orange Refresher Cup

I’d also be lying if I told you this was distinctly “blood orange.” I’m not even sure I could articulate the subtle difference I was expecting, but it’s basically just “orange” flavored, so don’t assume any crazy new flavor experience.

So, in the end, this might be the least refreshing Refresher I’ve tried to date, but I guess I still give it a light recommendation. You can also order it cut with coconut milk, which might actually curb that sour drying finish a bit and help with the thirst problem.

I imagine using “blood” orange might be a thinly veiled Halloween tie-in, so I’d expect this flavor to hang around for at least a couple months. If not, get it quick because it could be replaced by “DRAC-berry” any day now.

Purchased Price: $3.69
Size: Medium
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 130 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 mg of cholesterol, 15 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of total carbohydrates, 29 grams of sugars, 0 grams of fiber, 1 gram of protein, and 100 mg of caffeine.

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Nutty Pumpkin Coffee

Holly 7 Comments

Dunkin Nutty Pumpkin Coffee Cup

Fall’s kick-off has (unofficially) become August 1st as the product boxes slowly shift towards the warm orange/red/yellows of the season. My inbox becomes a flurry of messages from stores letting me know what date they will start offering their various pumpkin-flavored items. After last year’s strong showing, I was looking forward to this year’s Dunkin’ pumpkin menu. The Nutty Pumpkin Coffee immediately caught my attention.

Starting with Dunkin’s Original Blend coffee, they add in a pumpkin spice swirl and hazelnut flavoring with a cream of your choice; you also can get it hot or iced. I was intrigued by the drink’s simplicity, especially compared to its cousin, the Pumpkin Spice Signature Latte. I generally dislike the pure pumpkin spice drinks as I find them thickly sweet. I like the flavor, but the sweetness is too much after about half.

Using the mobile ordering, I went for the iced version and oatmilk as my “cream.” Immediately, I was pleasantly surprised to not see that ring of flavoring that sometimes sinks to the bottom of Dunkin’ drinks. I still gave it a quick stir to make sure the components were mixed. With my first sip, I was greeted by a very smooth and delicious drink.

Dunkin Nutty Pumpkin Coffee Top

The blend of the coffee, pumpkin spice swirl, hazelnut flavor, and oatmilk offered the balanced fall beverage I had hoped for. During my mobile ordering, I noticed that the hazelnut is an unsweetened flavor, and I think that makes all the difference. The hazelnut added that nutty, earthy component I feel is often missing in pumpkin spice drinks. In this iteration, the pumpkin spice swirl still brought sweetness to the drink but didn’t overwhelm. The Original Blend Dunkin’ coffee adds the perfect amount of richness to the drink. The oatmilk also played a part in bringing down the overall sugariness, and it added that creamy deliciousness I look for in an iced coffee.

For me, Dunkin’ tends to be a bit of a wild card when it comes to its offerings, so having this drink being such an enjoyable experience was awesome. The Nutty Pumpkin Coffee was a pleasant surprise and a great kick-off to pumpkin spice season. It hits all the fall notes and gives me that autumn-in-a-cup experience that I enjoy while still wearing flip-flops and tank tops in 95-degree heat.

Purchased Price: $2.89
Size: Medium
Rating: 10 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 260 calories, 9 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 130 milligrams of sodium, 39 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 38 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Wendy’s Homestyle French Toast Sticks

Karen 11 Comments

Wendy s Homestyle French Toast Sticks Sleeve

French toast occupies a nebulous space in the breakfast continuum. On the one side, you’ve got muffins, doughnuts, and pancakes as sweet breakfasts, then you have eggs, hash browns, and bacon/sausage over on the savory breakfast side. Then you have French toast in this kind of no-man’s-land, some kind of breakfast purgatory, where it’s sort of savory because of the egg flavor, but then you drown it in syrup, and it becomes sweet. Make up your mind, French toast!

Obviously, as a French toast skeptic, I had concerns going into Homestyle French Toast Sticks, the new breakfast item from Wendy’s. However, Wendy’s got around this identity crisis by frying the crap out of these things to the point where classifications like “sweet” and “savory” become lost in an oily confection that makes deep-fried Oreo cookies look healthy. Harsh words? Perhaps, but notice I did not say that I didn’t enjoy it.

According to Wendy’s, this new menu item “delivers a mouthful of flavor, striking the perfect texture balance of a soft custardy interior and crisp, golden-brown crust.” Okay, I will give them that: the texture contrast is really nice. The very deep-fried tasting sticks have lovely little caramelized edges that clash wonderfully with the lightly egg-flavored bread. However, texture and flavor are two different things, and flavor balance is where Wendy’s might have stumbled a little.

When I ordered these, Wendy’s staff told us to move aside from the drive-through line so they could make them to order. Now, I have faith in the Wendy’s work ethic, but I’m pretty sure this did not mean cracking eggs and cooking the sticks in the pan. They are likely fried to order, which is why the overall feeling of “fried” is so strong. Four or six piece sizes are available; I got the six because of course I got the six.

Wendy s Homestyle French Toast Sticks Closeup

When I dipped my nose into the bag containing these little guys, as one does, the smell actually reminded me of carnival funnel cake, which is weird because I don’t think I’ve had funnel cake in a decade. These treats are a good size too, more like long wedges as opposed to sticks. When I bit into one, the decadent flavor of carbs fried in oil went to work on my tongue while my brain tried to remember that I was still looking for other flavors. There is an egg flavor in there, but it’s a little subtle; this likely does not taste like your grandma’s French toast because it’s just not eggy enough. When you dip these sticks into the syrup provided, the sweetness overrides everything, and the egg flavor is no longer discernible.

That said, these things are hella addictive. I had been planning to save the last strip for my husband, except I got lost in a kind of sugary breakfast haze and inhaled every single one. I was left looking at an empty plate with a few dots of syrup on it, wondering how I got here. It was quite enjoyable, but I think I’ve used up my allowance for fried foods for the rest of the month.

Purchased Price: $3.99
Size: 6 sticks
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 490 calories, 25 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 175 milligrams of cholesterol, 550 milligrams of sodium, 50 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and 16 grams of protein.