REVIEW: Chick-fil-A Frosted Key Lime

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Chick fil A Frosted Key Lime

What is the Chick-fil-A Frosted Key Lime?

A close cousin of Chick-fil-A’s Frosted Lemonade, the Frosted Key Lime is nearly identical with the same mix of vanilla IceDream soft serve and lemonade, but with the addition of lime flavoring.

How is it?

I enjoyed this with as much pleasure as Chick-fil-A employees claim to have every time I visit. Actually, maybe more pleasure, because I have serious doubts my presence gives said employees that much joy, but this frosty drink certainly did for me.

Surprisingly, I didn’t taste the lemonade, but the pleasant yet not overpowering lime flavor came through along with the vanilla soft serve. The lime gave it a nice tart and sour taste that was well balanced against the sweetness of the soft serve.

Is there anything else you need to know?

The word “pie” — one of the greatest words in the English language — is absent from this product’s name, and that’s my only quibble here. As is, the Frosted Key Lime is delicious. Maybe it’s because I got spoiled by some of the Dairy Queen Blizzards with graham cracker crumbs to complete the pie experience, but I couldn’t help but think the addition of that taste and texture might take this to the next level. Unfortunately, I do not carry graham cracker crumbs on my person (except sometimes accidentally after eating pie), so my theory is still unproven.

Chick fil A Frosted Key Lime Top

According to Chick-fil-A, the green color of the Frosted Key Lime comes from spirulina and turmeric. Not having any idea what the former is and only an inkling on the latter, I turned to my friend Google, who informed me that spirulina is a “biomass of cyanobacteria.” Mmmm, sounds good, right? It turns out it’s just blue-green algae. That’s certainly not something I would normally put in my drink, but that description at least sounded a little more palatable. At that point, however, I decided to end my biology lesson and let the turmeric mystery remain unsolved.

Conclusion:

Chick fil A Frosted Key Lime Spoon

Even though what is essentially a lime shake might not seem like anything special, this does stand out compared to the endless variety of shake flavors available. Sometimes simple is the way to go, and the Frosted Key Lime proves that. It’s a really good treat.

Chick-fil-A says this will be available until May 25, or “while supplies last.” I’m not sure the world will run out of soft serve, lemonade, or limes before then, but I don’t know much about the current supply of spirulina, so don’t dawdle.

Purchased Price: $3.95
Size: Large
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 450 calories, 7 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 90 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 64 grams of sugar and 7 grams of protein. (Also available with diet lemonade which reduces the calories, carbs and sugar).

REVIEW: Pizza Hut Pepperoni P’Zone (2019)

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Pizza Hut Pepperoni P Zone

When it comes to junk food nostalgia most of my flashbacks are of the sweet variety. Dunkaroos, Surge, and WWF’s Hulk Hogan cereal always pull me back to the simpler days, but there are a few savory items that I look back on with glowing glee as well. 3D Doritos tend to be at the top of most older millennial’s junk food wishlists, and I personally loved the Taco Doritos that seemed to vanish sometime in the early 2000s.

But recently, very recently, in fact, I was wondering what the hell happened to Pizza Hut’s P’Zone. For a company aligned with Taco Bell and known for making zany limited time items, I couldn’t understand why the company’s financially friendly twist on the calzone disappeared years ago without a proper farewell.

Suffer no more, the giant Hot Pocket of meat and cheese that I fell in love with as a stoned teenager in smoky basements is back, and it got a bit of a facelift.

Pizza Hut Pepperoni P Zone 2

The most immediate difference is in the appearance of the outer crust. While the 2019 P’Zone has the same shape and general size of the original, it’s covered in a toasted orange Parmesan that immediately evokes an asiago bagel. The original P’Zone was garnished with traditional pizzeria-style parmesan sprinkles and parsley, which sat nicely atop of golden brown dough. The new iteration still looks good, but it’s not the same as the one I fell in love with, and I just have to learn to let go.

The bagel experience doesn’t end with appearance. When I bite in, I wonder if I’m sitting inside of a Noah’s at 8 a.m. or on my couch with remote in hand at 8 p.m. The parmesan’s funky intensity stands out, but almost to a fault as I find it to be a bit distracting. When you pair the distinct sharp cheesiness with the bread’s pretty prominent fluffiness, the 2019 P’Zone does feel a bit more like a bagel than a pizza.

Pizza Hut Pepperoni P Zone Innards

The P’Zone was never as loaded as a true calzone, which tends to be thicker and taller and oftentimes a knife-and-fork situation; whereas Pizza Hut’s take is much more of a finger food with a flatter profile. The toppings inside, although not extremely dense, are good and present enough to bring the pizza pizazz I’m looking for.

Pizza Hut Pepperoni P Zone Dipped

Taken as it is the P’Zone is good but a bit underwhelming. However, when dunked into the generously sized cup of marinara sauce, it’s damn good. The pizza sauce brings some poppin’ acidity and moisture that makes the ‘zone taste much more fresh, engaging, and something I want more bites of.

While it isn’t quite as sensational as I remembered as a stoned teenager, I can’t help but be excited about the return of the budget-friendly and filling option at Pizza Hut. In the scope of chain pizza restaurants Pizza Hut isn’t really on my radar unless I’m craving its stuffed crust, but even then Little Caesars does an admirable job at a lower cost.

That being said, the P’Zone being back, as an apparent permanent addition to the menu, ensures I’ll be back at The Hut before the end of the year, and the buzz of its return is sure to lure many other early 2000s nostalgia hunters through its greasy shop doors in no time.

Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: N/A
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 P’Zone) 460 calories, 16 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 1170 milligrams of sodium, 60 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and 19 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Burger King Bacon Cheesy Tots

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Burger King Bacon Cheesy Tots

What are the Burger King Bacon Cheesy Tots?

With the Bacon Cheesy Tots, Burger King is putting a new spin on a tried and true comfort food favorite.

Sorta’.

These spherical, fried potato discs might look like your average tots, but inside you’ll find a molten core of creamy cheese and several hearty chunks of crispy bacon. Or, at least, that’s what the marketing materials claim.

How are they?

Burger King Bacon Cheesy Tots 8 Pack

On the whole, the Bacon Cheesy Tots are tasty, but they ultimately feel like nothing more than a glorified breakfast menu side item. The exterior shells of the tots are nice and crispy (thank goodness, because there are few things in this world more lamentable than soggy tots), but the interior filling leaves a lot to be desired.

Burger King Bacon Cheesy Tots Innards

On the plus side, the tots do taste adequately cheesy — in case you were wondering, it appears to be cheddar-based — but the bacon ratio is sorely disappointing. In fact, on some tots you may only get a speck or a granule of bacon bits; and such inconsistency from tot to tot, I assure you, is truly maddening.

Is there anything else you need to know?

The general texture and mouthfeel of the products are quite satisfying, and the tots are certainly filling on an empty stomach. Alas, its taste isn’t all that distinct, and as the case with MANY Burger King items, the product is astoundingly salty. Just eight pieces will net you close to half a day’s worth of suggested sodium intake. Naturally, you’ll need a beverage nearby for this one — and your favorite in-house BK dipping sauce wouldn’t hurt, either.

Conclusion:

Burger King Bacon Cheesy Tots Innards Closeup

The lack of bacon is what really hurts this one. Granted, I wasn’t expecting the tots to be edible bacon pinatas or anything, but it certainly feels like modern science has progressed enough that far more chunks of pork can be engineered into the potato balls.

Furthermore, it would’ve been nice to see BK partner this one with some sort of sauce. A nice, mesquite BBQ blend, for example, would’ve given this product some added shelf-life. Still, considering the low price point and the high volume of product, there’s certainly an element of value to the tots; although unless you are REALLY strapped for cash, I wouldn’t exactly recommend going out of one’s way to experience this L-T-O snacker.

Purchased Price: $2.29
Size: 8 tots
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 330 calories; 14 grams of fat, 0 grams of total fat, 15 milligrams
of cholesterol, 1,020 milligrams of sodium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar and 10 grams of protein

REVIEW: Starbucks Cloud Macchiato

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Starbucks Cloud Macchiatos

What are the Starbucks Cloud Macchiatos?

Starbucks’ new Cloud Macchiato is a new fancy take on an O.G., the macchiato, inspired by a classic Spanish summer drink (leche merengada or meringue milk). To achieve the frothy Instagram-worthy clouds, Starbucks’ R&D created a new “cloud powder” out of egg whites. In my mind, they just added egg whites to their existing cold foam offering, but maybe I’m oversimplifying it.

There are two new flavors: the Caramel Cloud (whipped cloud cold foam, vanilla syrup, espresso, caramel drizzle) and the Cinnamon Cloud (whipped cloud cold foam, cinnamon lemon syrup, espresso, caramel drizzle, a dusting of cinnamon). The latter seems to be more faithful to the Spanish’s meringue milk as it includes cinnamon and lemon.

Starbucks Cinnamon Cloud Macchiato Crosshatch

The crosshatching of the caramel drizzle on both is apparently a key Starbucks touch, but that’s not something I think of when thinking of when ordering caramel-topped drinks from here.

How are they?

They were way too easy to drink because I’m basically paying almost $5 for 1/2 cup of foam and an espresso shot, but I enjoyed it.

The Caramel Cloud had everything I enjoyed about the indulgent

In addition to being less sweet, the cloud foam added a luxe aspect to the drink like the cold brew whipped cream did for the Ultra. I liken it to eating a delicious, guilt-free lite whipped cream.

Starbucks Cinnamon Cloud Macchiato Clouds

Watch out for the cloud ‘stache though! Your first sip will be all foam, but the espresso catches up on the 2nd or 3rd sip depending on the size of your gulps. When the espresso broke through the clouds like a ray of sunshine, it packed a wallop because of the bold contrast to the fluffy light sweetness.

As for the Cinnamon Cloud, I didn’t pick up on any cinnamon or lemon at all. All I could discern was that it wasn’t as coffee-forward as the Caramel version. Maybe this one could’ve benefitted from an extra pump of syrup!

Is there anything else you need to know?

It’s available both iced and hot. The hot version comes in a plain, white cup like all the other hot drinks, which defeats the purpose of the frothy cloud concept. Why even introduce it in hot?

Starbucks Caramel Cloud Macchiato Glob of Caramel

Note that the iced version comes with the new straw-less lid, but I had to grab a straw anyway to get the globs of caramel at the bottom.

Conclusion:

All in all, it’s no surprise that it’s another winner from Starbucks! But these new drinks stand out because they’re not just another flavored syrup, but truly game-changing innovation in the coffee space. I’m already thinking about all the other flavored cloud possibilities with this new fluffy goodness!

Purchased Price: $4.45
Size: Tall (12 fl. oz.)
Rating: 9 out of 10 (Caramel)
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Cinnamon)
Nutrition Facts: (12 fl. oz.) Caramel – 210 calories, 6 grams of fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 28 grams of sugar, and 9 grams of protein. Cinnamon – 210 calories, 6 grams of fat, 20 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 29 grams of sugar, and 9 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Sonic Brunch Burger

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Sonic Brunch Burger

For quite a while now, one of my favorite burger toppings has been that of a fried egg, usually sunny-side up, always sitting on top of the sizzling meat and cool cheese, the sticky ovum running down your face and hands with every sensual bite. It’s usually worth the extra dollar charge to the bill.

It’s a singular treat of mostly gourmet burger spots. Almost none of the bigger fast food joints around town have even attempted an egg-drenched burger, except Jack in the Box. But now Sonic adds itself to this short list with its new Brunch Burger, available for a limited time only at $2.79 with a single-patty, which is more than enough.

Made with the usual Sonic burger platitudes including an undoubtedly 100-percent pure beef patty, crispy bacon strips, and a gooey layer of melted cheese, the Brunch Burger throws in a pillow-soft brioche bun and, for good measure, a fried-egg of sorts. They all come together in Sonic’s grand effort to serve the underserved between breakfast and lunch, even if people have securely had brunch for years.

Still, even though I went against dining protocol and had it for dinner, I’d have to say Sonic is mostly successful in creating a somewhat decent substitute for true brunch.

Sonic Brunch Burger Eggs

While the meat is juicy, bacon is salty, and cheese gunky — and yes, the brioche bun is a definite somewhat sweet improvement — the real tipping point here is the egg which, as you might have guessed, isn’t of the sunny-side-up variety but rather of the rubbery McMuffin sort. That means it’s a large pressed disc of what I believe to be an egg, professionally shaped and heartlessly cooked.

Sonic Brunch Burger in Half

A good-enough spanner in the usual burger works, the egg, when combined especially with the cheese and large slice of tomato adds a nice bit of tasty roughage to the meal, a heated-wet goodness that can’t be denied. The meat I can give or take, especially when Sonic’s mouth-puckering bacon overtakes it. Thankfully, this brioche bun does an excellent job of tying it all together with its dull sweetness and makes it work rather well.

Overall, it’s a good attempt at a classy fast food burger. Do I wish it was a proper sunny-side up egg? Sure, I bet we all would. But, whatever it is, it can’t be any worse than the new Cherry Limeade Mimosa, which is a disappointing blend of limeade and orange juice.

The Brunch Burger would be a decent treat on a Wednesday morning (or evening), but on a Sunday, just head down to your favorite uppity bistro for its omelet, grapes, and champagne-infused drink specials instead. Cómpralo ya!

Purchased Price: $2.79
Size: Single
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 510 calories, 33 grams of fat, 21 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 190 milligrams of cholesterol, 1100 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of fiber, 7 grams of sugar, and 29 grams of protein.

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