REVIEW: Carl’s Jr./Hardee’s Hand-Breaded Chicken and Waffle Sandwich

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Carl s Jr Hand Breaded Chicken and Waffle Sandwich Full

The origin of fried chicken and waffles has been hotly contested as the dish has seen a surge in popularity over the past decade. I’m inclined to believe the Well’s Supper Club story, a restaurant started in 1930s Harlem that hosted hungry jazz musicians after their late night sets. Having leftover fried chicken from the night before and waffle batter ready for the impending breakfast service, the cooks would throw together the now iconic dish out of necessity. It quickly became popular around the clock.

Hardee’s/Carl’s Jr. has now introduced a sandwich version, placing their hand breaded chicken breast between a Belgian waffle and adding a drizzle of maple butter sauce. The inviting maple syrup smell wafts out of the fast food bag, while the less inviting $5.99 price tag for a breakfast sandwich sets the expectations high.

Carl s Jr Hand Breaded Chicken and Waffle Sandwich Top

The hand breaded chicken breast has a light crispy coating that is fried to perfection. While it could benefit from a stronger punch of spices in the breading, they are well balanced with one another. The brined chicken is extremely juicy and flavorful with the one drawback of being just on the verge of too salty.

Carl s Jr Hand Breaded Chicken and Waffle Sandwich Split

The waffle walks the line admirably of being durable enough to not make a mess yet still tender enough to be pleasant to eat. It is slightly dense for a Belgian waffle but has the right subtle hint of sweetness. The main issue is that it is a small waffle that was then split in half to make the sandwich as opposed to utilizing two small waffles together. This leaves the waffle bun very thin and easily overpowered in flavor and texture by the chicken.

The maple butter sauce glazes the top of the chicken perfectly but predictably seems to be butter-flavored pancake syrup or maple-flavored corn syrup. It adds a necessary sweetness and maple flavor that ties the sandwich together. Not using real whipped maple butter seems like a missed opportunity that would have easily elevated the offering. Regardless, there was just the right amount of sauce without turning the waffle soggy and making the whole sandwich a sticky mess.

In my opinion, a plate of chicken and waffles is not complete without hot sauce, so I requested some at the drive-thru window. But despite assurances, I drove off with none in my bag. After evaluating the sandwich on its own merits, I used a cayenne hot sauce I had at home to see how it would fair with the addition. The heat and vinegar paired perfectly with the chicken and waffle sandwich, making me instantly regret already giving the second sandwich to my wife.

Hardee’s/Carl’s Jr. has made the Chicken and Waffle sandwich available all day. It makes a good pairing with your morning coffee or a late night snack to satisfy your sweet and salty cravings. Just be sure to bring a coupon and have your own hot sauce ready.

Purchased Price: 2 for $6 with coupon (regularly $5.99)
Purchased at: Carl’s Jr.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 560 calories (other nutritional numbers weren’t available at time of publication)

REVIEW: McDonald’s BTS Meal

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McDonald s BTS Meal

I might not be the best person to review McDonald’s BTS Meal because I don’t think I’ve ever heard a BTS song prior to this review.

(I’ll pause here to let you loudly gasp and then sing angrily at my ignorance your favorite BTS song through your screen. I apologize.)

I wrote, “I don’t think” because nowadays, I almost never listen to the radio, and when something just so happens to be playing, and because I’m super lame, I never know who’s singing it. So one of those times might’ve been BTS.

So I thought, to appropriately review this Chicken McNuggets meal with Cajun and Sweet Chili dipping sauces, maybe I should knowingly listen to a BTS song, so I can understand why this fast food combo appeals to Jin, V, um, and the other members I can’t remember off the top of my head that many of you are probably yelling through your screen right now. I apologize.

My first BTS listening experience was with the group’s latest song, “Butter,” which I watched on YouTube. I should point out that it was the original version and not the “Hotter Remix.” After the song was done, I thought, “That sure was a catchy ditty. I think that might be my summer jam.”

Fifty-four listens later (and counting) and several poor attempts to mirror the side step right, left moves in the video that led to a sprained ankle, I’m pretty sure it’s my 2021 Summer Jam.

Even with one song swirling around in my head, I might not be the best person to review McDonald’s BTS Meal. But then again, I might be the best person to review McDonald’s BTS Meal because I order Chicken McNuggets 8 out of 10 times when I go to McDonald’s for lunch or dinner. Also, being a McNugget sauce hoarder helps with my qualifications.

McDonald s BTS Meal Sauce Hoarding

McDonald s BTS Meal Sauces

Speaking of sauces, I’m just going to review the Sweet Chili and Cajun dips because almost all of you know what McDonald’s French fries and McNuggets taste like, which are fried heaven and battered and fried heaven, respectively.

McDonald s BTS Meal Sweet Chili

A Sweet Chili sauce isn’t new to the US. It made an appearance back in 2010. But, comparing the ingredient lists shows that this 2021 version is a bit different. Much like the original one, this tastes like the sauce that comes with spring rolls. However, this one has a better sweet and spicy punch than the one that came out over a decade ago, which I thought was bland.

McDonald s BTS Meal Cajun

As for the Cajun one, after dipping my pinky finger into it and then tasting it like I was a TV cop trying to figure out if the cocaine is authentic, I thought it reminded me of my beloved Hot Mustard, but with some noticeable differences, mainly being not as spicy or mustard-y. With it being close to my favorite McNugget dip, I can’t help but love this Cajun sauce more than the other.

McDonald s BTS Meal Tiny Heart
I think my McNuggets were trying to make a tiny heart hand sign.

The previous McDonald’s celebrity meals with J Balvin and Travis Scott can be recreated with some customizations. But the BTS Meal probably won’t be because of the two limited edition McNugget sauces, which are both tasty and worth a try, whether or not you love (or know of) BTS.

Purchased Price: $7.99
Size: Medium
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Sauce nutrition facts not available on McDonald’s website, so here are the numbers for just a medium fries and 10-piece McNuggets) 740 calories, 40 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 65 milligrams of cholesterol, 1100 milligrams of sodium, 68 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 28 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Wendy’s Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger

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Wendy s Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger Full

In general, I am fairly apathetic when it comes to food infused with booze. Would you like to whisky-up your chicken? Okay. Wanna put beer in your chili or maybe your cheese? Sure, why not. Bourbon in your BBQ sauce? Whatever boils your potato, chief. Mostly, in my experience, adding beer or bourbon to your food is fine, but tends to land on the side of “maybe not worth whatever calories it’s adding.”

Especially when it comes to fast food.

While a local gastropub might be able to make you notice the “subtle undertones of oak in a rich BBQ sauce married with a 12-year-old, single batch bourbon,” a fast food place always runs the risk of ending up with something that tastes like your buddy got drunk and accidentally knocked his Natty Light into the cheese dip.

Wendy s Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger Toppings

So imagine my surprise when I really ended up liking Wendy’s new Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger. Wendy’s describes it as “a quarter-pound of fresh, never frozen beef topped with Applewood smoked bacon, American cheese, crispy onions, and a sweet, smoky bourbon bacon sauce that is, essentially, a sauce made with real bourbon and real bacon.” That’s the actual copy.

Anyway, this isn’t a Bourbon BBQ sauce, which is what I kept thinking, but a Bourbon bacon sauce. And how is this sauce? Extremely sweet with only a very subtle tang. You’d be hard-pressed to get anything boozy from it, which, as a person who’d prefer their food to taste as little like alcohol as possible, I’m fine with.

According to Wendy’s, some of the sauce’s 30 ingredients include brown sugar, sugar, molasses, “uncured bacon base,” another kind of molasses, and, as you may have surmised, bourbon whiskey. But once again, I didn’t taste booze, or bacon, just sugar. And it’s good! It complements the salt of the bacon strips expertly. If you’ve ever had the good fortune to eat candied bacon, you will recognize this combination. It works.

Wendy s Bourbon Bacon Cheeseburger Split

The “crispy” onions also managed to stay reasonably crispy, which was a welcome surprise. The bun was warm and soft and seemed fresh, and the cheese was… present. To be honest, I didn’t really notice the cheese. This thing might’ve gotten by without it.

Despite all of these positive attributes, though, there was a pretty big negative -— the meat. While I’ve traditionally championed Wendy’s patties, this particular burger was dry and under-seasoned. Maybe I’ve had too many fantastic non-chain burgers lately, or maybe Wendy’s grill-master was having an off night. Either way, the bland meat puck took this sandwich down a notch or two. Even still, it’s worth a try if you’re looking for something a little different than most fast food offerings currently in the market. (Did you see the part about “candied bacon”? I rest my case.)

Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: N/A
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 710 calories, 41 grams of fat, 16 grams of saturated fat, 1.5 grams of trans fat, 85 milligrams of cholesterol, 1400 milligrams of sodium, 51 grams of carbohydrates, 2 gram of dietary fiber, 15 grams of sugar, and 34 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Starbucks Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino

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Starbucks Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino Cup

Starbucks not only dictates when fall starts (on PSL day, of course), but now also when summer starts with its drink drops. The latest seasonal lineup, cleverly dubbed “A.S.A.P.” (As Summer As Possible), comprises mainly of repeat/returning items, but there’s one new beverage: the Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino!

This signature blended beverage touts funnel-cake flavor syrup blended with coffee, milk, and ice with layers of strawberry puree, whipped cream, and powered sugar funnel cake pieces.

Starbucks Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino Top

Visually, the first descriptor that came to mind was “stunning,” which may sound exaggerated. So, I’ll settle down and simply say it was a pretty drink! It brought back summer nostalgia as it fondly reminded me of strawberry ice cream sundae cups – the ones with the little wooden spoon. As a kid, I used to eat those daily during summer school.

This Frap was definitely a glow up from those frozen dessert cups. Consistent with all Starbucks’ fruit inclusions/flavoring, the strawberry puree had the nuanced sweet and tartness of real fruit. In contrast, though, the funnel cake-flavored syrup tasted a little bit artificial. It had a distinct vanilla-esque note that even coffee couldn’t hide.

To be fair, though, the drink overall was not very coffee-forward. I was about halfway through when I did a double take and asked aloud, “Is there even coffee in this?!” The nutrition facts in the handy app confirmed the caffeine presence of about 85 milligrams, which is a fraction of my usual nitro cold brew. Regardless, I’m going to say it was by design because it would be easy to overwhelm the fruit flavor with bold, acidic coffee.

Starbucks Strawberry Funnel Cake Frappuccino Layers

I chose not to mix it to maintain the layered drinking experience. My favorite sips started with the whipped cream and strawberry puree part for a strawberries & cream-like flavor. Then it was followed by a slurp of the blended coffee as there were the fun bits of the funnel cake pieces. Said pieces had a graham cracker-like texture instead of fluffy funnel cake. This deviation was fine by me because I hate the idea of soggy pieces. Rinse and repeat (or more like sip and sip some more in this case)!

Is it a color-changing, Insta-worthy mermaid unicorn beverage? No.

Is it a classic that I could see returning summer after summer? Heckin’ yes!

Purchased Price: $5.25
Size: Grande (16 oz)
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (16 oz) 410 calories, 20 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 60 milligrams of cholesterol, 220 milligrams of sodium, 53 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 51 grams of sugar, 4 grams of added sugar, 4 grams of protein, and 85 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Coconutmilk Iced Latte

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Dunkin Coconutmilk Iced Latte Cup

What is Dunkin’s Coconutmilk Iced Latte?

Summer’s just about here, so why not try brightening up your morning latte with a hint of the tropics?

How is it?

Well, I certainly didn’t feel like I was on a tropical vacation because this might be the worst possible coffee order at Dunkin.

That might seem hyperbolic with the endless amounts of combinations on their extensive menu, but I don’t think I’ve ever had such a… let’s say, “incomplete” iced coffee drink.

I didn’t get any sweetener or flavor add-ons because I wanted to review the Coconutmilk Iced Latte in its true form, and I’m here to warn you against making the same mistake.

I’ve gone this long in life without ever using coconutmilk as a coffee creamer, and I was excited at the prospect. I guess I just expected so much more.

Coconutmilk doesn’t work as a latte milk; it’s just way too thin. I’m not looking for a milkshake here, but I still expect a latte to be creamier than my usual cold brew. I’d say the only thing worse would be an unsweetened skim milk latte, but the coconut finish actually detracted from the coffee flavor too.

Dunkin Coconutmilk Iced Latte Top

Honestly, this tasted like coffee-flavored coconut milk more than a coconutmilk based coffee – if that makes sense? It was just water with a distant taste of coconut, and an even more distant hint of coffee.

Anything else you need to know?

Here’s the weird thing, I’m a big coconut fan.

I frequently order a cold brew with oat milk and a shot of coconut. Those flavor shots (not to be confused with flavor swirls) add just a tiny hint of additional flavor and very little sweetness, but I like that order so much more than this. I guess I can chalk it up to being mostly coffee with a thicker milk. Oddly, I think I like the fake coconut flavor better than the authentic too.

With all this said, this latte is probably salvageable. I never get sugar in my coffee, but it definitely would have pepped this up. I can see a flavor swirl of mocha improving it a ton as well. I bet the chocolate would pair nicely with the nuttiness of the coconut and possibly wake the coffee flavor up a little bit too. I loved Dunkin’s Samoa iced coffee in the past, so why not add a swirl of mocha AND caramel? Go (coco)nuts. It’s only 100 more calories. I might actually do this.

Conclusion:

Despite pretty much hating this latte, I do like that Dunkin’ has added the option of using coconutmilk, and I intend to give it another try in a cold brew or iced coffee.

If you feel so inclined to order this specific latte, just heed my advice and sweeten it up. I want your morning to be as bright as possible!

Purchased Price: $4.59
Size: Medium
Purchased at: Dunkin
Rating: 3 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 50 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 mg of cholesterol, 70 milligrams of sodium, 3 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of total sugars, 0 grams of fiber, 1 gram of protein.

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