REVIEW: Taco Bell Flamin’ Hot Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos

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Taco Bell Flamin Hot Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos Wrapper

What are the Taco Bell Flamin’ Hot Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos?

The recently released Flamin’ Hot Cool Ranch Doritos now has its own Taco Bell Doritos Locos Taco shell. It’s available with a regular Crunchy (seasoned beef, lettuce, and cheese) and Crunchy Supreme (seasoned beef, lettuce, tomato, cheese, and sour cream) taco. There’s also a Doritos Cheesy Gordita Crunch with the spicy tangy shell.

How are they?

Well, let me start with a few thoughts about Flamin’ Hot Cool Ranch Doritos, the tortilla chips. I didn’t review them on the site, but I think I loved them slightly more than our reviewer did. I know it’s only February, but they are my favorite snack of the year so far. If you haven’t had them, they’re basically Cool Ranch with a noticeable kick. The tangy seasoning helps tone down the spiciness to a Flamin’ Not-Too-Hot, but that’s what makes the chips so hard to put down. There’s no need for beverage breaks that I have to take when eating regular Flamin’ Hot snacks, and I can just keep shoving them into my mouth.

Taco Bell Flamin Hot Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos Shell

This Flamin’ Hot Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco shell is almost as outstanding as the chips. It has the same flavor profile — spicy Cool Ranch – although the flavor and heat are slightly less potent than the chips.

Even with the seasoned beef, the tangy seasoning comes through. Actually, I think the Cool Ranch shines better on this shell than what I remember from the original Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco (R.I.P.). Like the chips, the ranch seasoning tones down the Flamin’ Hot’s fieriness, and the taco’s vegetables (and the sour cream in the Supreme) affect the spiciness slightly more. But overall, I love the flavor and heat of these tacos, and I could probably eat a Party Pack of them. It’s my new favorite Doritos Locos Taco variety.

Taco Bell Flamin Hot Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos Filling

Anything else you need to know?

These are available for a limited time, and that makes me sad. I guess after they’re gone, I could publicly complain, get others to complain, and, if there’s enough of us, maybe Taco Bell will bring it back like the Mexican Pizza. Or perhaps it’ll return periodically like the Nacho Fries. Or maybe it’ll disappear from the face of the Taco Bell menu forever like my previous D.L.T. favorite — the Fiery Doritos Locos Taco (which, by the way, was spicier than this).

Conclusion:

Taco Bell Flamin Hot Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Tacos Side by Side

If you enjoy Flamin’ Hot Cool Ranch Doritos as much as I do, then these tacos are a no-brainer. If you love these tacos, eat a lot, because I really want them to return.

Purchased Price: $2.29 (regular) $2.99 (Supreme)*
Size: N/A
Rating: 9 out of 10 (both)
Nutrition Facts: Regular – 170 calories, 10 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 23 milligrams of cholesterol, 370 milligrams of sodium, 12 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, less than 1 gram of sugar, and 8 grams of protein. Supreme – 200 calories, 12 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 380 milligrams of sodium, 14 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 8 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 Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich

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Wendy s Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich Top

I thought that the hardest part of eating Wendy’s Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich would be weathering the habanero hot honey (or saying its name three times fast). As it turns out, the actual hardest part was just getting to the honey.

Prying the top bun off to take a picture of the sandwich’s contents required some legitimate elbow grease, for which I was rewarded with an extremely strong aroma of pickles. I had known the sandwich would contain “pickle chips,” but honestly, I’d assumed that that was just a synonym for a couple of thinly-cut pickle slices, so I was pretty puzzled to discover a hearty heaping of what looked like straight-up potato chips, just a bit green (that’s more or less how they tasted, too). Delving into the “What’s on it” menu on Wendy’s website helpfully specified that these were actually “Crunchy Dill Chips” (as opposed to the more traditional experience of “Crinkle Cut Pickles”). Mystery solved, I sampled each of the other components in turn, a supporting cast consisting of:

“Premium bun”: Soft, airy, and inoffensive. Not immediately clear how it was different from the alternative option that the website has labeled “sandwich bun.”

Applewood smoked bacon: Thick and chewy, striking an impressive middle ground between too fatty and too burnt.

Pepper jack cheese: So creamy and mild that I mistook it for White American at first, though it finally left a whisper of peppery spice in its aftertaste.

Chicken: A typical breaded chicken breast (I opted for the “Classic” version of the sandwich, rather than “Spicy” or “Grilled”). Basically, one giant nugget.

And the titular hot honey?

Wendy s Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich Under the Bun

My impression, frankly, was that it was difficult to locate, even after performing bun surgery. I expected the honey would be coating the chicken, so it took a while to realize that it was actually applied directly to the top bun, almost entirely obscured by pickle chips. On its own, the taste made a pleasant impact, with a spiciness that was noticeable but didn’t cross the line into painful, tempered as it was by a simultaneous rich sweetness.

Unfortunately, the sandwich as a whole ended up somehow tasting like less than the sum of its parts. The plump, juicy chicken dominated the experience both in terms of texture and taste. I guess it’s a positive sign that Wendy’s doesn’t skimp when it comes to meat, but you’d hope that the promising array of other ingredients would be way more prominent, and they simply did not deliver. After a few bites, I started to pick up on a bit of tanginess from the pickle chips and some sweetness from the honey (plus after swallowing, the roof of my mouth had a telltale tingle from the heat), but if I’d been taste testing this blind, I wouldn’t have even known the cheese and bacon were there.

Wendy’s also offers a dipping cup of hot honey that you can order as a side, so adding more might help the exciting-on-paper flavor to seriously shine. I did ultimately enjoy my meal, but that might just be because I really like basic chicken sandwiches. If you’re looking for something more exciting, this offering will probably not have you calling out, “Honey (Chicken Sandwich), I’m home!”

Purchased Price: $6.19
Size: N/A
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 700 calories, 31 grams of fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 95 milligrams of cholesterol, 2040 milligrams of sodium, 70 grams of total carbohydrates, 18 grams of total sugars, 2 grams of fiber, and 37 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Jack in the Box Nacho Tiny Tacos

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Jack in the Box Nacho Tiny Tacos One

What are Jack in the Box Nacho Tiny Tacos?

The newest Tiny Tacos iteration from Jack in the Box takes 15 original mini tacos and dumps nacho cheese seasoning on them. There’s also the Bacon Loaded Nacho Tiny Tacos, which involves dumping cheddar cheese sauce, bacon crumbles, ranch, and Spicy Good Good Sauce on Nacho Tiny Tacos.

How are they?

First, check out the photo above again. It looks as if Chester Cheetah sneezed on it.

Jack in the Box Nacho Tiny Tacos In Box

With that thick layer of seasoning on the shells of most of the Nacho Tiny Tacos I received, I expected a cheesy flavor that would be on par with Taco Bell’s Nacho Cheese Doritos Locos Taco. But my taste buds could only detect a cheesiness that’s tinier than the tacos themselves, and they could easily be confused for the original version.

After eating a few, I ended up with cheesy dust on my fingers. And while it was a little cheesier when tasting it from my digits, it still had a weak flavor compared to what I experience when I clean my fingers after eating Cheetos or Doritos.

Jack in the Box Bacon Loaded Nacho Tiny Tacos Top

The Bacon Loaded Nacho Tiny Tacos are, obviously, a more flavorful option. But any cheese flavor, which there isn’t much to begin with, is completely overwritten by the sea of sauces, especially the Spicy Good Good Sauce. While the bacon’s smokiness and the ranch’s tanginess come through, this really should’ve been called the Spicy Good Good Sauce Loaded Nacho Tiny Tacos because the orange goo is what I mostly taste. And I’m okay with that because I love that sauce.

Jack in the Box Bacon Loaded Nacho Tiny Tacos Sauces

So, technically, you could get most of the Bacon Loaded Nacho Tiny Tacos’ flavor for the price of the Nacho Tiny Tacos and a free dipping container of Good Good Sauce.

Anything else you need to know?

Jack in the Box Nacho Tiny Tacos Bottom Box

With the regular Nacho Tiny Tacos, there are some inconsistencies when it comes to the application of the seasoning. Some had a nice layer on one side, but others didn’t have any seasoning on the shell. However, extra cheese dust ends up at the bottom of the box. So I’d recommend giving it a few good shakes before opening it to coat the tacos better. Or maybe just put the less seasoned ones on the side and then use them later to scrape up the nacho cheese dust.

Conclusion:

Jack in the Box’s Nacho Tiny Tacos are disappointing. Despite all that seasoning, they lack a potent cheesiness. If you want a bit more flavor, dip them into a sauce, or get the Bacon Loaded Nacho Tiny Tacos.

Purchased Price: $4.99 (Nacho Tiny Tacos), $6.99 (Bacon Loaded Nacho Tiny Tacos)*
Size: N/A
Rating: 5 out of 10 (Nacho Tiny Tacos), 7 out of 10 (Bacon Loaded Nacho Tiny Tacos)
Nutrition Facts: Not available on website, which hasn’t been updated with new products in months.

*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: Carl’s Jr. Hardee’s Bacon Beast Burger

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Hardee s Bacon Beast Burger Top

When I was very young, one of my favorite fast food sandwiches was the simple, yet respectable Hardee’s roast beef. Later, in my early 20s, and with an accordantly sufficient metabolism, I would occasionally go to town on a Monster Thickburger. You know, the one with two 1/3 pound beef patties, four strips of bacon, three slices of American cheese, and a slathering of mayo. (I always appreciated how they didn’t put on airs by adding anything that came from a garden.)

I’m older now, and as such, I wouldn’t feel responsible ordering one of those if Hardee’s still made them. (There’s a smaller, tamer version, but it just isn’t the same.) Couple the lack-of-a-sideshow-aspect with the fact that the nearest Hardee’s just isn’t very near, and the bottom line is, I don’t get there all that often. So, when I heard about its rollout of the new “Bacon Beast” menu featuring a Bacon Beast burger, breakfast burrito, and biscuit, I wondered, will this be enough to work Hardee’s into my regular fast food rotation?

The answer, simply put, is no.

You see, the thing is, I’ve got three Burger Kings closer to me, and Burger King has a Whopper, and to that Whopper, one may add bacon and cheese. And that is, from a taste standpoint, a 98% match for this burger.

Hardee s Bacon Beast Burger Sides

The Bacon Beast consists of “a 3.5 oz patty, tomato, lettuce, pickle, yellow onion, mayonnaise, American cheese, and four strips of Applewood-smoked bacon complete with a special sauce on a seeded bun.” (You can also get it with two or three patties; I ordered a single and was given a double.) A Whopper has a 1/4th pound patty, white onions instead of yellow, and ketchup instead of “special sauce.”

The thing is, for the life of me, I couldn’t tell how this special sauce WASN’T just ketchup. It was a little sweeter, maybe? But whatever it was supposed to be, it was nearly indistinguishable from ketchup.

The other thing, obviously, is that BK flame-grills its meat while Hardee’s charbroils it. Is it different enough to be noticeable? Not to me. Hardee’s patty seemed a bit saltier than BK’s, but it was tasty. Everything else was totally standard, and totally reminiscent of a Whopper. The vegetation was unremarkable but fine, the bacon was decently thick, the bun was bland, and the American cheese was waxy and what one would expect from fast food.

Hardee s Bacon Beast Burger Split

I had no complaints about this thing, but I didn’t come away with any compliments, either. It was a bacon cheeseburger from a top-10 fast food hamburger place. Better than a prepackaged one from a hospital vending machine, but much less desirable than one from Five Guys. And while I get that a place like Hardee’s/Carl’s Jr. isn’t in direct competition with a place like Five Guys or Shake Shack or Your Favorite Local Hamburger Place, if they’re asking me to pay close to that same amount, they’ve gotta give me something fun or unique. A Whopper clone with sad special sauce and a different kind of onion just won’t cut it.

Purchased Price: $6.79
Size: Single Patty
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 900 calories is the only nutritional fact available on Hardee’s website at this time.

REVIEW: Taco Bell Cantina Crispy Chicken Taco

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Taco Bell Cantina Crispy Chicken Taco Both

What is the Taco Bell Cantina Crispy Chicken Taco?

Taco Bell brings back its Crispy Chicken and puts it in a flour tortilla with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and your choice of avocado ranch or creamy chipotle sauce. The protein is crispy, white-meat chicken that’s marinated in jalapeño buttermilk, seasoned with Mexican spices, and has a tortilla chip coating.

How is it?

I loved the previous product that featured the Crispy Chicken – the Crispy Chicken Sandwich Taco. But it was small and quite basic, with the regular one having just the chicken and chipotle sauce in a flatbread.

The Cantina Crispy Chicken Taco is slightly more substantial. But if you look at the ingredients, it’s basically a Crispy Chicken Soft Taco Supreme, except the sour cream is replaced by a different sauce. The flavors from the vegetables and cheese also made this taste Taco Supreme-esque.

Taco Bell Cantina Crispy Chicken Taco Avocado Ranch

So far, I’ve been on Team Crispy Chicken, and this product doesn’t change my mind. On its own, it has a great taste and fantastic crunch, and those attributes still come through in this menu item. After trying both varieties, I prefer the Creamy Chipotle one. I enjoy the smoky and spicy sauce’s flavor, and it pairs well with the chicken’s seasoning. As for the Avocado Ranch, even though there was a decent amount of sauce despite what my photo shows, it was a little difficult to notice, making the taco less flavorful than the chipotle one.

Anything else you need to know?

Before I saw pictures of the Cantina Crispy Chicken Taco, I had images in my head that this would have the white corn tortilla shell that came with last year’s Cantina Crispy Melt. But sadly, this is not the Cantina Crispy Crispy Chicken Taco. But I’d totally eat the Cantina Crispy Crispy Chicken Taco if it ever gets made.

Taco Bell Cantina Crispy Chicken Taco Chipotle

Also, you might end up with a stubby piece of meat as I did with the chipotle one. Its length was shorter than half a tortilla. But since it was thick, I cut it in half lengthwise and made the chicken stretch from end to end. So just a heads up, you might end up with a couple of meatless bites if you don’t check under the tortilla.

Conclusion:

Although not much imagination went into the Cantina Crispy Chicken Taco, it’s a solid product that highlights the chicken strips.

Purchased Price: $3.89*
Size: N/A
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Avocado Ranch), 7 out of 10 (Creamy Chipotle)
Nutrition Facts: Creamy Chipotle – 270 calories, 13 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 690 milligrams of sodium, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 13 grams of protein. Avocado Ranch – 270 calories, 13 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 700 milligrams of sodium, 26 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 13 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.

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