Taco Bell Loaded Potato Griller

spacer I like Taco Bell for many reasons, but perhaps the primary reason is because they are always introducing new products to their menu (if only for a limited time). I picked up one of these products recently, a Loaded Potato Griller, because I had seen the commercial on TV and it seemed to be a bargain at $1.29. The Griller was actually larger than I expected it to be, making it an even better value. The grilled tortilla was filled with crispy potato bites, nacho cheese sauce, bacon, and sour cream. Although the Grillers flavor wasnt terribly exciting, the combination of ingredients worked and I really enjoyed eating it. The best part of the Griller wasnt what was on the inside, however. It was the grilled tortilla. The simple step of grilling the tortilla made all the difference. It doesnt come as a surprise to me because I know that when heating a tortilla at home, doing it over an open flame or on a griddle gives it a far superior flavor. Taco Bell would be wise to offer grilled tortillas on more of their menu items, or let customers request grilled tortillas on any item. If this were an option, I wouldnt eat an un-grilled tortilla at Taco Bell ever again. And, Id probably eat there more often.

Phoood rating: spacer

February 23, 2013 | By: Jim | Comments (1)

Wolf Brand Chili With Beans

spacer Wolf Brand Chili recently showed up on the shelves of my local Safeway. I had never seen this brand of chili anywhere Ive ever shopped, although the label indicates that its been around since 1895. Ive been a Dennisons man all my life, but I bought a can of Wolf Brand Chili with Beans to see what it was like. Upon pouring the contents of the can into a bowl, my first reaction was one of disappointment at the lack of meat and beans and the abundance of sauce. Dont be fooled by the picture on the can. Your bowl of chili will look nothing like it. There was a moderate amount of meat, and even less beans, covered by so much sauce that the meat and beans were barely visible. Really, did I buy a can of chili with beans or a can of sauce? Aside from this rather significant issue, the chili tasted okay. I compared it side-by-side with a can of Dennisons and found the Wolf Brand Chili had a deeper, spicier flavor that I preferred. But, the Dennisons appeared to have more meat and definitely had more beans. Canned chili isnt very good when compared to homemade chili or even chili made with Carroll Shelbys Chili Kit. But, sometimes chili from a can is the way to go. And when it is, Im sticking with Dennisons.

Phoood rating: spacer

January 24, 2013 | By: Jim | Comments (7)

Tostitos Cantina Thin & Crispy

spacer Tortilla chip makers have been forever trying to produce chips that are as good as they ones you get in some Mexican food restaurants. You know - the chips that you cant stop eating because they are so utterly delicious. The ones you eat so many of that when your meal finally comes, you arent very hungry. I dont think any store-bought chips reach this level of tastiness, but Im hoping someday they do. Tostitos gives it their best shot with their new Cantina Thin & Crispy chips. I suspect that Tostitos goal for the chips was for them to be similar to the chips served at Chevys, and they come pretty close. The chips are thin, but not so thin that they fall apart easily. They also have a very nice crispiness and feel great in the mouth. But, theres one very important thing missing: flavor. I found the chips to be bland and boring, with very little corn flavor. I suppose that if you are using the chips to eat salsa or some other type of dip, the flavor of the chip isnt as important. But, I think every chip should taste good when eaten by itself, without any accompaniment. Perhaps the lack of flavor is because the chips are so thin. I cant explain why the chips are so lacking in flavor, but I know that I wont be buying them in the future.

Phoood rating: spacer

January 3, 2013 | By: Jim | Comments (0)

Breyers Vanilla Fudge Twirl Ice Cream

spacer Its not often that I eat ice cream that I think isnt any good. Even second-rate ice cream is usually pretty decent. Breyers Vanilla Fudge Twirl ice cream is probably the worst ice cream Ive ever eaten. Maybe Ive had some ice milk or frozen dairy desert that tasted worse, but Im not even sure about that. Breyers Vanilla Fudge Twirl ice cream has two strikes against it right from the get-go: the vanilla flavor is virtually non-existent and the texture is not what you expect from a quality ice cream. The third strike comes from the alleged fudge twirl. I didnt taste or see any actual fudge in the ice cream. There were some thin streaks of cheap-tasting chocolate throughout the ice cream, but it certainly didnt qualify as fudge. Ive had some other Breyers products that were pretty good. Im not sure how they got so far off track on this product, but I recommend that you stay far away from it.

Phoood rating: spacer

December 29, 2012 | By: Jim | Comments (0)

My Fast Food Restaurant Rankings

This was not easy to do. I lost a lot of sleep over it. Okay, I didn't actually loose any sleep (I take fast food seriously, but not that seriously...) but I did put a lot of thought into it. Here's my rankings of fast food restaurants:

  1. In-N-Out Burger
  2. Original Tommys
  3. Jack in the Box
  4. Carls Jr.
  5. Taco Bell
  6. McDonalds
  7. Arbys
  8. Popeyes
  9. Sonic Drive-In
  10. Wendys
  11. Wienerschnitzel
  12. Del Taco
  13. El Pollo Loco
  14. Dairy Queen
  15. Chick-Fil-A
  16. KFC
  17. Burger King

There's a lot of fast food restaurants not included in the rankings only because they are not in my area and I can't eat there frequently enough to form an opinion.

UPDATE 12/4/12 - These are places which typically have a drive-through. This is what I consider "fast food." If I have to get out of my car to order, I don't think of it as fast food. This is why I didn't include places like Chipotle, Five Guys, Subway, etc. in the list.

November 30, 2012 | By: Jim | Comments (8)

Nutffles Red Velvet Truffles

spacer I had never seen Nutffles before when I spotted a display of them at Raleys. I dont know if they are a new product or have been around forever. Anyway, I bought a package of the Red Velvet Truffles. Inside were four truffles made of an almond surrounded by red velvet filling, a crispy cocoa wafer, and cream cheese-flavored Belgian white chocolate. Wow, were they delicious! The different flavors and textures went well together and it was clear that the truffles were made from high-quality ingredients. They are a premium product, much like Ferrero Rocher chocolates are. But, I think Nutffles taste better. The package of four truffles cost me $1.50, which I thought was kind of high when I bought them. After eating them, I can say that they are a very good value at a buck and a half. The Nutffles web site indicates that Nutffles are available in a 20-piece ballotin (Now theres a word I've never come across. It means a deep decorative rectangular cardboard box with overhanging edges used for packaging chocolate candies). A ballotin or two of Nutffles would make a great gift for someone special.

Phoood rating: spacer

November 29, 2012 | By: Jim | Comments (0)

Taco Bell XXL Steak Nachos

spacer Taco Bell is bringing out the XXL label again, this time with the XXL Steak Nachos. Taco Bells nacho offerings have always been on the small side, more of a snack than a meal. With the XXL Steak Nachos, you probably wont have to order anything else to get a full belly. The container that the nachos are served in is impressive. Its about a foot long and around seven inches wide. Inside, youll find tortilla chips covered with refried beans, cheese, nacho cheese sauce, steak, reduced-fat sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo. The flavors were what Ive come to expect from Taco Bell; theres nothing new here. The nachos contained a fairly generous amount of steak, which was juicy and had a good flavor. The weak link here is the reduced-fat sour cream. It tastes like, well, reduced-fat sour cream. I dont think anyone who is eating the XXL Steak Nachos is really watching their caloric intake very closely, so Taco Bell should just use regular (high fat) sour cream and make the XXL Nachos taste better. At $5.99, I think the XXL Steak Nachos are at least a dollar overpriced, even considering the portion size. Youll have to decide if a big pile of nachos is worth this price.

Phoood rating: spacer

November 16, 2012 | By: Jim | Comments (0)

Wendy's Mozzarella Chicken Supreme

spacer First of all, you may have noticed the lack of a picture containing the food item I'm about to review. I tried searching everywhere for a picture of the Mozzarella Chicken Supreme, but to no avail. So I figured now was as good a time as any to display Wendy's upcoming logo changesomething that hasn't been altered in over 29 years. Now on to the review... I walked into Wendy's the other day expecting to order an Asiago Ranch Chicken Club until I noticed signage for the "new" Mozzarella Chicken Supreme. I believe this was actually on the menu in the past, as this website seems to indicate. I placed my order for one and received it shortly in a neat little package. At first glance I was disappointed by how small it was for its $7 price tag. My first bite revealed a nice and chewy bun, fresh veggies, and a ranch sauce that had pepper sprinkled into it. A little strange, but it helped to liven things up. The Homestyle chicken fillet was as impressive as ever, with a crispy, perfectly seasoned exterior and high quality white meat inside. The mozzarella cheese came across as the real deal, with its elastic consistency and milky flavor. It had melted and draped over the chicken very nicely. Although I wish the portion could've been a bit larger, Wendy's proves once again that they have the best chicken sandwiches to be found anywhere in terms of quality and taste.

Phoood rating: spacer

November 10, 2012 | By: Jin | Comments (3)

Heinz Dip & Squeeze Ketchup

spacer Phoood doesn't review condiments very often, but sometimes the product is so good that our readers just need to know about it. I read about Heinz Dip & Squeeze ketchup packages a while ago and thought it was a great idea. But, I hadn't actually seen one until a recent visit to Chik-fil-A. The ketchup itself isn't whats important here, its the ingenious package that lets you either squeeze the ketchup out like you do with a ketchup squeeze packet or peel back the plastic film to turn it into a tub for dipping. So, no matter how you like to get ketchup on your food, you should be covered. I used the Dip & Squeeze package both ways while eating the chicken strips and waffle fries I had bought. Both the dip and squeeze functions worked like I expected. The package holds more ketchup than a typical squeeze package, but not as much as the tubs that fast food dipping sauces typically come in. If you are dipping, you may need a few packages to get the job done. I think Heinz has a real winner here and I hope to see Dip & Squeeze packages in all fast food restaurants soon.

Phoood rating: spacer

November 3, 2012 | By: Jim | Comments (2)

McDonald's Angus Cheddar Bacon Onion

spacer McDonalds has just released a new addition to its lineup of Angus burgersthe Cheddar Bacon Onion, or CBO for short. Just imagining these three ingredients coming together was enough to whet my appetite, although it can probably be attributed to the fact that it simply has the word cheddar in it. For this review I opted for the Angus beef variation of the CBO, though its available with either grilled or crispy chicken as well. Leading up to the taste test I remained cautiously optimistic as McDonalds has proven to have a pretty decent track record in the past. Unfortunately the CBO could be best described as either run-of-the-mill or conventional. The cheddar was fused together with the patty pretty nicely, but lacked sharpness and depth of flavor. If they had used American cheese instead, it wouldnt have made much of a difference. I had no problems with the bacon, which managed to be crispy yet flimsy at the same time. The onions couldve easily gone unnoticed, were it not for the fact that some pieces were able to retain that distinct onion texture. Flavor-wise, the onions were simply dominated by the rest of the ingredients. The best part of the sandwich to me was the Dijon mustard, which had a bold zest and acidity to it. Ultimately I felt as though the CBO was something I've already had many times before. Some originality and better quality ingredients would go a long way in ensuring McDonalds is able to keep up with its competitors.

Phoood rating: spacer

October 31, 2012 | By: Jin | Comments (4)

Cheetos Crunchy XXTRA Flamin Hot

spacer Spicy is very popular these days, and Im all for it. I enjoy food hot enough to clear my nasal passages. Cheetos Crunchy XXTRA Flamin Hot snacks claim to be twice as hot as regular Cheetos Flamin Hot. That may be true, but XXTRA Flamin Hot really aren't that hot. Sure, they have some heat. I felt it in my mouth and in the back of my throat long after I had finished eating them. But, they dont have that immediate burn of the tongue and lips that really gets your attention. Im not sure what type of peppers the folks at Frito-Lay, Inc. used for the heat, but Im pretty sure they weren't habanero or ghost peppers. My (unscientific) description of the heat level is moderately hot. When I see the word XXTRA in all caps, I expect something over-the-top. Something that I will remember eating for a long time. Something that I may regret having eaten. Frito-Lay, you left me a bit disappointed.

Phoood rating: spacer

October 20, 2012 | By: Jim | Comments (2)

Dairy Queen Pumpkin Pie Blizzard

spacer It is now officially fall, and that means Dairy Queen has gone ahead and released their Pumpkin Pie Blizzard once again. This is unquestionably one of the better Blizzard varieties out there, with the primary reason being that it tastes incredibly similar to an actual pumpkin pie. Speckles of powdered nutmeg can be found resting upon the dollop of whipped cream that acts as a crown to this decadent dessert. Underneath it was a thick yet still creamy concoction with a pale orange hue. The pumpkin taste was quite bold, with certain areas of the Blizzard standing out more than others. I'm not exactly sure how this was constructed, but it tasted as if pumpkin pie filling was simply mixed in with vanilla ice cream. There were tiny graham cracker pieces embedded throughout, which were reminiscent of Apple Jacks cereal due to the cinnamon flavor they contained. The vanilla soft serve came through as an aftertaste, so that component of the Blizzard wasn't completely subdued. All I have left to say is that I thoroughly enjoyed every bite. If you like pumpkin pie, there's no doubt that you'll love this as well. Better go out and get one while you still can!

Phoood rating: spacer

October 10, 2012 | By: Jin | Comments (1)

Arby's Grand Turkey Club

spacer I think it's safe to say that turkey is one of the least popular meats to the general public. It has a tendency to be not only dry but also lacking in much flavor. I guess that's why you don't see people clamoring for it like they do with beef or pork. However, Arby's continues to be one of few fast food restaurants to prominently feature this peculiar poultry on their menu. As a part of their new line of Turkey Roasters, it's clear that the Grand Turkey Club won't get very many points for originality. It wasn't exactly the most visually arresting sandwich I've ever seen, but I do commend Arby's for making my Grand Turkey Club out to look somewhat similar to the ones seen in the ads. Now moving on to how it tasted: the bacon was crisp and almost crunchy, the vegetables were fresh by fast food standards, and the bun was durable enough to hold everything together. The thinly-sliced meat proved to be fairly moist, giving way to a noticeably sweet and savory turkey flavor. There was a massive glob of cheese which stuck to the turkey like glue and although there was a lot of mayo, I didn't particularly mind as it didn't detract from the sandwich in any way. One thing I have to note is that I was surprised by how small it was, which is a downer given the amount you have to pay for one. The bottom line is that the Grand Turkey Club does a lot more right than it does wrong. Now I'm even more interested in trying out some of the other turkey-centric items at Arby's.

Phoood rating: spacer

October 4, 2012 | By: Jin | Comments (0)

Triple Double Oreo Neapolitan

spacer The folks at Nabisco have taken the Oreo cookie a long way from its original form two chocolate cookies with white creme filling between them. Now, there are all kinds of odd bastardizations of the iconic Oreo. One of the newer Oreo products is Triple Double Oreo Neapolitan. They're made with three vanilla cookies with strawberry and chocolate creme between them. On paper, it sounds pretty good: an extra cookie (kind of like the middle bun on a Big Mac) and two flavors of creme. Unfortunately, it just doesn't work. The extra cookie doesn't improve the Triple Double in any way and in fact makes the entire cookie fall apart while you are eating it. The strawberry and chocolate cremes taste all right by themselves, but they dont go together as well as I hoped they would. If you really want the taste of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry, get yourself a half-gallon of Neapolitan ice cream, grab a spoon, and dig in. I reckon youll enjoy it much more than Triple Double Oreo Neapolitan.

Phoood rating: spacer

September 27, 2012 | By: Jim | Comments (0)

Popeyes Handcrafted Tenders

spacer Before I recently visited a local Popeyes and had their Handcrafted Tenders for lunch, I had never eaten at Popeyes. Chicken fast food has never been my favorite, and there have never been a lot of Popeyes in the areas of Northern California that Ive lived. Theyre not on every other corner like many other fast food restaurants are. Too bad, because Ive really been missing out. The Handcrafted Tenders I ate were one of the best fast food items Id ever eaten. They were better than chicken tenders Ive had at casual dining restaurants. Lets start with the most important part the chicken. It was, cooked perfectly, juicy, and delicious. Im not a chicken expert, but to me the meat appeared to be high quality. I got the spicy version of the tenders. Apparently, the chicken was marinated in spices before being battered and fried. It wasnt nearly as spicy as I was hoping it would be, but it tasted great nonetheless. Im not sure what the tenders are breaded with, but they have a very crispy, flaky exterior that I really like. Popeyes obviously knows something about chicken and about making tasty fast food. Its a shame that there arent more Popeyes around because I would sure like to eat there more often. Tip to Popeyes: put extra spicy Handcrafted Tenders, with some real heat, on your menu to further differentiate your product from the competition.

Phoood rating: spacer

September 21, 2012 | By: Jim | Comments (2)

Lay's Classic BLT Flavored Potato Chips

spacer Ever since the creation of the potato chip, there's been quite a few... unique flavors cooked up that many people aren't aware of. A few examples are cheeseburger, kimchi, and even "Australian BBQ Kangaroo" (seriously). The list goes on and on, but I'm the type of person who prefers simplicity when it comes to food. Even still, I couldn't help but be curious as to whether or not Lay's Classic BLT potato chips would actually taste like the popular sandwich. As soon as I ripped the bag open, I caught a whiff of vinegar and bacon. Upon eating the first few chips, I noticed a hint of toasted bread as well as the tartness of mayonnaise, surprisingly. The smoky presence of bacon was there albeit rather mildly. This may be hard to believe, but I did notice the taste of lettuce here and there. Sadly the chips didn't do a very good job in exuding a tomato flavor. Of course, the texture of bacon and the coolness of the vegetables could not be replicated but I believe this is as close as it can get. The chips surpassed my expectations and resulted in my taste buds almost being fooled into thinking that I had just finished eating a BLT. Perhaps now I will be more open to sampling other strange varieties of potato chips; although I will most likely pass on haggis.

Phoood rating: spacer

September 11, 2012 | By: Jin | Comments (1)

Carls Jr. Memphis BBQ Burger

spacer Pork on a hamburger isnt uncommon; you can get bacon on your hamburger just about anywhere. But pulled pork on a hamburger? Thats something I had not seen before I bought a Memphis BBQ Burger at Carls Jr. recently. Yes, they have combined BBQ pulled pork with a hamburger to create something pretty unique. Within the buns are (from bottom to top) BBQ pulled pork, your typical Carls Jr. charbroiled patty (available in a single, double, or Six Dollar Burger), American cheese, crispy onion strings, and Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce. Despite being made with two very different types of meat, the burger works. The tender pulled pork is a nice contrast to the firm hamburger patty. The crispy onion strings give the burger some interesting crispness and a hint of onion flavor. All of the flavors and textures combine to make a tasty burger. Only two things keep the burger from earning Phooods highest rating. First, there is not enough pulled pork. The photo accompanying this post suggests the burger has almost as much pulled pork as hamburger patty. This was definitely not the case with the burger I purchased. Secondly, there was not enough BBQ sauce in the pulled pork or on top of the onion strings/cheese. The BBQ flavor was there, but it was not pronounced enough to make me think that I was eating a burger inspired by Memphis-style BBQ. Despite these issues, I recommend that you give the Memphis BBQ burger a try.

Phoood rating: spacer

September 8, 2012 | By: Jim | Comments (0)

Hershey's Air Delight Chocolate Bar

spacer After briefly seeing a commercial for these a while back, I was only marginally interested in trying out an Air Delight. It seemed like a pretty clever way to pack less chocolate into a Hershey's bar. I did some research and found that aerated chocolate bars are actually quite popular in other parts of the world. I figured that at least the texture might be interesting, so I decided to give it a shot. First of all, there's absolutely nothing new here when it comes to taste. Air Delights are exactly like their standard counterpart in this regard. When it came to texture however, it felt as though the inside of the chocolate bar had been hollowed out. The honeycomb-like aerated portions were so vaporous that it melted on my tongue almost instantly. This resulted in me not being able to savor the taste of chocolate for very long and my mind being tricked into consuming less than what was expected. Perhaps another sufficient way for me to describe this is that it's like taking in a quick gasp of air before biting down on a piece of chocolate, then swallowing both the air and chocolate at the same time. The satisfaction of chewing into a substantial chunk of candy is all but gone. I think it's clear that I'm not a fan of this new product, as I was left feeling a little cheated. After all, why would I pay for more air and less chocolate?

Phoood rating: spacer

September 5, 2012 | By: Jin | Comments (1)

Burger King BK Bacon Burger

spacer Having dealt with a severe burger craving all day, I decided to stop by Burger King and try out their new BK Bacon Burger. Now I'll be honest here... Burger King isn't exactly at the top of my list when it comes to fast food. I can hardly remember the last time I even went there. Needless to say, my expectations weren't very high. But as it turns out, the BK Bacon Burger actually tastes pretty good. The patty was thin but still meaty, there was an adequate amount of chewy bacon, and there was a strong bite to the onions. The ketchup and mayo prevented things from getting too dry. However, what really matters is whether or not I'm willing to purchase this again. The only draw here is the cheap price, as this item doesn't bring anything new to the table. Also it would take several of these to fill me up, so I'd be spending some more money anyway. I can't really imagine myself ordering multiple BK Bacon Burgers when I could easily buy one larger, higher quality burger for around the same price. Although this is by no means a bad-tasting sandwich, there's not much to keep me coming back for more.

Phoood rating: spacer

August 20, 2012 | By: Jin | Comments (0)

Red Baron Pepperoni Deep Dish Singles Pizza

spacer Anyone who knows me well knows that I love pizza. I used to say that theres no such thing as bad pizza, but I stopped saying that after I ate an especially bad Pizza! Pizza! from a certain pizza purveyor that will go unnamed. But Im no pizza snob. I like frozen pizzas almost as much as I like the delicious pizza at the old-school Italian pizzeria near where I live. And one of my favorite frozen pizzas is Red Baron Pepperoni Deep Dish Singles. To be honest, the pizzas toppings are only average. The sauce, cheese, and pepperoni are okay, but nothing special. Its the pizzas crust that really stands out. When the pizza is cooked in a conventional oven (please, please do not cook them in a microwave oven), the crust is crispy and golden brown on the outside and buttery tender on the inside. It reminds me more of a pastry than a pizza crust. Its definitely the best crust of any frozen pizza that Ive ever eaten. The pizzas are small, but fortunately they come two to a box. One box makes a mighty nice meal, with plenty of room for dessert (or more pizza!).

Phoood rating: spacer

August 13, 2012 | By: Jim | Comments (0)

Hawaiian Sweet Maui Onion Kettle Style Potato Chips

spacer Many great things can come to mind when you think of Hawaii. One of the last things you're likely to envision is potato chips. As it turns out though, Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips are among the best you'll find anywhere. One of the first things I noticed about this particular brand is that just about every chip is consistently crispy. As I chomped down into each piece, I could audibly hear every crunch and crackle. With the Sweet Maui Onion flavor, a healthy dose of onion powder can be found sprinkled on every serving. A hint of sugar adds the perfect amount of sweetness to balance out the saltiness. As soon as I had my fill, I couldn't help but lick the oniony, garlicky residue off of my fingers. You may not have the funds necessary to travel to Hawaii, but you owe it to yourself to go out and buy a bag of these immediately so as to imagine yourself on a relaxing vacation while happily munching on these chips.

Phoood rating: spacer

August 8, 2012 | By: Jin | Comments (2)

Purple Stuff Classic Grape

spacer Energy drinks are all the rage nowadays, with everybody looking for different ways to keep themselves awake and alert. What many people don't know, however, is that there's a beverage out there that has the exact opposite effect of an energy drink. At first it was the name that caught my attention; but eventually I found out that Purple Stuff is supposed to reduce stress and anxiety. It contains ingredients such as rose hips and valerian root to put you in a happy and relaxed mood. While there are a few flavor variants, I decided to single out Classic Grape for this review. It has a pleasant grape flavor that goes down smooth while staying crisp and refreshing. There's a slight medicinal tinge to it, but it's nothing that detracts from the overall taste. And while I can't speak for everybody, I can say that I definitely felt a bit more sleepy after drinking this. If you ever feel the need to calm your nerves or loosen up, seek out this somewhat elusive beverage. Even if you're not necessarily wanting to chill out, I'd still recommend giving this great-tasting soda a try.

Phoood rating: spacer

July 26, 2012 | By: Jin | Comments (0)

Pepsi Next Paradise Mango

spacer If you havent tried Pepsi Next yet, you really should. It tastes almost exactly like regular Pepsi and has only 60 calories per 12-ounce serving. You should also try Pepsi Next Paradise Mango. Before drinking it for the first time recently, I would never have guessed that I would like it. The combination of flavors cola and mango just doesnt seem like it would work. But, the two flavors actually go very well together. The mango flavor is surprisingly pleasant (it doesnt taste artificial or unnatural) and is a nice complement to the familiar Pepsi cola flavor. Its a refreshing taste that is perfect for hot summer days. Alas, it appears that Pepsi Next Paradise Mango will only be available for a limited time. Get some while you can.

Phoood rating: spacer

July 26, 2012 | By: Jim | Comments (0)

Taco Bell Cantina Chicken Burrito

spacer Many people (including myself) consider Taco Bell to be the go-to place when it comes to finding food that is both cheap and filling. With the introduction of the Cantina Bell menu, you can't help but feel like this is a radical change for the fast food company. Could it be possible to find more "gourmet" options coming from a place criticized for recycling the same 5 ingredients over and over again? I decided to find out by ordering the new Cantina Burrito, which is said to contain cilantro rice, black beans, roasted corn and pepper salsa, and much more. On the outside it was a bit unimpressive, as it looked like a standard Grilled Stuft Burrito. But everything changed once I took my first bite. Immediately I was introduced to the taste of plump and sweet corn kernels. Generous cuts of lettuce added a nice bit of crunch and freshened everything up. The guacamole was rich and seasoned well, and the rice was nice and fluffy- although the taste of cilantro was all but absent. I could go on continuing to describe each individual aspect of the burrito, but suffice it to say, I was quite shocked. I could've never imagined enjoying a burrito of this quality at a Taco Bell. Although this wasn't the best burrito I've ever had, I will definitely be trying it again. Congrats to Taco Bell for successfully breathing new life into an age-old formula.

Phoood rating: spacer

July 15, 2012 | By: Jin | Comments (2)

Starbucks Caramel Macchiato Ice Cream

spacer Im not a coffee drinker. I just never developed a taste for the stuff. But, I like the flavor of coffee in food (tiramisu and ice cream, for example). I wasnt prepared, however, for the intense coffee flavor of Starbucks Caramel Macchiato ice cream. The first bite was a bit overpowering, to be honest. I honestly didnt know if I was going to be able to eat it. However, Im not one to give up easily so I kept eating. A couple more bites into it and I realized that not only was it a strong coffee flavor, but it was a very good coffee flavor (at least as far as this coffee novice could tell). I kept eating and enjoyed it more and more with each bite. The ice cream is actually a mix of coffee ice cream, vanilla ice cream, and ribbons of caramel. The flavor the vanilla ice cream was simply overwhelmed by the intense flavor of the coffee ice cream. There was a good amount of caramel, but the caramel flavor was mostly obscured by the coffee flavor. If you are a coffee drinker, you will probably enjoy this ice cream. And even if you arent a coffee drinker, you should give it a try. If you are looking for coffee ice cream that is well balanced and has a subtle coffee flavor, you'll want to look elsewhere.

Phoood rating: spacer

July 14, 2012 | By: Jim | Comments (1)

spacer
gipoco.com is neither affiliated with the authors of this page nor responsible for its contents. This is a safe-cache copy of the original web site.