Author: Jenna

REVIEW: Sonic Iconic Drinks (The Paris and The Nicole)

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If your thirst for pop culture is as strong as your thirst for souped-up sodas, you’ll find Sonic’s newest limited-edition drinks more than exciting—you might even go as far as to say that they’re iconic. After all, it’s literally in their names: honoring the (in)famous socialites Paris Hilton and Nicole Ritchie, The Paris and The Nicole make up the Sonic Iconic Drinks line. In one episode of their reality TV show, The Simple Life, Paris and Nicole work at a Sonic, so this is a clever full-circle marketing moment, as well as a fun riff on the “dirty soda” trend long-popular in Utah and more recently sweeping the rest of the country.

The Paris is a Sprite-based drink flavored with dragon fruit, featuring lemon and lime, and topped with whipped cream and Nerds candy. If your teeth hurt just reading that, be advised that it’s just as potent as it sounds. A nice, crisp Sprite should be refreshing, but the over-the-top flavor made this more like a dessert than the thirst quencher I was hoping for.

My first sip was super tangy; I immediately understood the Nerds pairing because before even getting a mouthful of the candies, that’s what the drink reminded me of. I wasn’t expecting such a punch of tartness from dragon fruit, but it made more sense when I noticed a greenish cloud in my cup and realized that the lemon and lime weren’t just flavorings, but large wedges of fruit bobbing around. I suggest stirring first because, in contrast with that overwhelming initial concentration of citrusy sugariness, other mouthfuls lacked fruit flavor completely and were just sharp and bitter, like seltzer. This drink gets points for fun and creativity, but the intense yet inconsistent flavor meant I couldn’t finish it.

The Nicole is more subdued, made up of Dr Pepper mixed with sweet cream and vanilla and chunks of strawberries, finished off with whipped cream and, well, more strawberries. I have to admit, while I’m aware of their escapades, I haven’t actually watched The Simple Life, so I’m not sure if this is indicative of Paris having a more over-the-top personality and Nicole being slightly more chill? In any case, I liked this drink more, but I also acknowledge that it was less of a big swing. I mean, putting notes of vanilla and cream into classic sodas isn’t exactly new, and while the syrupy, small-cut pieces of strawberry were a nice twist, I found they contributed more to the texture than the taste. Marketing materials play up its berry taste, but I would not consider this very fruit-forward.

Honestly, it took me a while to even figure out how this tasted different from a regular Dr Pepper. While that’s not a testament to the flavor’s uniqueness, it certainly speaks to its yumminess and how seamlessly its components fit together, even though they could be splashier. I also loved the luxuriousness of the thick dollop of whipped cream on both drinks. Plus, the layer of Sonic’s beloved cubed ice—so dense I nearly mistook these for slushies—was fun too.

The Simple Life aired for five seasons, and while I don’t imagine the Paris and the Nicole will stick quite so indelibly in the cultural consciousness as their namesakes have, both drinks were playful, extravagant, and tasty enough that, despite their chilly temperatures, I’m happy to borrow Paris’s catchphrase to describe them: “That’s hot!”

Purchased Price: $4.34 each
Size: Medium (20 oz)
Rating: 6 out of 10 (The Paris), 8 out of 10 (The Nicole)
Nutrition Facts: The Paris – 450 calories, 5 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 100 milligrams of sodium, 101 grams of sugar, 0 grams of fiber, and 0 grams of protein. The Nicole – 330 calories, 4 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 110 milligrams of sodium, 75 grams of sugar, 1 gram of fiber, and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Taco Bell Midnight Cherry Freeze

Jenna 3 Comments

Taco Bell’s new, limited edition Midnight Cherry Freeze is a Slurpee-esque frozen drink, but right off the bat, the flavor name sounded more like a type of Gatorade. This ended up being prescient, as that’s pretty much what it tasted like too.

I was expecting something primarily sugary and syrupy with undertones of the synthetic fruit flavors that, if you’re frequenting this junk food blog, you probably know and love, so I was really surprised by how tart it actually was. Yes, tartness is a flavor that’s typically associated with cherries, but Taco Bell’s website describes this as “A sweet, blue raspberry-flavored Freeze with a swirl of black cherry flavor,” so I was thinking that the blue raspberry would be more dominant here.

The color of my Freeze certainly supported that theory; it was practically solid blue, with some faint purply red patches on the very edges, which was the only hint that another flavor was mixed in there. (Granted, my drink was served in a colorfully designed opaque Decades cup per Taco Bell’s ongoing promotion, rather than the usual clear cup, which would have made striations of different colors more visible, but still, even swirling my straw around to try to find more of that cherry color yielded nothing.) Despite this visual imbalance, either the blue raspberry flavor was extremely weak or the black cherry flavor was extremely strong because the latter was what made an impression on me.

In addition to the tartness, my Freeze had that distinctive tangy, saline sharpness that reminded me of Gatorade just as much as its dramatic “cool sounding but ultimately irrelevant word plus fruit” naming scheme. The flavor was intense enough that even as a frozen beverage aficionado, I could barely finish my Regular size and was grateful when it was done. That intensity heightened even more when I got the occasional sip that was pure syrup: without the refreshing ice to balance it out, the taste came close to crossing over from mere tartness into sheer sourness. Blessedly, though, I did notice a crisp, almost biting aftertaste that reminded me of Sprite and helped reset my palate a bit before bracing myself for the next mouth-puckering sip.

My favorite part of this drink was probably the ice. I’m used to similar frozen beverages having a disappointingly inconsistent texture, where your first few sips are pure flavor and then you’re almost instantly left with a three-quarters-full cup of solid ice, all of the yumminess and color sucked straight out of it, but that issue was gracefully avoided here. This Freeze was well-blended enough that it was more plush than grainy, which meant I was able to get to nearly the very bottom of the cup before I was confronted with some small lumps of ice that I couldn’t slurp up.

If a craving for a frosty beverage strikes you, I wouldn’t suggest you “Freeze” what you’re doing just to check this one out. But if you happen to already be in the mood for Taco Bell and want to pick this up on the side, you could do worse. This Midnight Cherry is more like “Alright (very).”

Purchased Price: $4.02
Size: Regular (16 oz)
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 130 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 35 milligrams of sodium, 35 grams of carbohydrates, 34 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein

REVIEW: Starbucks Dark Toffee Bundt

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Starbucks’ limited-edition holiday lineup this year has all of winter’s most beloved flavors—peppermint, gingerbread, sugar cookie, and even toffee! While the latter sounds like it could make a delicious signature latte (can you say “toffee coffee” five times fast?), it’s actually attending this holiday party in food form via the Dark Toffee Bundt cake.

Though this is a new offering, it has a classic feel: it fits right in with those aforementioned faves, boasting a distinctive flavor like peppermint, a hint of cozy zing like gingerbread, and a sweetness like a sugar cookie. And while Starbucks is currently cooking up coffee cakes and cake pops, I don’t recall ever seeing it sling a bundt before, so I was also looking forward to that shot of novelty.

Right off the bat, I got festive vibes from the green and red sprinkles (which the website, perhaps unnecessarily but certainly amusingly, specifies are “holly-and-berry-shaped”). That’s not all, though: the dark color of the cake and its rich, dense texture brought to mind other seasonal stalwarts like fruitcake and figgy pudding. The bundt shape was visually appealing enough that I almost felt a little bad ruining those pristine ridges by biting into them. Fortunately for you, reader, my hunger won out over my aesthetic appreciation.

I noticed a slight sheen on the top of the cake that made me worry that it might be sticky enough to cause a mess, but thankfully, the eating experience was relatively clean. The shiny glaze was only applied to the top, so when I picked the cake up from the sides, my hands came away clean (I wish I could say the same about certain other holiday treats—looking at you, candy canes).

The cake had a satisfying heft that was a nice complement to its rich, hearty taste: sweet but not too sweet, with notes of molasses and brown sugar adding complexity and comfort. It didn’t necessarily scream “toffee,” but it was good enough that it didn’t bother me much. I also enjoyed the texture, as the outside was lightly springy while the inside was dense but still crumbly. It was perhaps a bit dry, but I think a fudgier consistency would have been overwhelming, so I appreciated that the graininess made it feel lighter than I was expecting from its solid stature, more afternoon snack than evening ender. (It was certainly tasty and filling enough to serve as a dessert, but it was convenient that it didn’t crash me into an insta-food coma.)

I think this is a treat that would lend itself well to being served heated, but unfortunately, that’s not the default. I was too shy to consider asking an employee, but I think a warm temperature would go great with the warm flavors and amp up that pleasant Christmasy coziness even further. Even as-is, I didn’t feel like this was lacking, and I walked away stuffed and jolly as a Christmas stocking. If Santa ever gets tired of Christmas cookies, I’m sure he’d find the Dark Toffee Bundt a fine replacement, and you might too.

Purchased Price: $4.84
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 330 calories, 15 grams of fat, 80 milligrams of cholesterol, 240 milligrams of sodium, 46 grams of carbohydrates, 29 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein

REVIEW: Nesquik DJ Khaled Another Bun Milk

Jenna 2 Comments

According to one of his more famous songs, all DJ Khaled does is win, win, win, no matter what. So, I was eager to discover whether his new collaboration with Nesquik, Another Bun ready-to-drink flavored milk, could be counted among those victories. If you’re not familiar, DJ Khaled is a musician whose catchphrase is “Another one!” (Interestingly enough, that’s my catchphrase too, but unlike the good DJ, who uses it whenever he releases a new hit song, I just use it when ordering more novelty junk food.) “Another Bun” is then, of course, a spin on that alludes to the drink’s cinnamon bun flavoring.

Said cinnamon flavor was on full olfactory display when I screwed off the top from my bottle and was met by a delicious churro-y smell. Aroma-wise, Another Bun was on point, though I was slightly caught off guard by its appearance. I expected a deeper, darker brown, but the color is more off-white. It looks more like frosting than a bun itself. But as they say, don’t judge a bun by its color. Or was that don’t judge a milk by its cover? In any case, I quickly dispensed with the judging and commenced with the tasting.

Remember those unrealistic expectations I had for what the drink would look like? Well, I’m sorry to say that maybe my judgmental attitude was warranted after all because I was similarly underwhelmed by the flavor. I was expecting a buttery, indulgent, almost overpowering sweetness like that of a Cinnabon. However, this reminded me more of the dry, nearly tasteless cinnamon bun that I was recently served at a fancy but stuffy café. Listen, subtle flavors have their time and place, but I just don’t think they’re a fit for any product whose mascot is a totally rad life-size rabbit!

What I’m saying is I wanted more from Another Bun. It gets points for its smooth, creamy texture and fundamental decentness, but it just didn’t taste very different to me than Nesquik’s existing vanilla variety. Yes, there was a hint of nice cinnamon-y warmth and spice, but it wasn’t strong enough to override the primary flavor: milk. Specifically, weirdly artificial-tasting milk. I wish I could compare this to the Cinnamilk left at the bottom of a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but it reminded me more of that hard-to-put-a-finger-on-but-impossible-to-ignore synthetic tang of a bottled protein shake. After searching through what felt like an endless amount of beverage coolers to find this flavor (was DJ Khaled’s persistent shouting of “Another one!” actually just foreshadowing how many stores I’d have to go to to buy the dang thing?), I was disappointed by how mild and unmemorable it was, especially in comparison to DJ Khaled’s ostentatious personality. I do have to admit that the art on the bottle is absolutely awesome, but it’s probably not a great thing for a consumable product when the best part about it is its disposable packaging!

Needless to say, even if I could track this thing down again, I would not purchase “Another one!”

Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: 14 fl oz bottle
Purchased at: 7-Eleven
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per bottle) 260 calories,4.5 grams of fat, 190 milligrams of sodium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 39 grams of sugar, and 14 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Domino’s 5-Cheese Mac & Cheese

Jenna 12 Comments

Domino's 5-Cheese Mac & Cheese 1.

In my humble opinion, pizza and mac and cheese are the two greatest foods ever created. That’s why I was thrilled to learn that Domino’s, famed purveyor of the former, is now also offering the latter in the form of its new 5-Cheese Mac & Cheese (which is also available in Spicy Buffalo, though I opted for the basic version).

What differentiates this from the other cheesy pasta Domino’s peddles is that the penne pasta is topped with a blend of American, Parmesan-Asiago, cheddar, Alfredo sauce, and mozzarella blend. Based on the ingredients listed on the website, this appears to be the same blend as the chain’s 5-Cheese Dip, so if you’ve ever tried that but thought it could use more pasta, this is great news for you! (If, however, you were hoping to dunk your 5-Cheese Mac & Cheese into some 5-Cheese Dip to create an unprecedented 10-Cheese titan, this similarity is not-so-great news, sorry!)

Domino's 5-Cheese Mac & Cheese 2.

The mac and cheese is served in a round aluminum foil container inside an adorably tiny pizza box. Peeling back the lid, I was greeted by a treasure trove of cheese sauce (if you can even call it that, seeing as it’s practically solid) that was appropriately hearty for a dish that brags about its quantity of cheese in its very name. There was a gloppy, melty base layer of white that I assume was the Alfredo sauce and mozzarella blend, and in it swam swirls of darker orange and studs of toasty brown.

Domino's 5-Cheese Mac & Cheese 3.

For how dense the cheese was, it didn’t cling very tightly to the pasta—the majority blobbed together rather than adhering to the noodles, leaving most of the pasta pieces with only light, fairly un-uniform smatterings of sauce. (However, the blobbiness did make for some pretty impressive cheese pulls!) The lack of coherence from the cheese sauce can be mitigated by simply eating a mouthful of both pasta and cheese blobs together, but if you’re craving a consistent coating, just know that’s not what you’re in for here.

Domino's 5-Cheese Mac & Cheese 4.

As far as taste goes, it was… pretty good. Nothing ground-breaking, but pleasant. The five cheeses played together nicely for a rich, buttery experience punctuated by notes of savory sharpness. Between the al dente pasta, gooey and chewy cheese, and crispy burnt bits, the distinct textures might have been even more fun than the taste.

Domino's 5-Cheese Mac & Cheese 5.

My biggest issue comes down to semantics: despite being perfectly palatable, this meal just didn’t feel like mac and cheese to me. As someone who eats more than enough of the stuff to have a strong opinion on it, my definition involves elbow noodles in a smooth, creamy sauce. While I’m open to more creative takes, a dish that doesn’t include either of those key qualities just strikes me as mere pasta with cheese. I enjoyed eating this, but next time I want what I consider true mac and cheese, I expect I’ll look elsewhere. At least Domino’s can still hold its head high knowing it’s mastered the other of man’s greatest meals.

Purchased Price: $13.08
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 830 calories, 50 grams of fat, 31 grams of saturated fat, 1680 milligrams of sodium, 64 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of sugar, and 30 grams of protein.

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