REVIEW: Jack in the Box Stacked Grilled Cheese Burger Munchie Meal

Jack in the Box Stacked Grilled Cheese Burger Munchie Meal Blurred

Above is what the Jack in the Box Stacked Grilled Cheese Burger looks like…if you’re winding down your long night of imbibing fermented beverages. Below is what the Stacked Grilled Cheese Burger looks like without beer goggles.

Jack in the Box Stacked Grilled Cheese Burger Munchie Meal

The Stacked Grilled Cheese Burger sounds impressive, but it’s just a grilled cheese sandwich on top of a cheeseburger. It would’ve been spectacular if another grilled cheese was used as the bottom bun but, being my own buzzkill here, that would’ve helped boost this particular Munchie Meal’s nutrition facts past the 1,679 calorie, 97 grams of fat, and 3,538 milligrams of sodium it already has.

The meal not only contains the Stacked Grilled Cheese Burger and a soft drink, it also comes with two tacos and halfsie fries (half regular and half curly) in a special Munchie Meal box, which may come in handy if your Munchie Meal decides it doesn’t want to be digested.

Jack's Munchie Meal

Even though the Stacked Grilled Cheese Burger Munchie Meal’s price is reasonable for the amount of food it offers, deciding whether or not you should purchase it is probably something you shouldn’t do drunk, like driving, taking home a stranger from a bar, dialing exes, boiling water, and sneaking into a zoo.

I’m not going to write much about the other stuff that comes with the meal because the cheeseburger/grilled cheese sandwich hybrid is more interesting than all the other parts combined. But I will say, Jack in the Box tacos have really grown on me (it’s probably the grease), I wonder if I can ask for halfsie fries any time of day (just Googled it and yes I can), and I miss stealing Jack in the Box antenna balls.

Now back to the Stacked Grilled Cheese Burger. If you’re sober, you may think it’s just going to be a cheesier cheeseburger. But if drunk, you may blurt out something like, “It’s like there’s a cheese fondue fountain in my mouth. Let’s find out if my mouth turns into a cheese fountain when I open it. Get your bread ready. Bleeeh.” Both assessments are correct.

Jack in the Box Stacked Grilled Cheese Burger Munchie Meal Innards

The burger felt like a giant savory Fruit Gusher in my mouth. After biting into it, I could feel cheese oozing, but it wasn’t the American cheese which goes from melty to congealed quickly, it was the creamy white sauce. The two toppings give the burger a cheesiness that drowns out most of the other ingredients. If it weren’t for the pickles, this burger wouldn’t have any flavor beyond a whole lot of cheese, buttery buns, and a little bit of meat. Thank goodness, Jack in the Box wasn’t as stupid as me and thought it would be awesome to include a second grilled cheese sandwich.

Overall, it’s a decent burger, but it’s also one I won’t be buying again sober. Its over the top cheesiness makes my mouth feel like I’m sucking down melted Velveeta with a cheese bong. However, if inebriated, who knows what I’ll do.

(Nutrition Facts – 1 meal w/o beverage – 1679 calories, 871 calories from fat, 97 grams of fat, 28 grams of saturated fat, 3 grams of trans fat, 129 milligrams of cholesterol, 3538 milligrams of sodium, 1496 milligrams of potassium, 144 grams of carbohydrates, 12 grams of fiber, 13 grams of sugar, and 56 grams of protein.)

Item: Jack in the Box Stacked Grilled Cheese Burger Munchie Meal
Purchased Price: $7.00*
Size: N/A
Purchased at: Jack in the Box
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Decent burger. Great burger if you’re an inventor named Wallace who has a dog named Gromit. Pickles help it from being just cheese, meat, cheese, bread, cheese. Good price for the amount of food it offers. Halfsie fries can be ordered any time of the day. Jack in the Box tacos. Stealing Jack in the Box antenna balls.
Cons: Burger makes my mouth feel like I’m suck down melted Velveeta with a cheese bong. Drunk dialing exes. Excessive amounts of calories, fat, and sodium for a meal eaten late at night. Drunk driving. Available during the hours of 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. only. Sneaking into a zoo drunk.

*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: McDonald’s McCafé Pumpkin Spice Latte

McDonald’s McCafe? Pumpkin Spice Latte

I love Halloween, but it stresses me out. Most people get apprehensive about Thanksgiving and all the year-end religious holidays because they often involve family and gift-giving.

I get stressed out by Halloween because it ushers in that massive three-month-long wave of seasonal goodies that are only available FOR A LIMITED TIME – so already I’m rushing around frantically trying to grab them before they’re gone.

To make matters worse, October and November specialize in one particular ingredient that can be found in just about everything you can buy: Cookies, crackers, potato chips, drinks, ice cream, nuts, pastries, popcorn, waffles, yogurt, condiments, bread, hand soap, and even air freshener. It’s like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, except instead of pod people, it’s pumpkin spice! I call it THE PUMPKINING. And as a sucker for seasonal gourds, I fall for it every time. (Get it? Fall? Thanks, I’ll be here all week. Tip your servers!)

McDonald’s is no stranger to THE PUMPKINING, having already introduced a most reasonable pumpkin pie a few years ago. But it never offered the second most reasonable pumpkin venture to go along with that pastry –- a pumpkin-flavored hot drink.

So that’s why I got really excited when I saw McDonald’s had introduced its own pumpkin-flavored coffee for the season — the McCafé Pumpkin Spice Latte.

Wondering what exactly constitutes “pumpkin spice?” Nutmeg? Vanilla? Cinnamon? All of the above?

In the case of McDonalds’ new McCafé Pumpkin Spice Latte, it seems to be 1) cinnamon, 2) vanilla, and 3) a metric shit-ton of sweet flavored powder. Seriously, it’s like 70 percent sugar, 20 percent milk, and 10 percent espresso. It was like getting punched in the mouth by a “pumpkin.” And yes, I used those quotation marks on purpose. This isn’t how real pumpkin tastes… and having been a connoisseur of pumpkin pie for decades, I also feel this isn’t how real pumpkin pie tastes, either.

I was unable to verify whether this latte came straight from a powder mix, but it reminded me of the flavored instant coffee I would buy from QuikTrip back in the ‘90s. And that stuff was so full of sugar it might as well have come with a free blood sugar meter and a warning label with Wilfred Brimley’s face on it.

The McCafé Pumpkin Spice Latte was so sweet that you didn’t need to add sweetener. That’s probably why it doesn’t come with whipped cream. If there had been, I’d surely be writing this review with the help of an intelligent machine transcribing my subconscious thoughts from deep within my diabetic coma.

McDonald’s McCafe? Pumpkin Spice Latte Iced

I tried both the hot and iced versions, mostly by accident. During my first visit to my local McDonald’s, I was forced to order my McCafé Pumpkin Spice Latte with ice because (quote) “The hot machine [was] out of order.” No biggie. Here in Southern California, it’s still 80 degrees and may quite possibly stay that way until January, so a frosty drink is A-OK.

Later, I got the hot version, and my taste buds were met by the familiar creamy sweetness and a thick, slightly grainy texture that was vaguely reminiscent of hot chocolate mix. It was all right. While, I can’t exactly say I hated my iced Pumpkin Spice Latte in comparison to the hot one, I would say it wasn’t really refreshing. The iced Pumpkin Spice Latte was creamy and cold and full of sweetness, but after a few minutes, the milk, the sugar, and the caffeine starting swirling together into a maelstrom of nausea, and I began to seriously reconsider my life choices.

Was all this barfy agita worth it? Well, the price is good, especially when compared to the $3.95 price tag of a 12-ounce Starbucks Pumpkin Latte. With the change I’d spare, I could afford to go full-throttle and load up on all the pumpkin English muffins, pumpkin yogurt, and pumpkin-scented shampoo that will hang around until Thanksgiving only to be swiftly replaced by Peppermint- and Snowman-flavored everything.

I’ll call that THE DECEMBERING.

(Nutrition Facts – Small size (12 fluid ounces) – With Whole Milk – 270 calories, 9 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 25 milligrams of cholesterol, 130 milligrams of sodium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 39 grams of sugar, and 10 grams of protein. With Nonfat Milk – 200 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 125 milligrams of sodium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 39 grams of sugar, and 10 grams of protein.)

Item: McDonald’s McCafé Pumpkin Spice Latte
Purchased Price: $2.39
Size: Small (12 oz.)
Purchased at: McDonald’s
Rating: 5 out of 10
Pros: THE PUMPKINING. Does not skimp on sweetness. Competitive price. Seasonal gourds.
Cons: Getting punched in the mouth. Diabeetus. Slightly grainy mixed powder texture. “Pumpkin” flavor.

REVIEW: McDonald’s Chicken Caesar Premium McWrap

McDonald's Chicken Caesar Premium McWrap

In the year 49 B.C., Gaius Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River with Legio XXX in the first dice throw of the Roman Civil War. During the next year and a half, he and his soldiers would march all over Italy, Spain, and Greece in pursuit of his rival, Pompey. It was an arduous campaign, but eventually Caesar and his legion won out, long credited by historians at having maintained their stamina through nothing more than anchovies pulled from the Rubicon, greens picked from the fields, and stale bread donated by sympathetic but frugal bakers throughout the continent. To this day, we commemorate these events with a salad in Caesar’s honor.

Okay, so that’s not exactly how the Caesar salad first went down, but it’s a lot more interesting than the crap I read on Wikipedia. I guess it’s fitting. The Caesar salad has never been the most compelling thing on the menu, especially at fast food restaurants. It’s that ubiquitous item that’s always just there, although nobody exactly knows why. Who knows? Maybe there’s some kind of law to make sure Italian flavors are given a spot on the menu board, but the point is that the Caesar salad has been in need of a makeover for a while now.

And just short of Stacy London and Clinton Kelly, who does the best makeovers? That’s right, Ronald McDonald himself.

McDonald's Chicken Caesar Premium McWrap Lightsaber Holder

You won’t find the Chicken Caesar Premium McWrap on the McDonald’s website, but the new flavor variation joins the Sweet Chili Chicken, Chicken and Bacon, and Chicken and Ranch Premium McWraps. Among other things, this means it comes in a convenient lightsaber-like receptacle, which may or may not interest you for Halloween costume purposes.

Anyways, the new McWrap apparently hasn’t gone nationwide yet, but I picked mine up in the Baltimore metro region. Encased in a tomato-basil wrap and featuring Caesar dressing and parmesan cheese shavings, it’s available with either grilled or crispy chicken and, of course, contains more varieties of greens than a Whole Foods salad bar.

McDonald's Chicken Caesar Premium McWrap Tomato Basil Wrap

The tomato-basil wrap really adds a nice touch that sets it above the other McWrap flavors. True, tomato-basil isn’t very traditional for a Caesar salad, but I have to think it’s still preferable to eating a stale, oversized crouton that’s been unnaturally contorted into a wrap. In any event, the wrap has a subtle and earthy sweetness about it, with an exceptionally moist texture that does a superb job of binding all the flavors together.

Actually, it does a little too good of a job binding ingredients together, with my one complaint being that the wrap has a tendency to get stuck on the roof of your mouth. I can imagine this being quite the more obnoxious if you also happen to be eating French fries, but thankfully a large soda helped my tongue lasso the sticky wrap chunks away from the roof of my mouth. Yes, I did just write, “sticky wrap chunks.”

McDonald's Chicken Caesar Premium McWrap Cheese Closeup

The interior of the wrap was for the most part enjoyable. A single tomato added some crunch and brightness, while I was able to pick up on the black pepper, garlic, and unmistakably umami undertones of the Caesar dressing. I also liked the sharp and pungent aftertaste of the parmesan cheese, which was slightly melted in the radiant heat of the chicken. No, this is not the authentically nutty and meaty-sweet Parmigiano-Reggiano that’s ideally grated over a Caesar salad like the winter’s first snow, but it’s a nice break from the proverbial strings of waxy cheddar cheese thrown into most fast food wraps.

Sounds like a real winner, right? Well, not quite. While good, the dressing and cheese just aren’t plentiful enough, and specifically they aren’t plentiful enough in proportion to the amount of foliage within the wrap. Speaking of foliage, the greens didn’t pack the crunch a usual Caesar salad gets from the interior leaves of romaine. Already down croutons, a more than token tomato was necessary for some textural contrast.

Another problem I experienced was that the flavors of the dressing and cheese failed to permeate the meat. So even though the chicken was juicy, it tasted of a generic grill flavor. Because of this, eating through the center portion of my wrap tasted too much of lettuce and slightly bland chicken.

Is the Caesar Chicken Premium McWrap the makeover that fast food Caesar salads have long needed? It’s a good start, but it’s not quite hitting it out of the park. While the new flavor wins with the tomato-basil wrap, the strength of its starring ingredients (the dressing and the parmesan cheese) don’t stand out enough and aren’t applied liberally enough to make up for several bland bites. Like the true story behind the Caesar salad’s origins, the McWrap’s taste isn’t as interesting as you’d really like it to be, and not quite befitting of the real Caesar.

(Nutrition Facts – 440 calories in the grilled version, according to the McDonald’s menu board. Full nutritional information unavailable.)

Item: McDonald’s Chicken Caesar Premium McWrap (Grilled)
Purchased Price: $4.49
Size: N/A
Purchased at: McDonald’s
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Moist and yummy tomato-basil wrap. Juicy grilled chicken. Surprisingly sophisticated Caesar dressing. Not having to buy a lightsaber holder for my Halloween costume.
Cons: Revisionist history. Parmesan cheese lacks the sophistication of true Parmigiano-Reggiano. Chicken has a somewhat slimy coating. Not enough dressing in the interior of the wrap. Greens dilute overall taste.

QUICK REVIEW: Panda Express Honey Sesame Chicken Breast

Panda Express Honey Sesame Chicken Breast

Purchased Price: $7.89 (2-entree meal)
Size: N/A
Purchased at: Panda Express
Rating: 7 out of 10
Pros: Nice mild, sweet honey flavor with a little bit of sesame. Crispy exterior on the chicken breast strips. Great replacement if they’ve run out of Orange Chicken or Sweetfire Chicken Breast, or if you’re sick of Orange Chicken or Sweetfire Chicken Breast. Not as cloying as Orange Chicken.
Cons: The vegetables weaken the flavor of the entree; the sauce’s flavor doesn’t seem to stick to the vegetables. Some of the chicken breast strips were too thin and the chicken in them were dried out. Yellow bell pepper were probably included for their color. I thought the string beans were asparagus.

Nutrition Facts: 5.3 oz – 420 calories 200 calories from fat, 22 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 45 milligrams of cholesterol, 480 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 19 grams of sugar, and 16 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Burger King Satisfries

Burger King Satisfries

I have to admit “Satisfries” is a very clever name for Burger King’s latest addition to their sides menu. Or perhaps I should say its name gratifries my wordplay bone. Yes, I could fill this review with words that end with -fries, but the thought of that probably horrifries many. So this sentence signifries the end of me using anymore words I’ve made up using the suffix -fries.

Burger King’s Satisfries look like your typical crinkle-cut fries, but it’s what you don’t see that’s being promoted heavily by the fast food company. According to Burger King’s website in a big, bold font, Satisfries have 40 percent less fat and 30 percent less calories than McDonald’s fries. They also have 20 percent less calories and 25 percent less fat than Burger King’s classic fries, even though they’re cooked in the same fryers, same oil, for the same amount of time as the non-crinkled fries.

So what fast food magic allows Satisfries to have less fat and calories? According to Burger King, these new fries use a less porous batter to keep out more oil during cooking. So how are these crinkle-cut fries that sound like they’ve been through a culinary Oxy acne treatment?

I like them. In fact, I like them more than BK’s classic fries. Although, to be honest, I don’t think too highly of them.

Burger King Satisfries Innards

They have a better potato flavor than Burger King’s classic fries and because they’re thicker there’s a lot of hot and fluffy goodness inside. It’s almost as if they’ve been stuffed with mashed potatoes. Satisfries go great with ketchup (and Burger King’s Zesty sauce) and have a pleasant crisp exterior, however I think BK’s classic fries are crispier and salted better. The first few Satisfries I ate were salted well, but as I made my way through the sleeve, they seemed to be less salty.

However, while Satisfries have significantly less calories and fat than McDonald’s fries, I don’t think they have the flavor to make my taste buds crave them instead of McDonald’s starchy offering. They taste too similar to the frozen crinkle-cut fries I can prepare in my oven.

Burger King Satisfries Classic Fries

You also have to pay a premium for them. They’re 10 to 30 cents more expensive than Burger King’s classic fries and there’s an upcharge if you want them with your value meal.

Personally, I think Burger King should make their Satisfries the same price as their classic fries and then have the two battle it out for the hearts and wallets of consumers. The product that sells better wins and becomes Burger King’s only fries and the loser is banished from the fast food world and promises to never return, not even for a limited time, joining Burger King’s pre-2011 fries and The King mascot.

I hope Burger King’s Satisfries sell well and takes its rightful place as the fast food chain’s default fries. They’re better tasting, better for you, and have a better name than their classic fries. Also, having two different fries on the menu that have almost the same flavor profile stupefries me.

Sorry. I couldn’t help myself.

(Nutrition Facts – medium size – 340 calories, 120 calories from fat, 14 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 370 milligrams of sodium, 51 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.)

Item: Burger King Satisfries
Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: Medium
Purchased at: Burger King
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Better potato flavor than Burger King’s classic fries. Clever name. Less calories and fat than McDonald’s fries and BK’s classic fries. Hot and fluffy innards. Crispy exterior. Not using diversifries, exemplifries, and identifries in this review.
Cons: Pricier than Burger King’s classic fries. Not as crispy and salty as BK’s classic fries. Still not as good as McDonald’s fries. Autocorrect correcting every attempt to type Satisfries.