Fast Food – Page 132 – The Impulsive Buy

QUICK REVIEW: Starbucks Protein Blended Cold Brew

Heather / August 20, 2018 / Reviews / 5 Comments

What is it?

Are you ready to get your caffeine and protein all in one?

The new Almond Protein Blended Cold Brew and Cacao Protein Blended Cold Brew from Starbucks kill two birds with one stone. The Almond version has almondmilk, cold brew coffee, a plant-based protein, almond butter and a banana date fruit blend. The Cacao is very similar – although with coconutmilk instead of almondmilk and cacao instead of almond butter.

How is it?

Let’s get to the point: I really enjoyed these. Going into it, I thought I would like the Almond more than the Cacao, but the Cacao beat it by one point in my ratings! Both drinks have a smoothie-like consistency – I’m surprised that “smoothie” isn’t in the official name.

Here’s the low-down: Almond was not overly sweet, and the cold brew coffee flavor came in the aftertaste. I could definitely taste the banana date blend, which I enjoyed. It took me a while to finish this one, as it was more of a sipping beverage.

Cacao was more chocolate and less coffee, and a little bit smoother of a consistency. Almost tasted like a healthy dessert! (#notcomplaining) The cacao powder masked the banana date blend.

Is there anything else I need to know?

I tried each of these on separate mornings and replaced my typical oatmeal and coffee with this all-in-one drink. I thought it would be weird to essentially drink my breakfast, but I loved how I was getting both my breakfast and coffee together – so productive. And, even with running a couple of miles one of the days, the drinks still held me over until lunchtime. Yay protein! They also kept me properly caffeinated, thanks to the cold brew.

Conclusion:

Great move, Starbucks. In the future, I see this for me as either a breakfast on the go or an afternoon pick-up/snack to get me through the rest of the day. I wonder if Starbucks can come up with any more flavor options?

Purchased Price: $5.95 each
Size: Grande
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Almond)
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Cacao)
Nutrition Facts: (16 oz) Almond – 270 calories, 12 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 30 grams of carbohydrates, 22 grams of sugars, and 12 grams of protein. Cacao – 250 calories, 9 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 26 grams of sugars, and 10 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Arby’s Smokehouse Beef Short Rib Sandwich and Loaded Curly Fries

Louis / August 9, 2018 / Reviews / 22 Comments

America’s favorite fast food punching bag, Arby’s, should stick to the one thing they do best: roast beef sandwiches.

Think about it: have you ever, in your life, stopped what you’re doing and made a beeline for the joint because you simply had to nosh on its gyro or down a fish sandwich pronto? Has a day ever been made better by one of its ice coffee drinks? Ever sat at work daydreaming about a big bowl of those curly fries, well, okay, I’ll give you the curly fries. But, still, Arby’s meandering attempt to enter the barbeque game — one of many, I’m sure — by putting a beef short rib sandwich on the menu is mediocre at best.

Utilizing the mainly fatty beef parts of the aforementioned short rib, an admittedly nice big handful of that cheap cut is packed between two thick slices of mostly toasted Texas toast and topped with soggy fried onions, misplaced melted cheddar cheese and a little slight drizzle of barbeque sauce to give it more of that down-home back-country feel. It doesn’t work, but kudos for trying, Arby’s.

As I took as large a bite as my medium mouth could allow, I tasted more of the sauce than the meat which is never a good sign, especially when it Arby’s barbeque sauce. However, pulling a few pieces of the short rib out to taste by its lonesome, I can see why; the meat was a bit dry, and a good dollop of that sickly sauce gave it its much needed (but still pretty unwanted) flavor.

Additionally, that fraudulent smoky sauce seeped deep into the bread as well, so there’s that if you’re big into sticky, damp bread.

Alongside the Short Rib Sandwich, Arby’s has a quasi-companion piece taking the form of Short Rib Loaded Fries which are exactly how they sound: a decent pile of their quintessential curly fries, bastardized with short rib meat, even more melted cheddar cheese, and a whole mess of that barbeque sauce to give them a sense of purpose and meaning.

It’s an unapologetically mishmash of flavors, none of which seemingly belong together in the slightest. The corporate entity barbeque sauce sweetens, almost to a fault, the mildly limp fries. Meanwhile, the short rib meat makes a pretty garnish but not a very useful tater topping, big clumps falling everywhere, just looking for that Texas toast.

For a nice size bowl of these loaded fries—loaded fries being my favorite of all fries, honestly, it’s kind of a wasted effort. Give me some plain curlies and few packs of Horsey Sauce and I’m gold, kid.

Arby’s, your bold experimentalism let me down again, but don’t worry: come Christmastime I promise I’ll be back in line for your five roast beef sandwiches for five bucks. You all still do that, right? Please tell me you do.

(Nutrition Facts – Sandwich – 590 calories, 28 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 75 milligrams of cholesterol, 1510 milligrams of sodium, 59 grams of carbohydrates, 14 grams of sugar, 4 grams of fiber, and 26 grams of protein. Loaded Curly Fries – 730 calories, 41 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 2300 milligrams of sodium, 75 grams of carbohydrates, 13 grams of sugar, 6 grams of fiber, and 15 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $5.99 (sandwich)
Size: N/A
Rating: 3 out of 10 (Sandwich)
Rating: 2 out of 10 (Loaded Curly Fries)
Pros: Lots of meat. Good to see Texas toast on the menu. Chance to visit your local Arby’s.
Cons: Barbeque sauce too “fake sweet.” Soggy onions and bread. Cheese sauce not like I remember.

Arby's Fast Food

QUICK REVIEW: Jack in the Box Steak Teriyaki Bowl (2018)

Marvo / August 8, 2018 / Reviews / 3 Comments

What is it?

A steak version of Jack in the Box’s Chicken Teriyaki Bowl, both of which come with broccoli, carrots, and now with your choice of white or brown rice (I got white rice). While it’s advertised as “new,” it’s not the first time Jack has offered a teriyaki bowl with steak.

How is it?

There’s a decent amount of meat, and the pieces are tender, but there were a few that I had to get a little rough with. The broccoli and carrots are bright, fresh, have a pleasant crunch to them, and there’s enough that it’s safe for me to proudly exclaim to anyone who cares about my health that I had a serving of vegetables.

As for the teriyaki sauce, it’s sweet with a slight peppery kick. But it’s also annoyingly salty and completely masks the steak’s flavor. If anyone who cares about my health tasted the sauce, they would most definitely say I negated any health benefits from eating the serving of vegetables in this bowl with the sodium in that sauce.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Use the fork that comes with the bowl to mix everything because the teriyaki sauce isn’t drizzled over the rice and vegetables. But there’s enough of it under and around the steak pieces to make the white rice not so blindingly white if you toss the ingredients well.

Conclusion:

Jack in the Box’s Steak Teriyaki Bowl is okay fast food fare. But the sauce makes me hesitant to purchase it again. I’ve had the chicken teriyaki bowl several times, but I don’t remember the teriyaki being that salty. Maybe it’s the combination of meat with the sauce. I don’t know.

Purchased Price: $6.99*
Size: N/A
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (with white rice) 800 calories, 130 calories from fat, 14 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 2450 milligrams of sodium, 135 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 35 grams of sugar, and 36 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.

Fast Food Jack in the Box

QUICK REVIEW: Krispy Kreme Reese’s Outrageous Chocolate Doughnut

Sean / August 8, 2018 / Reviews / 2 Comments

What is it?

The latest and (hopefully) greatest follow up to last year’s Reese’s Peanut Butter Doughnut – the Reese’s Outrageous Chocolate Doughnut; inspired by Reese’s latest chocolate bar. The new menu item features a chocolate yeast doughnut dipped in Hershey’s chocolate fudge icing, topped with mini Reese’s Pieces and drizzled with Reese’s peanut butter and salted caramel sauce.

How is it?

I gotta say, for a non-filled doughnut this is pretty much as good as it gets. The chocolate yeast base is different for Krispy Kreme and carries the same wonderful light and fluffy texture as its Original Glazed but with a pleasantly less sweet chocolate flavor that lays an excellent foundation. It reminds me more of a yeast-cake hybrid in that it’s nice and moist but also ever so slightly dense from the presence of the cocoa.

The dual action drizzle brings some serious bolts of flavor, almost acting like a lush creamy filling the way it elevates the entire experience beyond a typical iced or glazed. I get more peanut butter than caramel, but the slightly salty sticky drizzles work brilliantly together to emulate the profile of the Outrageous Bar, highlighted by the occasional crunch of Reese’s Pieces.

Is there anything else I need to know?

As with most Krispy creations, this one performs well in the microwave. Popping it in for eight seconds melts the icing on top and softens the cake to a melt-in-your-mouth treat that reminds me of peanut butter hot chocolate. All the flavors combine into one delectably sweet coffee companion that will no doubt disappear in less than 30 seconds.

Conclusion:

This is an awesome doughnut. It lives up to the Reese’s name and brings all the contrast of textures and salty sweet flavors that make Reese’s products the most craveable in the candy aisle.

Purchased Price: $1.59
Size: N/A
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 00 calories, 14 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 125 milligrams of sodium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 26 grams of sugar, 2 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of protein.

Fast Food Krispy Kreme Reese's

QUICK REVIEW: Starbucks Caramel Brulee Iced Coffee Straw and Pineapple Iced Tea Straw

Heather / August 3, 2018 / Reviews / 9 Comments

What is it?

Starbucks recently debuted these straws – but unlike the Frappucino Cookie Straw of 2015, these are not entirely edible. The Caramel Brulee (made for iced coffee) and Pineapple (made for iced tea) are paper straws with the bottoms dipped in a hard candy-like shell.

How is it?

Well, folks, this is a lesson in asking questions and not making assumptions. I assumed that the flavored end of the straw would go inside the drink to add a little something special. Well, after checking with my friendly barista, I learned it actually goes OUTSIDE the drink – as in, you drink through the candy end. That way, you get the flavor right at your lips as you sip the drink.

I favored the Pineapple over the Caramel Brulee. While the Caramel Brulee was good, it didn’t add to my coffee experience and was slightly artificial in taste. The candy itself tasted like a Werther’s Original hard candy that your grandpa used to slip in your pocket.

Pineapple had just the right amount of sweetness to flavor my iced green tea and had a more natural taste. The Pineapple also gets bonus points for the adorable pineapple design on the straw itself.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Be aware that you might have to bite or suck some of the candy to get your beverage through the straw. The hard candy may cover the opening when you first open the package. And if you want to enjoy the whole straw, you’ll have to work your way down it as you drink.

Conclusion:

These are a fun concept, but now that I’ve used them once, I probably won’t again. There’s something about walking into my office with my coffee and a candy straw that doesn’t seem right in corporate America! But if you’re up for fun, I say go for it.

Purchased Price: $1.75 each (Although when I purchased, they were running a Buy One Get One Free deal, so I got both for $1.75)
Size: N/A
Rating: 6 out of 10 (Caramel Brulee)
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Pineapple)
Nutrition Facts: Caramel Brulee – 20 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 0 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of sugars, and 0 grams of protein. Pineapple – 20 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 0 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of sugars, and 0 grams of protein..

Fast Food Starbucks