REVIEW: Starbucks Jalapeno Chicken Pocket

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Starbucks’ Jalapeño Chicken Pocket fits in most pockets, and its shape makes me want to stick it in a toaster like a Pop-Tart.

This edible pocket features a toasted chile lavash flatbread wrapped and stuffed with a peppery party of parts: diced chicken, charred poblanos, green jalapeños, three-chile-pepper cheese, and jalapeño cream cheese.

Now, before you get excited about the number of fiery-sounding ingredients, let me tell you that the heat here is weak. There’s an ever-so-slight kick from the jalapeño, which is about as warm as the side of the pillow you just lifted your head from after a night’s sleep. If you were hoping to jumpstart your morning with a jolt from Starbucks coffee and a spicy pocket, you’d have to rely on the caffeine alone.

However, the peppers contribute a lot to the flavor. The oozy filling kind of reminds me of a pepper jack sauce but without much of the sharpness. Floating in that peppery ooze are tender chicken pieces and occasional pepper bits. The soft chile lavash flatbread was easy to bite through but didn’t have a significant flavor on its own, which I had an opportunity to taste on its own because one end of the pocket had almost half an inch of just the flatbread with no filling. Overall, it’s an enjoyable cheesy and peppery flavor, but I wouldn’t say I liked it more than Dunkin’s Green Goddess Wrap, which had a more unique taste.

While I found it tasty, I was unimpressed with its size. The photo above makes it look larger and thicker than it actually is. I forgot to measure it, but I think it was about 3.5 inches wide. That could be excused if it was as thick as the previously mentioned Dunkin’ offering, but it’s about half as plump. At four bucks, it seems pricey for what you’re getting, and I don’t think it would be filling unless paired with a Grande-sized coffee. I checked Starbucks prices in other states, and they are consistent. If it were a dollar cheaper, I could genuinely recommend it.

While it has a pleasant flavor, I wouldn’t repurchase this unless Starbucks drops its price or starts inflating its size.

Purchased Price: $3.95
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 200 calories, 7 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 460 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 11 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Starbucks Iced Cherry Chai Latte

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Spring isn’t here yet, at least not in the Midwest. But Starbucks’ spring menu has us manifesting! This year’s lineup brings back the delicious Lavender beverages – the Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha and the Lavender Oatmilk Latte.

But, the new kid on the menu block is Starbucks’ first springtime chai drink—the Iced Cherry Chai. It’s made with black tea infused with cinnamon, clove, and other warming spices, combined with milk and ice, then topped with cherry cream cold foam and a sprinkle of cherry crunch topping.

Starbucks’ overseas locations create stunning cherry blossom beverages, so I had high hopes for this one. That said, cherry-flavored food and drinks in the U.S. can be hit or miss.

As I took my first sip, I kept repeating in my head like a mantra, “Please don’t taste like cough syrup. Please don’t taste like cough syrup.”

The first thing I noticed was how creamy it was. The light pink color made my brain want to expect strawberries and cream, but the flavor was distinctly cherry. Not tart cherry, but the kind you’d find in a baked good – sweet with no sourness at all. So, I can confirm that it does NOT taste like Robitussin cherry-flavored cough syrup.

The chai complemented it perfectly. It wasn’t overly spicy or strong enough to completely wash out the cherry flavor. I also didn’t find it too sweet, which is a compliment! Usually, I have to cut back on syrup pumps, but this one was perfect as-is.

I will say that I didn’t really care for the sprinkle of cherry crunch topping. It only added visual interest and texture, not an additional cherry flavor for me, so it seemed gratuitous.

I typically think of chai as a fall drink (shoutout to my beloved Pumpkin Spice Chai —side note: if you haven’t had one, you must this fall). But they’ve made it work for spring. Kudos.

While I will definitely be drinking more of these in the future, I am excited to try the cherry cold foam itself on more things like a mocha (for cherry chocolate vibes) or even on a matcha.

Purchased Price: $5.45
Size: Tall (12 ounces)
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Tall – 12 oz) 370 calories, 15 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 52 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 49 grams of sugar, 7 grams of protein, and 70 milligrams of caffeine.

REVIEW: Domino’s Parmesan Stuffed Crust Pizza

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I like Domino’s Pizza a lot but haven’t ordered it in years. That might seem counterintuitive, but there’s a good reason: I’m a stuffed crust fanatic, and Domino’s doesn’t offer stuffed crust. Or at least it hasn’t… until now. Cue the Parmesan Stuffed Crust!

It’s no exaggeration to say that I literally screamed when I heard the news. The name is a bit misleading, though: the crust is actually stuffed with mozzarella (as can also be found at Pizza Hut, Papa John’s, my grimy college dive with pizza so good I was willing to wait through multiple bar fights for it, etc.).

The parmesan element comes from a parmesan and garlic seasoning sprinkled across the crust. It’s the default for this pie but can be removed if desired… and honestly, I ended up wishing I’d done that. I prefer the simple, mild creaminess of mozzarella to parmesan’s funky saltiness, which was on full display here, so I would have liked to see the stuffed stuff stand on its own, even if that meant forsaking the namesake cheese. But I’m getting ahead of myself!

After surviving what felt like an endless wait for my delivery, I was rewarded with a pizza that was still as piping hot and pristine as if it’d just come out of the oven. My pie looked darker than I expected, but I didn’t mind since it didn’t taste overcooked. In fact, it reminded me why Domino’s is so beloved. The cheese was thick and consistently applied, neither too congealed nor too oozy; the sauce was impressively zesty, with a strong herbal taste that was way more interesting than the pizza I’m used to from other chains; the crust had the floppy, foldable texture I crave, firm enough to hold the weight of all of that goodness while still soft and supple enough not to literally crack under the pressure. But each bite, no matter how wonderful, was a mere appetizer leading up to the main course I came for.

And the stuffed crust was… nice.

Of course, since this pizza had been generating enough hype from me to power a small village, “nice” was not really the reaction I had hoped for. But ultimately, I wanted the cheese in my stuffed crust to be more solid, and this filling, though pleasingly abundant, was too gooey for me. In my opinion, the regular cheese on top of a pizza is already gooey enough, so the stuffed crust is an opportunity to bring something different to the table, and I was sad Domino’s didn’t take that opportunity! And as I mentioned, I found the parmesan unnecessary; it felt more like a marketing gimmick for extra uniqueness rather than an actual value add. Perhaps Domino’s should have considered that the reason other pizza places don’t liberally sprinkle their stuffed crusts with parmesan is because it tastes too overwhelming and distracts from the real star of the show.

But the bottom line is that stuffed crust is great! Domino’s is great! Stuffed crust Domino’s, therefore, is destined to be great! Sure, there are parts I could have enjoyed more, but this was still a dream come true—a pie in the sky, if you will, and even though it shot for the moon and missed for me, it still landed among the stars.

Purchased Price: $16.99
Size: Medium/12-inch (this is the only size available)
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: Not available at the time of the review’s publication.

REVIEW: Taco Bell Steak & Queso Crunchwrap Sliders

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Awww. These Taco Bell Steak & Queso Crunchwrap Sliders are so adorable. I just want to hug them, squeeze them, dip them, and gobble them up. Nom nom nom nom. Oh wait, they’re gone.

Okay, the two Crunchwrap Sliders are not small enough to finish in four noms.

The mini menu item features marinated steak, a mini tostada shell, creamy chipotle sauce, cheddar cheese, and pico de gallo wrapped in a tortilla and grilled. An order comes with two sliders and a container of the chain’s new green chile queso.

You might think their size would make them cheaper, but an order is about the same price as a regular Crunchwrap Supreme. I didn’t break out my scale to compare their weights, but having had so many hexagonal-shaped Crunchwraps that I always think of the menu item when I see a soccer ball, the regular-sized version seems heftier than the two sliders combined, which makes them pricey.

While they seem expensive, they are also meaty. Carnivores would approve of the amount of steak in these. With them being so small, there’s not enough room for the usual Taco Bell fillers of rice, beans, and air. (Okay, there’s a little bit of air.) Because there isn’t much in terms of fillings, the steak stands out the most. The tostada mainly provided a slight crunch, and the pico de gallo had an acidic tomatoey punch. As for the smoky chipotle sauce, it wasn’t too noticeable as I nommed my way through the sliders, so it might’ve been lightly applied to my tiny Crunchwraps.

But the chipotle sauce isn’t the headlining condiment here. It’s the green chile queso. It’s not a bold dipping sauce; oddly, its cheesiness sometimes brings to mind mac and cheese. It’s okay, but I’d swap out the green chile queso for something more flavorful.

While adorable, Taco Bell’s Steak & Queso Crunchwrap Sliders aren’t as big as or a value item like the original Crunchwrap Sliders that came out over a decade ago. Also, the new green chile queso is lacking a bit, so I’m not sure I would gobble these up again.

Purchased Price: $6.59*
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2 sliders) 410 calories, 20 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 880 milligrams of sodium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 16 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: Taco Bell Caliente Cantina Chicken Menu

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Following its popular Cantina Chicken Menu, which debuted last year, Taco Bell has rolled out a new Caliente Cantina Chicken Menu for a limited time.

Of course, “caliente” means “hot” in Spanish. And, of course, Taco Bell gonna Taco Bell and use the same ingredients from the regular Cantina Chicken Menu but swap out whatever sauces were in the original lineup with a new sauce, which, you guessed it, is called Caliente Sauce.

Like the original Cantina Chicken Menu, there are five items available:

Caliente Cantina Chicken Crispy Taco – A crispy taco shell filled with slow-roasted chicken, Caliente Sauce, three-cheese blend, and more three-cheese blend grilled on the outside.

Caliente Cantina Chicken Bowl – A bowl filled with slow-roasted chicken, seasoned rice, black beans, Caliente Sauce, reduced-fat sour cream, lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, freshly prepared pico de gallo, guacamole, and cheddar cheese.

Caliente Cantina Chicken Burrito – Double the slow-roasted chicken, Caliente Sauce, crisp lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, cheddar cheese, freshly prepared pico de gallo inside a grilled flour tortilla.

Caliente Cantina Chicken Quesadilla – Slow-roasted chicken, Caliente Sauce, and three-cheese blend melted inside and grilled on the outside, with guacamole and reduced-fat sour cream to dip.

Caliente Cantina Chicken Soft Taco – A warm flour tortilla filled with slow-roasted chicken, Caliente Sauce, crisp lettuce, shredded purple cabbage, freshly prepared pico de gallo, and cheddar cheese.

And all come with a free Avocado Verde Salsa sauce packet.

Because the two menus don’t differ much, other than sauces, my thoughts about them aren’t too dissimilar either. So, instead of repeating myself with this review, I’m just going to note several things with bullet points.

(If you want to read our original Cantina Chicken Menu review, click here.)

  • The Caliente Sauce and its citrusy and spicy flavor is an upgrade over the sauces in the regular Cantina Chicken Menu.
  • If I had to rank the items from least favorite to favorite, I’d go soft taco, quesadilla, burrito, bowl, and crispy taco. Not surprisingly, it’s how I ranked the original menu.
  • While getting free Avocado Verde Salsa sauce packets is great (it costs 20 cents to buy them usually), I preferred eating these without them. While it adds some avocado flavor, it can also negate the Caliente Sauce’s peppery and citrus flavors.
  • The Caliente Sauce isn’t too caliente at first, and it takes several bites to build up to a decent heat. At some point, my head started to sweat a little, and after eating, my nose was a little runny. However, I did eat a lot of it since I tasted multiple items with the sauce in one sitting.
  • According to the ingredients list, the sauce contains ghost pepper and jalapeño.
  • I got a container of the Caliente Sauce on the side. It was supposed to go with the quesadilla, which had no sauce inside. I added it to the quesadilla but also dumped some on my Cantina Bowl because it didn’t look like enough sauce.
  • The slow-roasted chicken is tender but not flavorful enough to eat these menu items without the sauce.
  • The cheese grilled to the outside of the crispy taco is still great. Adds a great cheesiness.
  • Purple cabbage is still a wonderful addition. Its crunch is welcomed.

Overall, I very much enjoyed the Caliente Sauce, but because the sauce has a strong flavor and kick, all the menu items kind of taste the same. However, there are some slight differences here and there, like the cheesiness with the crispy taco and the guacamole and sour cream with the quesadilla and bowl. But I like the sauce enough that I believe it should stay on the menu as a spicy Cantina Chicken Menu option.

Purchased Price: $3.79 (Crispy Taco), $9.99 (Bowl), $7.59 (Burrito), $7.99 (Quesadilla), $3.99 (Soft Taco)*
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Crispy Taco), 7 out of 10 (Bowl), 7 out of 10 (Burrito), 6 out of 10 (Quesadilla), 6 out of 10 (Soft Taco)
Nutrition Facts: Crispy Taco – 290 calories, 17 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 540 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 15 grams of protein. Bowl – 480 calories, 23 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 75 milligrams of cholesterol, 1150 milligrams of sodium, 43 grams of carbohydrates, 10 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar, and 24 grams of protein. Burrito – 450 calories, 21 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 1090 milligrams of sodium, 42 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, and 24 grams of protein. Quesadilla – 560 calories, 30 grams of fat, 16 grams of saturated fat, 85 milligrams of cholesterol, 1340 milligrams of sodium, 43 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, and 29 grams of protein. Soft Taco – 210 calories, 9 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 510 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 12 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.