Tag: Wendy’s

There was a time when I ate a lot of Wendy’s chili. Everybody else would have their huge Bacon Cheese Whatever monstrosities, large fries, buckets of nuggets, and mega Frosties, and I would sit there, primly eating my fiber-rich, beany soup. My will was strong.

But I’ve weakened in my morals since then and have started experimenting with other Wendy’s fare, even burgers. But I still consider myself a Wendy’s Chili enthusiast, so I had to try the latest incarnation of its Taco Salad. This new incarnation of the classic entrée boasts new crispy chili lime tortilla strips, fire-roasted corn, and a “creamy zesty salsa” dressing, in addition to the standard ingredients: lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese, and, of course, chili.

When you open the plastic clamshell, it looks like a normal fast-food salad with a few tablespoons of corn kernels dropped on it; some of the corn had some visible char on it, but most did not. The other special ingredients—the seasoned tortilla strips, the creamy salsa dressing, and, of course, the chili–came separately. Considering the fact that my default portion was pretty close to filling the whole container before any of the add-ins went on, clearly construction of my bespoke salad would be a careful process.

If you eat Wendy’s chili regularly, then you know that sometimes it’s more watery than others. This time, it was pretty watery, so instead of dumping a bunch of it onto my salad and giving it a bath, I went in with a spoon and teased out the solid components, effectively straining out the water. I only got through about a third of the chili before I had enough for my plate, and I didn’t use all of the dressing because it seemed like too much of a good thing. If you want to eat this with all of the chili and all of the dressing, you are braver than I, and hopefully wearing clothes that don’t need to be dry-cleaned.

There is a lot going on in this salad, to put it mildly. I know saying, “It was like a party in my mouth” is totally played out, but my mouth was definitely experiencing some kind of festive event. I mostly enjoyed all the different flavors and textures, although the temperature fluctuation was a little strange; when I went from a forkful of pipping-hot chili to a cold clump of lettuce, it felt a little like something had gone wrong with my meal, but that’s just part of the experience.

Every component I can point to was good (although the “creamy salsa” dressing was basically just a less-tangy Ranch to my palate), yet I found trying to arrange perfect bites and get a little bit of everything in one mouthful was kind of…stressful. Next time I have it, and am confident I will have it again, I need to chillax and remember that I’m not being judged by the Wendy’s Police.

After all that, I’m pretty happy with this incarnation of the Taco Salad. Just be aware that assembling and eating the darned thing is more of a project than you might have been anticipating.

Purchased Price: $5.99
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Salad w/dressing) 640 calories, 39 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 1550 milligrams of sodium, 47 grams of carbohydrates, 11 grams of fiber, 13 grams of sugar, and 27 grams of protein.

With its beef patty, roasted mushrooms, Applewood smoked bacon, muenster cheese, and creamy garlic spread, Wendy’s says that its new Mushroom Bacon Cheeseburger is “literally oozing with umami.” With so many savory ingredients, I don’t doubt that, but the burger is also seeping with some surprising spiciness.

That hint of heat comes from the creamy garlic spread, which is literally oozing out from the sides of the burger. Here’s a list of the sauce’s ingredients to help figure out what’s causing the slight spiciness and to add 50 words to this review:

Soybean Oil, Water, Egg Yolks, Salt, Cider Vinegar, Distilled Vinegar, Garlic, Contains Less than 2% of Onion, Sugar, Dehydrated Onion, Dehydrated Garlic, Mustard Seed, Spices, Xanthan Gum, Monosodium Glutamate, Potassium Sorbate (A Preservative), Natural Flavor, Oleoresin Paprika (Color), Parsley, Citric Acid, Calcium Disodium EDTA Added to Protect Flavor. CONTAINS: EGG.

Well, whatever it is, that spiciness doesn’t enhance the burger. If anything, it was more of a distraction because I usually don’t associate heat with garlic sauces. The garlic flavor is mild enough that if your significant other ate this and wanted to make out after, you shouldn’t be offended by their breath. It’s also subtle enough that it allows the mushroom’s earthiness, bacon’s smokiness, and the beef’s, um, beefiness to come through with every bite.

What doesn’t come through is the muenster cheese, which is supposed to have a mild nutty/buttery taste. Whatever flavor it has gets lost with all the other oozing umami. It’s so inconsequential that folks could be tricked into thinking this has Swiss, another mild-tasting cheese.

But the bacon and mushroom flavors do come through, and I think this is a good cheeseburger, with the garlic spread providing some difference from a standard mushroom and Swiss. However, it’s not oozing THAT much of a difference.

Purchased Price: $8.19*
Size: Single patty
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 670 calories, 43 grams of fat, 16 grams of saturated fat, 1.5 grams of trans fat, 95 milligrams of cholesterol, 1210 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 6 grams of sugar, and 35 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.

Wendy’s didn’t bring back its delicious Pumpkin Spice Frosty for the holiday season. Are you experiencing various emotions about it because you thought eating one would be an annual tradition because you believed something so tasty has to come back annually? Well, I’m sorry, my mad and/or sad friend, our consolation prize is the new Salted Caramel Frosty that combines a Vanilla Frosty with sea salt caramel syrup.

Speaking of anger, you should also direct some of that emotion at SpongeBob Squarepants. If not for the Pineapple Under the Sea Frosty, which came out at the beginning of October, we might’ve tasted the Pumpkin Spice Frosty this year. (Shakes fist at SpongeBob Squarepants boxers, which I got as a gift a long time ago but never wore because I’d hate to get caught wearing them.)

This is the fourth new Frosty flavor this year. It follows the delicious Orange Creamsicle, the disappointing Triple Berry, and the wonderful Pineapple Under the Sea Frosty varieties. Because Wendy’s is batting .666 this year with home run Frosty varieties, I had complete faith that this Salted Caramel one would be delicious, so I ordered a large. Thankfully, my fast food treats analytics paid off.

The dessert looks a bit French Vanilla off-white, but when a spoonful hits my taste buds, they’re flooded with salted caramel flavor. The caramel is sweet and buttery, and it’s bold enough that there’s no hint of the vanilla base, but it’s not overwhelming. A subtle saltiness enhances the caramel, which turns this treat into something so tasty that it makes me forget about being disappointed that the Pumpkin Spice Frosty didn’t return.

If you’re interested in trying Wendy’s Salted Caramel Frosty, I recommend ordering it RIGHT NOW. Because after what we’ve seen with the Pumpkin Spice one, who knows what’ll happen to this seasonal one in the future. This might be your only chance to treat yourself to it.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: Large
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 540 calories, 13 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 570 milligrams of sodium, 94 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 84 grams of sugar, and 14 grams of protein.

If you plan to get Wendy’s Krabby Patty Kollab Meal because of the Pineapple Under the Sea Frosty, let me save you some money and tell you that you should skip the meal and just get the Frosty a la carte. The tropical-flavored dessert is leagues more satisfying than the Krabby Patty Kollab Burger, which is just a Dave’s Single with the mayo swapped out for a Thousand Island dressing-like sauce.

The meal comes with a small Frosty by default, and Wendy’s describes it as a Vanilla Frosty with a pineapple puree on the bottom. While the chain calls it a “puree,” don’t expect your Frosty to have any tiny fruit bits floating in it. It’s a sauce. Because mine came in a compostable paper cup instead of a clear plastic cup, I couldn’t see the sauce clinging to the sides of the cup like it does in the promotional drawings.

Actually, with my order, I didn’t see many yellow swirls of pineapple puree, even while trying to excavate it from the bottom of the cup. This somewhat worried me that I might’ve ended up with a dessert that tastes mostly like a Vanilla Frosty. It’s not a horrible predicament, but it’s not what I paid good money for and not what I want after having to say Krabby Patty Kollab Meal out loud.

However, my fears were quelled after putting the first spoonful into my mouth. I tasted a slightly tart but fully delicious pineapple flavor with an underlying creaminess from vanilla Frosty. After that initial taste, everything else was a blur that resulted in me shoveling half the small Frosty into my mouth with a bit of it dripping from my chin. I don’t know how many seconds passed, but I do know my taste buds were thoroughly satisfied. But I might be biased because I’m a pineapple-phile and have given positive reviews for a number of pineapple products over the years. After catching my breath and wiping away whatever was on my chin, I finished the rest and thought this Frosty was as delightful as the Orange Creamsicle one from earlier this year.

However, my sugar high was brought down a bit by the thought that when this limited time only offering is gone, I may never be able to taste it again. I hope you bring it back, Wendy’s.

Again, skip the Wendy’s Krabby Patty Kollab Meal and just get the Frosty. Better yet, use the money you’ll save from not getting the meal and put it towards getting a large Under the Sea Pineapple Frosty.

Purchased Price: $12.19 (combo)
Size: Small Frosty
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 330 calories, 8 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 58 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 52 grams of sugar, and 8 grams of protein.

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When I eat chicken nuggets, either from Wendy’s or another fast food chain, I tend to eat them without any sauce. That delectable fried chicken flavor is enough for me, and I don’t need to muddy it up with many other flavors. Hear that, all you kids with your fancy nugget-dipping sauces? Get off my lawn! (Wait, actually, come back and mow my lawn. Please? I’m begging you.)

Now Wendy’s has laughed in my face by putting out a whole line of nuggets that are absolutely drenched in sauces. And, of course, they come with extra dipping sauces, so you can have some sauce in your sauce. Naturally, I was skeptical but intrigued by this opportunity to see how the other half lives.

There are four main varieties, but technically, there are seven: The Honey BBQ, Buffalo, and Garlic Parm all come in spicy or not-spicy versions, depending on whether they are prepared with Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Nuggets as the base product. To me, the non-spicy version represents the default version, so that’s what I went with. The Spicy Ghost Pepper Nuggs, however, are only made in the spicy variety because a Ghost Pepper-branded food that isn’t spicy makes no sense.

As I’ve noticed with other fried chicken products, like Pizza Hut’s WingStreet boneless wings, the sauce application is a little bit haphazard. Some pieces were absolutely drenched in sauce, while others only had a little spotting of it. You can rectify this by using your nugget as a little sponge to soak up the sauce on the bottom of the plastic tray, which sometimes works.

The Saucy Nuggs come with Ranch and Blue Cheese dipping sauces, as you would expect. Even though I typically skip this option, I did try the Nuggs with them this time for the sake of being thorough. I know. My commitment to chicken-based journalism knows no bounds.

On the whole, I was impressed with Wendy’s latest offering.

Honey BBQ

This uses a textbook-standard honey barbecue sauce on the sweeter end of the spectrum. They are perfectly fine but not remarkable in any way. It makes for a good blank canvas if you’re really planning on going to town on the ranch and blue cheese.

Buffalo

The perfect level of mild spice that mixes well with the dipping sauces, and the classic pairing of Buffalo sauce with blue cheese is a winner. This is exactly how spicy I like my food, and I would definitely order these again. These made me a little nostalgic for the brief time I actually lived in Buffalo when I didn’t eat the wings nearly as often as I should have.

Garlic Parm

The big surprise of the lot. The garlic and parmesan flavors are clearly discernible, but neither is overpowering; it’s a surprisingly delicate flavor. The texture is also different from the other nuggets, more closely resembling a nice, crunchy piece of real fried chicken, greasy but in the best way. Either the ranch or the blue cheese will obliterate the subtle flavor, so be sure to have these naked. The question with these is not whether I will order them again, but “How long will they be on the menu? Please say it’s the whole summer!”

Spicy Ghost Pepper

The wildcard: Just how spicy were these going to be? I was timid, so I took my GP nugg with a healthy dollop of blue cheese to balance out the heavy spicing. Even with the cooling agent of the dipping sauce, the heat in the back of my throat from just one of these things was nearly more than I could handle. Fortunately, my husband is one of those people who asks for the maximum spice level when we go out for curry, so he was able to field this one for me and eat the rest of them. He said they were great and that these, and the Garlic Parm, were the ones he would definitely order again.

So, all in all, it was a rather good outing for our intrepid redhead, who I would say has been on a roll lately…except for the new Triple Berry Frosty. Hey, even Babe Ruth didn’t hit a home run every time he stepped up to the plate.

Size: 10 piece orders (40 pieces total)
Purchased Price: $5.79 each
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Honey BBQ), 8 out of 10 (Buffalo), 10 out of 10 (Garlic Parm), and Husband Approval out of 10 (Ghost Pepper)
Nutrition Facts: Honey BBQ – 590 calories, 29 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 80 mg of cholesterol, 1450 mg of sodium, 56 grams total carbohydrate, 2 grams dietary fiber, 30 grams total sugars, and 25 grams of protein. Buffalo – 530 calories, 36 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 80 mg of cholesterol, 2800 mg of sodium, 26 grams total carbohydrate, 2 grams dietary fiber, 1 gram total sugar, and 25 grams of protein. Garlic Parm – 940 calories, 80 grams total fat, 17 grams of saturated fat, 1.5 grams of trans fat, 80mg of cholesterol, 1610 mg of sodium, 29 grams total carbohydrate, 2 grams dietary fiber,1 gram total sugars, and 27 grams of protein. Ghost Pepper – 900 calories, 17 grams of total fat, 16 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 95 mg of cholesterol, 2060 mg of sodium, 30 grams of total carbohydrate, 2 grams of dietary fiber, and 27 grams of protein.