Author: Vin

REVIEW: Snyder’s of Hanover Snyderfest Beer Cheese Pretzel Pieces

Vin 7 Comments

Snyder s of Hanover Snyderfest Beer Cheese Pretzel Pieces Bag

What is it?

While certain corners of the internet were campaigning to “Release the Snyder Cut,” I was yelling at anyone who would listen to “Release the Snyder Pieces!”

Well, it appears someone at Snyder’s of Hanover heard my cry because it has dropped a new Beer Cheese flavor just in time to celebrate Oktoberfest.

Thank you, and you’re welcome.

Snyder s of Hanover Snyderfest Beer Cheese Pretzel Pieces

How is it?

I’ve always been a fan of Snyder’s Pieces because there aren’t many flavored pretzels on the market. I used to snack on the brand’s wide array of flavors all the time, but that was before I lost my dental insurance and got extremely paranoid about chomping down on rock hard pretzel pieces.

Snyder s of Hanover Snyderfest Beer Cheese Pretzel Pieces in the Bag

It’d been a while since I’d carefully indulged, so when I heard about these, I figured it’d been long enough and decided to put my molars back at risk.

Guess what? They’re good. Obviously. Do I really need to sell you on cheese-flavored sourdough pretzel pieces?

The flavor here is basically cheddar with the hint of a sweet lager.

I was afraid these would be a bright orange, generic “cheese” tasting mess, but the flavor is more along the lines of a soft white cheddar. It lets the pretzel pieces breathe, making for a balanced flavor trio of cheese, “beer,” and the bready pretzel itself.

Anything else you need to know?

Snyder s of Hanover Snyderfest Beer Cheese Pretzel Pieces Plate

I find that the beer gets lost in some so-called “beer cheese” dips, so I was excited by how much it shined through. It made for a unique flavor blend you don’t often get in the snack aisle.

Also, I could be wrong, but the pieces seemed softer and not quite as treacherous as I remember. It’s also possible I was enjoying them so much that I stopped caring about my chompers.

Conclusion:

I think I kinda loved these, but I should warn you, they’re ridiculously salty. I mean, it’s a cheese-flavored pretzel, so that’s to be expected, right?

I’m not encouraging anyone to drink, but a nice Oktoberfest brew would counteract the salt pretty well. Just have one though, and be safe.

Prost!

Purchased Price: $3.59
Size: 10 oz
Purchased at: Wegmans
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 oz) 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 260 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of total sugars, 1 gram of fiber, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Burger King BK Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Vin 22 Comments

Burger King Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Update 11/22/22: We also tried the Italian version! Click here to read our review.

If you’ve browsed Burger King’s menu recently, you may have noticed that the Ch’King is Mis’sing.

That’s right, it appears Burger King has deserted the paper-pouched Chicken Sandwich Wars with the discontinuation of the Ch’King.

Now I don’t know how you all felt about the Ch’King, but I’m not gonna miss it. I’m gonna miss saying it out loud and sounding like a confused rooster or an old-fashioned cash register, but I didn’t think it stood up against the Popeyes or KFCs of the world. It was ok, but it felt like BK was a little out of its element.

The higher-ups must have felt the same way because the new BK Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwiches are more in line with the traditional fast food chicken sandwiches that existed prior to Popeyes’ game changer. These are less substantial than their big-ticket predecessor but, in my opinion, taste better.

The Classic version consists of a “crispy” white meat chicken fillet topped with lettuce, tomato (not mine. Never mine), and a savory “royal sauce” nestled between a toasted potato bun.

Burger King Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich Fillet

While my chicken wasn’t as crispy as advertised, it was still good. I don’t think it’ll be as highly regarded as the big fat Ch’King patty, and it pales in size to all the other soldiers of the Chicken Sandwich War, but it still passes for a “premium” fast food chicken sandwich.

Burger King Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich Lettuce

The big draw of the BK Royal Crispy Chicken was definitely the “royal sauce,” which I think is brand new. I couldn’t find confirmation, so for all I know, this could be a sauce BK has used in the past. Either way, it’s killer. It’s slightly peppery and tastes a bit like parmesan cheese. The flavor profile fits that of a fancy Caesar dressing, and it lives up to its regal name.

Burger King Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich Split

Potato buns are just flat out better than the standard sandwich bun, so using them is always a win. Its flavor and texture definitely kicked the sandwich up a notch.

The lettuce was just kinda slopped on my absolute mess of a sandwich, but it was a necessary ingredient. It made this seem like a chicken sandwich topped with a nice savory Caesar Salad.

I imagine the BK Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwiches may not be as popular as their predecessor, but at least they come in multiple flavors such as Spicy, Southern BBQ, and the Classic topped with Bacon and Swiss Cheese. I’m of the opinion that bacon and cheese do almost nothing to enhance a chicken sandwich, but even I think they all sound pretty damn good.

Burger King Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich 1

The original long boy Chicken Sandwich still stands as my BK gold standard, but this new sandwich is a strong showing. So, don’t feel so bad if you are bummed about the Ch’King. This BK Royal sandwich is not as big and flashy, but you can still get a classy chicken sandwich at Burger King. Also, let’s be real, in two years, the chain will probably just ax these and start a “Return of Ch’King” campaign anyway.

No matter what happens, I just hope Burger King lets the royal sauce stick around as an add-on or dipping sauce.

Purchased Price: $5.19
Size: N/A
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 670 calories, 41 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 60 milligrams of cholesterol, 1080 milligrams of sodium, 54 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 8 grams of sugar, and 23 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dunkin’ Blood Orange Refresher

Vin 4 Comments

Dunkin Blood Orange Refresher Hand

I’d like to share a joke with you that I distinctly recall reading on a Popsicle stick.

What was the vampire’s favorite fruit?

G’head and take a few seconds to think.

Ready? Here we go. The vampire’s favorite fruit was…

“DRACberry!”

Yeah. It was, uh, it was the Dracberry. Look, it’s a weak joke. They always are. The fact that the answer wasn’t “blood orange” kinda made me want to chisel that popsicle stick into a stake and go vampire hunting.

I guess ol’ Vlad and the boys don’t like citrus? That’s a real shame because that probably means they won’t be trying Dunkin’s new Blood Orange Refresher.

I only look like a vampire, so I tried it, and I have some thoughts.

Just to refresh you on Refreshers, they are Dunkin’s line of B vitamin and green tea-infused fruit drinks, and they mostly live up to their name. Mostly.

Blood orange is a solid flavor addition to the menu, but I’m not sure it’s a worthy “Refresher.”

I’ll cut to the chase; the Blood Orange Refresher is basically just Dunkin’s attempt at an Orangeade. It smells and tastes like orange-flavored green tea. That’s not necessarily a bad thing –- mission accomplished. After the first sip, I thought it was the most refreshing Refresher I’ve tried.

Dunkin Blood Orange Refresher Top

While the orange flavor was vibrant and landed right in a sweet spot between typical fresh Tropicana style orange juices and the more sugared up fare that have to be labeled as “drinks,” I don’t necessarily associate “_____ades” with the word “refreshing.”

I could be alone here, but lemonade isn’t refreshing. It might be for a sip or two, but then it starts to dry my mouth out and just makes me thirstier. That’s exactly what happens here. This should be the drink that peps me up and quenches my thirst, not one that makes me wish I also bought a bottle of water.

With that said, it’s still a good flavor, and the green tea does the job. I think you can get away with replacing a coffee with one of these and get that boost of caffeine you crave, but once more, you’ll probably just be thirsty again once you finish.

Dunkin Blood Orange Refresher Cup

I’d also be lying if I told you this was distinctly “blood orange.” I’m not even sure I could articulate the subtle difference I was expecting, but it’s basically just “orange” flavored, so don’t assume any crazy new flavor experience.

So, in the end, this might be the least refreshing Refresher I’ve tried to date, but I guess I still give it a light recommendation. You can also order it cut with coconut milk, which might actually curb that sour drying finish a bit and help with the thirst problem.

I imagine using “blood” orange might be a thinly veiled Halloween tie-in, so I’d expect this flavor to hang around for at least a couple months. If not, get it quick because it could be replaced by “DRAC-berry” any day now.

Purchased Price: $3.69
Size: Medium
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 130 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 mg of cholesterol, 15 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of total carbohydrates, 29 grams of sugars, 0 grams of fiber, 1 gram of protein, and 100 mg of caffeine.

REVIEW: Golden Foods Fruti Rolls Bubble Gum Cereal

Vin 6 Comments

Golden Foods Fruti Rolls Bubble Gum Cereal Box

What is it?

If you’ve ever wondered what gum-flavored cereal might taste like, Dollar Tree has got you covered with Golden Foods’ Fruti Rolls Bubble Gum Cereal.

Well, actually, it’s a Dollar and a Quarter Tree now “thanks to inflation.”

Hey, speaking of inflation – Bubble Gum! It’s back… in cereal form!

How are they?

Not to sound like a classist big shot, but I’ve never bought cereal from a dollar store. That’s not to say I went into this review with any preconceived notions or biases. I actually love the premise of bubble gum-flavored cereal and was pretty pumped to try it.

I’m not mad I did or anything, but this certainly isn’t a quality cereal. Well, for a millisecond it was. I thought I found a diamond in the rough.

Unfortunately, “diamond” went bye-bye almost instantly, and it basically just became “rough.”

Golden Foods Fruti Rolls Bubble Gum Cereal Bowl

It starts with a really pleasant bubble gum aroma and a very authentic generic bubble gum flavor that works well in cereal form.

That being said, it turns to pure cardboard before you can say “Golden Foods Fruti Rolls.”

Big League Chew can’t hold a candle to this flavor loss. Even Fruit Stripe Gum’s flavor lasts an eternity in comparison.

This cereal sets records for gum AND cereal flavor loss at the same time. Ripley’s can back me up.

Golden Foods Fruti Rolls Bubble Gum Cereal Closeup

Anything else you need to know?

The flavor doesn’t really hold much longer as a dry snack, and it didn’t transform the milk at all – no flavor, not even much color runoff from the rings that are basically pink and blue Apple Jacks. If you were so inclined, you could buy a box, split the colors, re-seal it and have the cheapest gender reveal party of all time.

Golden Foods Fruti Rolls Bubble Gum Cereal Warning

With that said, maybe don’t eat this cereal if you’re in the process of creating human life because there’s a rather ominous warning on the box. Luckily for me, I don’t live in California, so I guess I’m just immune to the effects of acrylamide.

Conclusion:

I hate wasting food, but these are worth picking up even if you try ’em once and then toss the massive box. It’s a buck (and a quarter.)

One of the big dogs in the cereal world should take notes and release a bubble gum-flavored cereal with at least four seconds of flavor. I’d be down.

Purchased Price: $1.25
Size: 17 oz
Purchased at: Dollar Tree
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 cup) 160 calories, 1 gram of fat, 150 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of total carbohydrates, 12 grams of total sugars, 1 gram of fiber, 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Sonic Frychos

Vin 3 Comments

Sonic Frychos 1

Am I the only person who has never gotten fries at Sonic?

The fast food chain just has way too many unique things on its menu. I never have any desire to hit an old reliable. I don’t want a burger and fries at Sonic. I want a corndog and tots. I want a chili burrito and whatever “fried vegetable” du jour it’s pumping out as a limited side dish. Sonic would have to do something big with its fries to get me to order them.

What’s that, you say? Nachos with fries instead of tortilla chips?

That does sound distinctly Sonic. I guess it’s time to try Sonic fries.

Sonic’s new “Frychos” consist of fries, creamy cheese sauce, bacon pieces, diced onions, spicy jalapenos, and a zesty “baja” sauce all piled together in a stupidly named hill of slop.

Ok, that’s a little rough, but I don’t like the name. It’s a play on its “Totchos,” which is a good name, and I don’t have any better suggestions, but when it comes to “Frychos,” I think they chos wrong.

I like to think the old Sonic guys would have made that line work, but they got replaced by random people who pale in comparison, so we’ll never know.

But I digest…

As you might expect, nachos with fries substituted for chips would be pretty hard to screw up, but Sonic did try. While I found the overall flavors mostly worked well together, there were some major flaws.

I expected the fries to be instantly soggy despite being told they were “crispy,” and I was right. They essentially just mashed together into a giant fry ball and made it difficult to eat, even with a fork.

Sonic Frychos Fork

I’m of the opinion that jalapenos enhance almost everything, but I think they completely swallowed up whatever flavor “baja sauce” is supposed to be. I loved the heat and crunch they brought, but at no point did I notice any “baja” bite. If anything, that just got blended into the cheese, which was nice despite not really being nacho flavored.

The onions didn’t need to be there. You’re already getting a little veggie crisp from the peppers, and their flavor was also lost completely.

Sonic Frychos Bacon

The bacon pieces were definitely the main attraction. Midway through, I realized that nachos without crispy chips don’t work nearly as well, but the bacon pieces were so crispy that they almost made up for it.

Overall, I’d say Frychos are ok. Not bad. They never screamed “Nachos!” They just tasted more like a decorated side of sweaty cheese fries, and unfortunately, I still don’t actually have a good gauge on the flavor and texture of a Sonic fry.

Sonic Frychos Fries

Frychos are only available through the app, so I’d recommend tinkering with the ingredients. Go light on the sauce, and ax the onions. You can even add chili if you’re feeling frisky.

If you end up grabbing these, stop there because this is a hefty, substantial meal on its own. Also, literally stop there and eat in one of the designated parking spaces because I don’t think these would survive the drive home without turning into a congealed wad of regret.

Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: N/A
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: Not available on site.