REVIEW: Baskin-Robbins Strawberry Tres Leches Ice Cream

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Pardon my mixing of languages, but Baskin-Robbins Strawberry Tres Leches Ice Cream is très bien. The sweet treat combines tres leches-flavored ice cream with strawberry pieces, white cake pieces, and strawberry swirls.

Although vanilla-looking, the tres leches base tasted nothing like any vanilla variety or sweet cream ice cream. Instead, there was a unique milkiness that did enough to convince me it was supposed to be three milk cake-flavored. While I believe it tasted pleasant, I wish its flavor had a bit more punch.

The same can be said about the strawberry swirls and pieces. While they had a noticeable berry flavor, they weren’t as sweet or flavorful as what I remember getting from a McDonald’s strawberry sundae. Fortunately, with the ice cream base and strawberry ingredients not being bold, neither overpowers the other, making it possible to taste both in every bite.

Much like the cake pieces in previous Baskin-Robbins offerings, the ones in this scoop were dense and chewy, which was what I expected. Because there is no way light and airy tres leches cake pieces could survive being mixed into an ice cream. As for their flavor, I think the base does a better job than the actual cake pieces at getting across the baked goods flavor.

Baskin-Robbins’ Strawberry Tres Leches Ice Cream is worth a try. However, it is not out of this world like TrES, the Trans-Atlantic Exoplanet Survey. Nor does it hit my taste buds as hard as Green Day drummer Tré Cool.

Purchased Price: $3.79
Size: 2.5 oz scoop
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 160 calories, 7 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 18 grams of sugar (including 14 grams of added sugar), and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: McDonald’s McCrispy Strips with Creamy Chili Sauce

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Like Spider-Man movies, McDonald’s has rebooted its chicken strips multiple times. First, there were the Chicken Selects (Tobey Maguire). Then, there were the Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Tenders (Andrew Garfield). And now, the fast food chain has once again dipped its toes into the extended dippable poultry universe with its McCrispy Strips (Tom Holland).

McDonald’s uses 100% white meat chicken coated with a crispy golden brown breading that features a new black pepper flavor for the new menu item. Along for the ride is the new Creamy Chili Dip, a savory, sweet, and tangy sauce that McDonald’s says “unlocks the full Strips experience.” The chicken is available in 3- and 4-piece orders, and both options come with two sauces of your choice. But, spoiler alert, I REALLY recommend getting the Creamy Chili Dip, which I’ll get to in a moment.

The first thing that caught my eye about the McCrispy Strips was how McLong they were. They seemed more impressive than the previous McDonald’s offerings. Also impressive was how tender and juicy the meat was. However, I wish the “crispy golden brown breading” was crispier. There’s some texture, especially on the edges, but for the most part, I find the Chicken McNuggets to have a crispier exterior. That’s disappointing for something that seems more premium than chicken nuggets. As for its flavor, it has a light pepperiness that makes these okay enough to eat sans sauce, but you NEED to eat them with the Creamy Chili Dip.

I’ve had Raising Cane’s once, and all I remember is how much I liked the Cane’s Sauce more than the chicken fingers. And I can say the same thing about these McCrispy Strips. While the chicken doesn’t blow away my taste buds, the Creamy Chili Dip does, and I hope it never leaves. Its tangy and peppery flavor brings to mind what I remember Cane’s Sauce tasting like, and it perfectly complements the McCrispy Strips’ flavor. However, there were times when I thought the chicken strip with the sauce got a bit too salty. But overall (I can’t believe I’m about to type this), I might love this Creamy Chili Dip as much as my beloved Hot Mustard Sauce. And I look forward to trying it with Chicken McNuggets.

McDonald’s says the McCrispy Strips are a permanent item, but it’s hard to tell if it will cement them into the menu like the Big Mac or Chicken McNuggets. History shows that McDonald’s has an on-and-off relationship with chicken strips. Only time will tell if they stay. If they end up disappearing, I won’t be too sad. But if the Creamy Chili Dip goes, I may McCry.

Purchased Price: $5.99*
Size: 3-piece order
Rating: 8 out of 10 (with Creamy Chili Dip)
Nutrition Facts: (w/o sauce) 350 calories, 17 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 95 milligrams of cholesterol, 1100 milligrams of sodium, 50 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 30 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.

REVIEW: Wendy’s Frosty Swirls

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Wendy’s Classic Chocolate Frosty is a top-tier fast-food dessert. Its chocolate malt flavor and icy texture are great on a spoon or on French fries. So the addition of Wendy’s Frosty Swirls that include brownie batter, caramel, or strawberry sauce twirled into the dessert must make them God-tier, right?

Well, read on, my fellow sweet tooths.

This new line follows the Girl Scout Thin Mints Frosty that came out earlier this year that featured a Thin Mints-flavored swirl. Much like that limited time offering, you can get these any way you want as long as it’s the Chocolate or Vanilla base. I got all chocolate ones with the brownie batter, caramel, and strawberry because I find the classic flavor to be the superior Frosty variety. I also was most intrigued by how well the strawberry sauce would go with the chocolate Frosty base, which I assume would create a lovely chocolate-covered strawberry flavor that would’ve been great for Valentine’s Day weeks ago.

My least favorite of the bunch was the caramel one because, for the most part, it tasted like a regular Chocolate Frosty. Despite the amount of sauce that clung to the sides of my cup, I couldn’t taste the caramel’s sweet butteriness as I ate my way down the cup. The only time I could really taste it was when I got to the bottom of the cup, where a pool of it awaited me. I imagine its flavor might’ve been more noticeable with a Vanilla Frosty.

Much like the caramel one, I believe the Brownie Batter swirl would’ve stood out more with the Vanilla Frosty. While it added some oomph to the treat’s chocolatiness in every spoonful, it didn’t make the dessert lean towards being brownie-flavored. Instead, it gave everything more of a darker chocolate flavor. What stood out more than the flavor was the swirl’s grittiness. It was similar to what was in the Thin Mints Frosty, and it added a pleasing texture to the creamy and icy Frosty base. Speaking of the Thin Mints Frosty, now that I think about it, this sauce seems to have the same chocolate flavor but without the mintiness.

If I had to pick a favorite, it would be the strawberry one. Although slightly artificial, the sweet strawberry sauce went well with the Chocolate Frosty and was noticeable in almost every spoonful. As I had hoped, it gave off a chocolate-covered strawberry vibe, which I loved. Even though the sauce had a gloopy texture, it was not noticeable among the Frosty’s iciness until I reached the bottom of the cup, where it pooled, much like the other sauces. I hope this returns next Valentine’s season.

While I liked all three, the sauces didn’t make Wendy’s Frosty Swirls a step up from a regular Classic Chocolate Frosty, but it was also not a step down. They just make things different, but not something that’ll make me want every Frosty from now on to come with swirls.

Purchased Price: $4.49 each
Size: Small
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Caramel), 7 out of 10 (Brownie Batter), 8 out of 10 (Strawberry)
Nutrition Facts: Caramel – 380 calories, 10 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 310 milligrams of sodium, 65 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 52 grams of sugar, and 10 grams of protein. Brownie Batter – 500 calories, 24 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 370 milligrams of sodium, 61 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 50 grams of sugar, and 10 grams of protein. Strawberry – 330 calories, 8 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 59 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 50 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Wendy’s Cajun Crunch Chicken Sandwich

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Wendy’s Cajun Crunch Chicken Sandwich is more crunch than Cajun.

Between the Spicy Chicken filet, pepper jack cheese, Cajun crispy onions, lettuce, pickles, spicy mustard spread, and bun, four of them bring some level of crunch — the chicken, onions, lettuce, and pickles. Whenever I took a bite, there was a crunch here, a crunch there, a crunch everywhere.

But that texture doesn’t take away or redirect the spotlight from the sandwich’s flavor, which is exceptionally memorable. However, it’s not unforgettable because it’s delicious. It’s because this chicken sandwich tastes like a fish sandwich.

The combination of mustard and pickles is like a spicy tartar sauce, and it’s what my taste buds and mind reeled in with multiple bites from this. My tongue did note the Cajun spices on the crispy onions from time to time, but for the most part, my mind could not get away from the idea that this cluck sandwich tasted like a glub sandwich.

This menu item was also memorable because the chicken filet was dry AF (As Faya-Largeau). It’s been a while since I’ve had a fast food chicken that was this devoid of moisture, and it made a disappointing sandwich just a little more disappointing. Of course, your results may vary.

When it comes to spiciness, if you’re a fan of the heat from Wendy’s regular Spicy Chicken Sandwich, you’ll likely find this option to roughly be in the same ballpark, even with the spicy mustard. It’s a nice tingly heat that doesn’t go overboard or overwhelm the sandwich’s flavors.

Wendy’s Cajun Crunch Chicken Sandwich is a rather mediocre offering, unless you’re fond of fast food ASMR. While it does have a crunch that some might find satisfying, the overall flavor was disappointing. If you happen to live near a Popeyes, you have a better tasting option for a crispy chicken sandwich with Cajun spices.

Purchased Price: $7.49*
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 640 calories, 31 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 90 milligrams of cholesterol, 1390 milligrams of sodium, 55 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, 33 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.

REVIEW: McDonald’s Nether Flame Sauce

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I know nothing about Minecraft.

But I do know that one of the ingredients in McDonald’s Nether Flame Sauce is also found in pepper spray — oleoresin capsicum. While not as unpleasant as I imagine being pepper sprayed is, this spicy sauce was not my cup of scalding hot tea.

Here’s how McDonald’s describes the sauce, “Like the lavafalls of the fiery dimension, this exclusive spicy Nether Flame Sauce will singe even the feistiest of mobs. Feel the heat of the Nether with crushed red pepper and flaming cayenne. Crafted with fiery flavor, this hot sauce gives hints of savory garlic and subtle sweetness. If you can dig the heat, know it goes perfectly with a 10-piece Chicken McNuggets.”

Spoiler Alert: I could not dig the heat and didn’t even want to dip all of my 4-piece order of McNuggets into it.

Of course, with the name “Nether Flame,” it should be evident that it will be spicy. But I thought it would be “mass appeal fast food spicy” where there’s a nice amount of heat that makes me want to reach for a refreshing and soothing McDonald’s Diet Coke, but I don’t NEED to. I guess I expected a heat level similar to the recent limited-time McNugget sauces.

While my eating history shows that I don’t mind the spicy, after dipping two McNuggets, my taste buds threw in the towel because they had a hunch that if they continued, the capsaicin level would make them and our digestive system regret it later. Also, while eating those two nuggets, I NEEDED to reach for the comfort of an ice cold McDonald’s Diet Coke. Of course, heat tolerances are different, so some of you might find this sauce’s spiciness to be lava off a duck’s back.

With those two McNuggets I consumed, I noticed not only the sauce’s spiciness and pepperiness but also a strong garlic taste, which also accompanied other recent limited-time McNugget sauces. So, it’s a little surprising that it’s also a notable component of this one. However, this sauce is much spicier than the previous ones.

If McDonald’s had turned down the heat a little, I might’ve enjoyed this because I love garlic. However, at the same time, doing that might’ve made this taste more similar to previous sauces.

Overall, while I know nothing about Minecraft, I do know that this Nether Flame Sauce is at the nether level of my favorite McNugget sauces.

Purchased Price: Free w/Chicken McNuggets
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 25 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 500 milligrams of sodium, 6 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 5 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.

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