Tag: Fast Food

REVIEW: Jet-Puffed S’moagie S’mores Sandwich

Rachel 9 Comments

Jet Puffed S moagie 1

What is a Jet-Puffed S’moagie?

Jet-Puffed Marshmallows has partnered with Italian sandwich shop and “best sandwich in New York City” list frequenter Alidoro to crank out a s’mores/prosciutto hoagie mashup in honor of National Sandwich Day. I’m not sure why marshmallows need to muscle in on Sandwich Day, but here we are. I’ll be on the lookout for a Heinz Ketchup collabo on National Toasted Marshmallow Day next August 30th. (Marketing execs, this is a joke. Don’t do it. But if you do, I’ll be there.)

Jet Puffed S moagie 2

Jet Puffed S moagie 3

Alidoro created a graham-cracker-glazed hoagie roll, slathered it with sea salt dark chocolate spread, layered on some toasted/melty Jet-Puffed marshmallows, and topped it with thin, crispy prosciutto.

Jet Puffed S moagie 4

How is it?

First, a word for the sweet-salty averse: CALM DOWN. IT’S GOING TO BE FINE. WE’LL GET THROUGH THIS.

This was a really tasty sandwich. The graham-cracker roll was like sweet bread, and the marshmallows were a perfect consistency – melty and stringy, but not on a mission to ooze all over my hands and clothes. At first, I thought it was a little on the small side, but in retrospect, it was exactly the right amount of sandwich.

Jet Puffed S moagie 5

The chocolate flavor was so dominant here that the prosciutto actually faded into the background (for better or worse, depending on your personal POV). I’ve had a lot of bacon-laced sweets in my time, and I was expecting it to pack more of a savory punch. A tad disappointing. However, I noticed when I got down to the end of the sandwich, there was less marshmallow and chocolate, so the prosciutto stood out more, which I liked.

Jet Puffed S moagie 6

Anything else you need to know?

If you’re in New York City, hit the Alidoro locations at Rockefeller Center or Bryant Park to buy a S’moagie in person. The rest of the nation can order a S’moagie kit on Goldbelly, but at a higher price point. Now before you whine about the unfairness of that, just remember New Yorkers pay a staggering amount to live in sky-high shoeboxes, and every one of us has a story about a crazy place where we’ve found a cockroach. Easy access to the S’moagie is the trade-off.

Jet Puffed S moagie 7

Conclusion:

A fun, delicious combo! As-is, probably more suited for sweet-salty newbies. If you grew up putting salt on watermelon like me, it might be on the tame side. Adjust expectations…or bring extra prosciutto.

Purchased Price: $10.00 in-store
Purchased at: Alidoro Bryant Park
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: Not listed. Just assume it’s “a lot.”

REVIEW: Popeyes Megan Thee Stallion Hottie Sauce

Ann 8 Comments

Popeyes Megan Thee Stallion Hottie Sauce Container 1

Much like its quick service brethren, Popeyes has hopped on the celebrity endorsement train with its new Megan Thee Stallion Hottie Sauce.

But this isn’t just a launch it and leave it situation. Megan Thee Stallion has apparently been heavily involved in the development of the sauce, a co-branded line of merchandise, a philanthropic commitment to donate to Houston Random Acts of Kindness, and a franchise agreement with the intent to open as many as five new Popeyes restaurants. Now that’s a partnership. I hope they give her some artistic freedom to make her franchise locations road-trip worthy because I would definitely go to a Megan Thee Stallion Popeyes.

Alright, on to the sauce.

Popeyes offers the Hottie sauce on either its new(ish) chicken nuggets or its infamous chicken sandwich. I opted for the 8-piece nuggets because I wanted to be able to focus on the sauce. The order came with two dip cups, which I think is standard for an 8 piece, so that’s a strategic bonus if you’re looking to try the sauce and save one for later.

Popeyes Megan Thee Stallion Hottie Sauce Container

At first glance, this sauce looks an awful lot like Popeyes’ Sweet Heat sauce, a well-established sauce that’s basically diluted honey and hot sauce. Noting visual differences, the Hottie sauce is richer in color and has flakes of red pepper throughout, which made me hopeful it would live up to its “Hottie” name.

Still, there’s a lot of internet speculation going around saying that the two sauces are the same. Let me just Poindexter that one real quick by clarifying that, technically/legally they have different ingredient lines, which means that by definition they are NOT the exact same sauce. But, yeah, they are similar.

The Hottie sauce has a sweet flavor up front, reminiscent of honey or sweet and sour sauce, and then builds a bit of heat in a nice balanced “oh this has hot sauce in it” gradual manner. I really enjoy spicy things, and I think the Hottie sauce falls into the same heat realm as the Popeyes “spicy” chicken tenders. That is, this could be hotter and I wouldn’t be mad.

Maybe Megan Thee Stallion was using the word “hottie” a la hot girl summer more so than an indication that the sauce was spicy. Oh well, a heat level to appease the masses isn’t entirely surprising from a major food chain. It definitely has a bit more kick than the Sweet Heat sauce.

Popeyes Megan Thee Stallion Hottie Sauce Closeup

I also thought the consistency of the sauce was spot on. I could dip a nugget or a chicken strip into this sauce and get a hefty amount of cling with limited drippage. Technical terms.

Popeyes Megan Thee Stallion Hottie Sauce One Sauce

Overall I’d say this sauce is delicious. It falls a bit short in the innovation space since it’s very similar to the Sweet Heat sauce, and with the word “hottie” in the name, I had expected it to be a touch spicier, but it’s certainly not bad. I don’t know if I’ll ask for this sauce again, but I hope to visit a Stallion franchise location someday.

Purchased Price: $4.99 for 8 Nuggets and 2 Sauce Packets
Size: 0.90 oz.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: Not available online for the Hottie sauce.

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Peanut Butter Cup Macchiato

Vin 6 Comments

Dunkin Peanut Butter Cup Macchiato Cup

This is a long time coming for me.

I’m sure at some point Dunkin’ has dabbled with peanut butter flavored coffees, but I’ve never had it before. In fact, every time they put out a new flavor, I wonder when peanut butter is coming. I’ve never even had a peanut butter donut from Dunkin’, so I just kinda assumed they banned it altogether because of allergies or something.

Well, I no longer have to wonder what Dunkin’s take on peanut butter might taste like now that I’ve had its new Peanut Butter Cup Macchiato. Was it worth the wait?

Absolutely.

I never order “macchiatos” despite how fun it is to say, and I honestly had to Google what differentiated them from all the other coffee-based drinks. In case you’re as uneducated as me, it has a higher espresso to milk ratio. I shoulda been getting these all along.

Dunkin Peanut Butter Cup Macchiato Orange

Right away, I was shocked by how orange the macchiato was. It’s vibrant and festive, but all I could really think was, “I bet that’s just a bunch of unnecessary additives making it glow like that.” Either way, it’s fun to look at.

Dunkin Peanut Butter Cup Macchiato Layers

The drink settled in two layers, with the coffee up top and the orange peanut butter goodness down below. I wasn’t entirely sure if I was supposed to mix it up, so I sampled each layer before even getting to that point.

I thought the orange layer was delicious. There was a pronounced peanutty flavor with a nice supporting chocolate accent that didn’t outshine the main attraction. It reminded me of a very thin peanut butter ice cream milkshake.

The consistency of the orange was so velvety and tasty, I was actually a little bummed that half the cup had coffee in it. I probably drank a bit too much of the orange on its own before I ultimately mixed the coffee in.

The coffee portion packed a nice wallop and only cut the peanut butter flavor slightly. I was drinking a strong espresso with a peanut butter cup flavor finish, and I can’t think of anything wrong with that.

I hope I’m not alone when I say this is probably the best new Dunkin’ drink I’ve had in years. I think I loved it.

Dunkin Peanut Butter Cup Macchiato Sign

With that said, this can’t be your everyday order. You wouldn’t wanna drink this every morning because it’s basically a dessert moonlighting as a morning coffee. I guess that’s a clever disguise just in time for Halloween.

Outside of that, and the fact it’s a bit more expensive than the standard menu items, I have no other knocks.

I’ll definitely be a repeat buyer, and now that I can add “peanut butter cup” pumps to any drink in the app, I’m probably gonna run this flavor into the ground.

The Peanut Butter Cup Macchiato didn’t appear on the “limited” section of Dunkin’s nutrition page, so hopefully, that means this might be a mainstay. Don’t risk it though, try it as soon as possible.

Purchased Price: $4.89
Size: Medium
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: NOTE: this is w/ whole milk. I used oat. (24 oz.) 280 calories, 6 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 47 grams of carbohydrates, 44 grams of sugar (including 32 grams of added sugar), and 8 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Jack in the Box Bacon Cheddar Loaded Cheeseburger

Marvo 6 Comments

Jack in the Box Bacon Cheddar Loaded Cheeseburger Whole

Short story: I ordered the Jack in the Box Cheddar Loaded Cheeseburger, which has a beef patty topped with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, and cheddar ranch sauce on a cheddar cheese bun.

However, I received the more loaded Bacon Cheddar Loaded Cheeseburger that has everything the smaller burger does but includes hickory-smoked bacon, another beef patty, and another cheddar slice.

Fin.

So this review will be about the larger one. Thanks for the upgrade, Fast Food Gods…and the person who made my burger!

Jack in the Box Bacon Cheddar Loaded Cheeseburger Bun

Since it sticks out the most, let’s start with that cheddar bun. There’s obviously cheese baked into it, so it looks the part. But when I tried the bun on its own and as part of the sandwich, I couldn’t taste the cheese with most bites. That was also the case with the cheddar slices.

Despite three different cheddar vessels, it’s not a cheesy-tasting cheeseburger. The only times I really got any really noticeable cheesiness was whenever my mouth pulled in a decent glob of the cheddar ranch sauce, which was slathered on both buns.

Jack in the Box Bacon Cheddar Loaded Cheeseburger Split

But most of the time, it was a slightly juicy meat fest in my mouth with those two patties taking center stage and the bacon in the background as a porky hype man coming in every so often. And the lettuce and tomato weren’t any help. They’re just there to add some color to the party and distract you from the sweating cheddar slices.

Jack in the Box Bacon Cheddar Loaded Cheeseburger Tomatoes

The Bacon Cheddar Loaded Cheeseburger isn’t loaded with cheddar flavor like this review is loaded with the words “cheddar” and “cheese.” Maybe if I got what I originally ordered, the less loaded Cheddar Loaded Cheeseburger, I might’ve tasted an intense cheesiness since there’s one less patty to get in the way.

Purchased Price: $6.99*
Size: Small combo
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 910 calories, 37 grams of fat, 25 grams of saturated fat, 3 grams of trans fat, 165 milligrams of cholesterol, 1190 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, and 56 grams of protein.

*Price is for the regular Cheddar Loaded Cheeseburger combo, which I ordered. But as I mentioned at the beginning, I received a Bacon Cheddar Loaded Cheeseburger. Also, 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.

REVIEW: Taco Bell Cantina Crispy Melt Taco

Holly 9 Comments

Taco Bell Cantina Crispy Melt Taco Shell

I used to hate crunchy tacos.

My grandfather would try so hard to get me to like them when we went to Taco Bell for “39-cent crunchy taco night,” but usually ended up paying the extra 10 cents so I could get soft tacos instead. I can’t tell you why I didn’t like them, but it was a preference that followed me well into my late 20s until something clicked.

It is probably too dramatic to say I heard angels singing, but it’s the truth. Since then, they have been my preferred taco of choice, particularly Taco Bell’s crunchy beef taco (sorry, Grandpa). Its simplicity is one of the reasons why they are so satisfying. Rarely will I venture out of the standard build (shell, meat, cheese, lettuce), but every so often, Taco Bell will tempt me away with a new product, like it did with its Cantina Crispy Melt Taco.

The menu item is made with a white corn tortilla that is fried in-store daily, then layered with nacho cheese sauce, three-cheese blend, seasoned beef, tomato, lettuce, sour cream, and (yet more) shredded cheddar cheese. Two things about this item caught my attention immediately: the freshly fried in-store white corn tortilla and the sheer amount of cheese involved with it. With the white corn shell, I was curious how it would differ from the standard yellow corn shell in both structural integrity and flavor. I was a bit wary about the amount of cheese involved, particularly the nacho cheese.

Taco Bell Cantina Crispy Melt Taco

Look, I’m no stranger to cheese, but crunchy tacos can go from crunchy to soggy rather quickly, and I was worried the dairy would expedite that process. Much to my surprise, it all held up exceptionally well. The white corn offers a much more mild flavor than the yellow corn. I wouldn’t quite say it’s bland, but it’s certainly not the star flavor-wise.

Its texture, though, exceeded my expectations. It was airy and light, but managed to stay strong after the 15-minute car ride home. With my first bite, it didn’t shatter or split. In fact, it did not break apart until the end.

The nacho cheese was the strongest flavor, with the seasoned beef and sour cream coming in next. I couldn’t quite tell you if the three cheese blend added to it in any way, but it didn’t detract. I was also pleasantly surprised that the cheese didn’t cause the seam to get soggy and split apart. The rest of the toppings (lettuce, tomato, cheddar cheese) felt sort of like a take-it-or-leave-it situation, but I often find those Taco Bell ingredients to be that way.

Taco Bell Cantina Crispy Melt Taco Sleeve

While I don’t find the Cantina Crispy Melt Taco too groundbreaking, it’s an interesting detour from the standard crunchy taco, and it’s worth trying once. The standout was the shell, but mostly for how well it held up and not because it added to the taste profile. But if you are a fan of the nacho cheese, I think you will very much find this to be a home run.

Purchased Price: $2.19
Size: N/A
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 280 calories, 17 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 540 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 10 grams of protein.