Screaming Yellow Zonkers

I haven’t seen Screaming Yellow Zonkers on the shelves for a while. That’s because, if the Wikipedia page is correct, they were discontinued in 2007. However, the tasty popcorn treat has recently returned. If you’ve never enjoyed Screaming Yellow Zonkers, or if you’ve forgotten what it taste like, let me refresh your memory: it’s popcorn covered with a sweet butter glaze. SYZ is made with real butter, not some nasty-tasting artificial butter flavor. So, the butter flavor is legit. The butter flavor is balanced with a nice sweetness that should appeal to both sugar-craving youngsters and those who are more mature. It’s a delicious and unique flavor. I’ve been told that Screaming Yellow Zonkers are only available at Walgreens, and only for a limited time. So, get a few boxes while you can.

Phoood rating:

Quiznos Prime Rib Philly

To my amazement, Quiznos has recently put out over 25 (!) new menu items. In addition to wraps and flatbread sandwiches, one new item that caught my eye was the Prime Rib Philly, which I assumed was their take on the classic Philly Cheesesteak. Indeed it was, as this sub was filled with mushrooms, onions, green bell peppers, and of course thinly-sliced prime rib. I've had some pretty good cheesesteaks in the past, so my expectations were somewhat high- especially with the price I had to pay for a large size. The onions and green peppers were crisp and fresh, especially compared to that of the other fast food sub chain. The meat was extremely soft and of high quality. The "Philly Cheese Sauce" had a mayo-like texture and tasted like very sharp provolone. After a while, however, I realized that the sauce was a bit too overwhelming and nearly drowned out every other aspect of the sandwich. Aside from that though, Quiznos shows once again that you can find good quality food in a fast food environment. Just be prepared to dish out a few extra dollars in return.

Phoood rating:

Arby's Orange Cream Shake

Arby's latest limited time offering is the Orange Cream Shake, which honestly made my mouth water just by looking at it. I was expecting this to essentially taste like an orange Creamsicle in shake form, and that's exactly what I got. The viscosity of the shake was perfect- not too runny and not too thick. There was nearly a perfect balance between vanilla and orange flavors. Whilst consuming the shake, it was hard to find any negative points to it. And to top it all off, it was reasonably priced. There's not much more to say other than the fact that I was surprised to find a shake of such high quality coming from a place known for its roast beef sandwiches. If you ever find yourself at an Arby's, do yourself a favor and give this a try. I can almost guarantee that your taste buds will be dancing with delight.

Phoood rating:

Doritos Jacked Enchilada Supreme

With Doritos Jacked Enchilada Supreme, the fine folks at Doritos try to improve on the well-known Doritos tortilla chip in two ways: by making it thicker and by making it larger. The thicker chip works well, but they should not have made the chip larger. By my very hasty and possibly inaccurate measurements, Doritos Jacked are about fifty percent larger than the Doritos I have eaten forever. They are just big enough that I can’t fit a chip into my mouth in one piece. Eating regular-sized Doritos is easy – I just pop a chip into my mouth and chew. With the larger Doritos Jacked, I can’t do this. I have to bite the chip first. You wouldn’t think this would be such a big deal, but it is. It creates crumbs and pieces of chips on my shirt and on the floor. I just don’t need the mess. As for their taste, Doritos Jacked Enchilada Supreme have a good flavor that is consistent with their name and have a pretty good amount of heat. All in all, it would be a good chip if not for their unfortunate size. For this reason, I can’t recommend them.

Phoood rating:

McDonald's Strawberry & Crème Pie

McDonald's has been selling their Baked Apple Pie for as long as I can remember. A quick Google search will reveal that the fast food company sells quite a few variations of baked pie all around the world (corn pie from Thailand, anyone?). But today I got the chance to try the new Strawberry & Crème pie that has recently sprung up around where I live. As soon as I took my first bite, I realized that there are two sides to it- crème on the left and strawberry filling on the right. The strawberry filling was sweet and fruity while the crème portion can be best described as a hybrid between cheesecake and whipped cream. Also, the crust was deliciously flaky and warm. Lastly, I appreciated the fact that the pie didn't taste like it was excessively crammed with sugar. I think McDonald's has got themselves a winner here, and hopefully they decide to keep it as a permanent addition to their menu.

Phoood rating:

Wendy's Spicy Guacamole Chicken Club

Guacamole is one of those foods that has to be eaten fresh to get the best taste out of it. Anyone who's made their own guacamole at home can probably agree with me on that. So when you combine it with fast food, you can be sure that you won't be getting the best you've ever had. With that said, I wasn't too quick to judge this sandwich. To start off, Wendy's chicken always manages to amaze me. Most other fast food restaurants just can't compare with how thick and juicy their fillets are. The spiciness in the seasoning was there, but just not as fiery as I thought it'd be. Perhaps this was done to appeal to a wider range of taste buds. The rest of the ingredients were just fine, but I saw that there wasn't as much guacamole as I expected. The quality certainly made up for it though, as I could definitely distinguish the taste of avocado throughout most of the sandwich. If you're looking for a chicken sandwich made with quality ingredients, then look no further.

Phoood rating:

Bob Evans Original Sausage Gravy

Sausage gravy with biscuits is one of my favorite meals, but making sausage gravy at home is a lot of work. So, I was happy to recently find Bob Evans Original Sausage Gravy in the refrigerated/egg section of my local Safeway. “Ready in minutes,” the box said. That sold it. All it took to prepare the gravy was a couple minutes in the microwave. I put the gravy over some Pillsbury Grands! Flaky Layers Buttermilk Biscuits, the kind that come in a cardboard tube. The biscuits were horrible, but the gravy was pretty good. It had a nice consistency and that didn’t seem at all like it came from a plastic bag. And, there was a fair amount of sausage in it, although the pieces of sausage were pretty small. The gravy was a bit on the bland side and could have used some more spices, but I understand that it was probably made mild so that it would appeal to as many people as possible. Next time, I think I’ll add a pinch of cayenne pepper to it. No, it’s not the best sausage gravy I’ve had. But, it’s better than some I’ve eaten in restaurants. If you’re looking for quick and easy sausage gravy, it’s hard to beat. Just be sure to put it over some good biscuits.

Phoood rating:

Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut Cereal - Roasted Nut & Honey

Kellogg’s Crunchy Nut Roasted Nut & Honey cereal is a sister product to Crunchy Nut Golden Honey Nut. I really like Golden Honey Nut (read my review here), but I can’t say the same about Roasted Nut & Honey. I thought that it would taste somewhat similar to Golden Honey Nut. Instead, it couldn’t be more different. The flavor of Roasted Nut & Honey is best described as boring and uninspired. Although it contains a good amount of sugar, it doesn’t have much sweetness. And, you can forget about tasting any of the roasted peanuts that top the corn and oat O-shaped cereal. Don’t be fooled by the picture on the front of the box - the peanut pieces are much, much smaller than depicted, and there’s far less of them too. Overall, Crunchy Nut Roasted Nut & Honey is a disappointing cereal that I can’t recommend buying. There’s just too many other good cereals out there that you would enjoy more.

Phoood rating:

Pepsi NEXT

Pepsi’s newest soft drink, Pepsi NEXT, aims to taste as good as regular, high fructose corn syrup-laden Pepsi. Pepsi NEXT also has high fructose corn syrup in it, but 60 percent less. It also uses aspartame, acesulfame potassium (Ace K), and sucralose for sweetness. The result is a great tasting soft drink that has less than half the calories of Pepsi. I was really surprised at how similar Pepsi NEXT tastes to Pepsi. Only by drinking them side-by-side, concentrating intensely, was I able to discern the differences. Pepsi NEXT has a bit more carbonation than Pepsi and a slightly more pronounced sweetness. Pepsi NEXT also has a tiny, barely perceptible amount of that “artificial” aftertaste that is common in diet soft drinks. But, it was so small that I don’t think people will notice it, unless perhaps they have a Pepsi on hand to compare it to. It’s certainly not enough to distract from the otherwise pleasant taste. Pepsi NEXT is a soft drink that people who hate the taste of diet soft drinks will be able to enjoy. If you like the taste of Pepsi, I think you will also like the taste of Pepsi NEXT. And, you’ll be cutting the calories by more than half by drinking Pepsi NEXT. It really is the best of both worlds.

Phoood rating:

Carl's Jr. Southwest Patty Melt

Having lived in Alaska pretty much my whole life, I can't say I've had a whole lot of exposure to the Southwest. That being said, I do know that I was looking forward to trying this today. After all, how could you go wrong with meat, cheese, jalapeños, and onions sandwiched between two pieces of sourdough bread? Luckily, the Southwest Patty Melt was just as good as advertised. The jalapeños added a warm and spicy kick to the overall package, while the cheese sealed it all together with its creamy texture. The grilled onions were also a nice addition, but unfortunately the Santa Fe sauce didn't quite come through. I probably wouldn't have even noticed if the sauce had been omitted. When you look at it as a whole, the Southwest Patty Melt successfully manages to bring some heat to Carl's Jr.'s already impressive lineup of fast food.

Phoood rating:

Taco Bell Doritos Locos Tacos

The new Doritos Locos Tacos at Taco Bell aren’t revolutionary, but they certainly are a bold attempt to breathe new life into the humble taco. The idea of using a taco shell made of Nacho Cheese Doritos is ingenious. And, it works pretty well. With each bite of taco, you get that great Nacho Cheese Doritos flavor. It’s an improvement over the flavor of a regular taco shell. You also get some of that familiar Doritos “cheese dust” on your fingers. It would be nice if the cheese dust was only on the inside of shell so your fingers stayed clean while eating the taco, but the folks at Taco Bell probably considered this and felt it was best to have the dust on the outside too. So, you may have to lick your fingers or wipe them on your pants more than you would otherwise. It’s a small price to pay for the flavor improvement. If you don’t like the flavor of Nacho Cheese Doritos (I can’t imagine anyone who doesn’t, but they’re probably out there…), you can still get yourself a taco made with one of those old-fashioned, passé, regular taco shells. Go ahead and stay stuck in the past, you fast food dinosaurs. I’m embracing the future and will be ordering Doritos Locos Tacos exclusively from now on.

Phoood rating:

Diet Mountain Dew Supernova

After working a long shift at work today, I was desperate for a caffeine boost. So after quickly browsing through the many options at a local gas station, I decided on a flavor of Mountain Dew that I had never tried before. After doing some research, it seems as though the standard Mountain Dew Supernova was actually part of the first “DEWmocracy” promotion in 2007 and now the diet version has made its way back to stores as the winner of the most recent contest. So, how did it taste? Well initially, I was surprised at how fruity it was for a diet-flavored soda. I could definitely taste a little bit of strawberry in there, but unfortunately the bitter aftertaste associated with artificial sweeteners reared its ugly head. To be honest, I think that it was far worse here than in any other diet soda I've had. If you're one of those people who can stand the taste of aspartame, then this might interest you. As for me, this is a perfect reminder as to why I stay away from diet soda.

Phoood rating:

Dulce de Leche Cheerios

Dulce de leche is a thick, caramel-flavored sauce that is made by slowly heating sweetened milk until the sugars in the milk caramelize. It's popular in Latin America, and the folks at Cheerios thought that it would be a good flavor to incorporate into their product. Wow, were they were right! To me, the word “caramel” brings thoughts of a thick, sticky, rich desert. That’s not what you get with this cereal. Dulce de Leche Cherrios have a nice, light caramel flavor and are not overly sweet. In fact, they have less sugar than the other varieties of sweetened Cheerios. I have eaten Dulce de Leche Cheerios three different ways: straight out of the box, with milk, and with milk mixed 50/50 with Quaker Oatmeal Squares. They tasted great each way. I have a feeling that Dulce de Leche Cheerios are going to have a permanent place in my cupboard along with my other favorite cereals.

Phoood rating:

Magnum Double Chocolate Ice Cream Bar

In my experience, most ice cream bars are not very high quality products - marginal ice cream, questionable coatings, etc. The new line of Magnum premium ice cream bars, however, are a welcome exception. One bite of a Magnum Double Chocolate bar and your expectations of ice cream bars will never be the same. It’s chocolate ice cream covered in chocolate, then a layer of chocolate sauce, and finally an outer layer of Belgian milk chocolate. Each layer of chocolate has its own distinct texture and flavor that complement each other very well. The result is a chocolatey synergy that you wouldn’t expect to find in the frozen food section of your supermarket. The bar is utterly delicious, and hardcore chocoholics will find it intoxicating. It’s a bit more expensive then most other ice cream bars, but it’s worth every penny. After eating a Magnum bar, you probably won’t think about buying one of those budget ice cream bars again. If there was ever a product worthy of Phoood’s highest rating, it’s the Magnum Double Chocolate ice cream bar.

Phoood rating:

Taco Bell's New Breakfast Menu

I am not a morning person. Because of that, I hardly ever get a chance to eat breakfast. Still, I couldn't help but get excited when I first found out that Taco Bell would be selling breakfast items in my area. So I got up early one morning and drove on over to Taco Bell to see if this would be any good. I ordered the Johnsonville Sausage and Egg Wrap, Steak and Egg Burrito, Hash Browns, and Cinnabon Delights to round out this review.

The sausage and egg wrap looked just like a Crunchwrap, except for the fact that it was almost half the size. The combination of egg, sausage, and cheese is a familiar one, so this item didn't stand out too much. The only difference between this and a standard breakfast sandwich is the use of a grilled tortilla. The hash browns were good, although a bit too greasy and not that filling. It was considerably larger than the hash browns at McDonald's, and tasted just as good if not better.

The highlight of the meal was definitely the Steak and Egg Burrito. The steak was tender and meaty, the eggs tasted better here than in most fast food joints, and it included a spicy sauce that complimented everything nicely. To top it all off, I had the Cinnabon Delights which were basically doughnut holes sprinkled with the same cinnamon and sugar mixture found on the Cinnamon Twists. A healthy dose of cream filling found in the center was arguably the best part. All in all, First Meal doesn't set the bar for breakfast foods any higher, but does an admirable job in introducing some much-needed variety to the Taco Bell formula.

Johnsonville Sausage and Egg Wrap rating:

Hash Browns rating:

Steak and Egg Burrito rating:

Cinnabon Delights rating:

Cheetos Puffs Honey BBQ

As I was perusing through the vending machine at work today, I caught a glimpse of these Honey BBQ Flavored Cheetos Puffs. They sounded interesting enough to me, so I decided to grab a bag and try it out. My expectations were somewhat high due to the fact that I've had some pretty good Cheetos products in the past, but sadly these fell short. I should start out by saying that I'm not a real big fan of Cheetos Puffs to begin with. They just seem to be mostly filled with air and not have as much cheese powder compared to Crunchy Cheetos. While eating these, I had a very difficult time trying to make out any sort of BBQ flavor and the sweetness of honey was just not there. It was one of those instances where I had to eat a whole bunch of something in order for the flavor to accumulate in my mouth. If anything, I felt like I was eating a bunch of corn meal with a few sprinklings of cheese and BBQ powder mixed in. If you're expecting something similar to what you might find slathered on some chicken wings, you'll probably find out that these don't even come close.

Phoood rating:

Jack in the Box Bacon Shake

So, just how disgusting is Jack in the Box’s new Bacon Shake? Not nearly as disgusting as you may think. I got my shake in the drive-thru and was prepared to throw it out the window of my car if necessary. But, after the initial shock of drinking a bacon-flavored milkshake, I really started to enjoy it. For those of you who are apprehensive, rest assured. There are no pieces of bacon floating in it, and no burnt, grainy bacon residue like what you get in the bottom of the pan when you cook bacon at home. It’s made with vanilla ice cream and bacon-flavored syrup. So, it’s as smooth as a typical milkshake, with plenty of pleasant vanilla flavor and a nice sweetness. The bacon flavor is pretty good, and it’s a mild flavor that doesn’t overpower. Amazingly, you really do get that familiar, just-fried bacon flavor. The Bacon Shake is not for everyone, to be sure. But for anyone who likes the flavor of bacon, or just likes something a little (or a lot) different, the Bacon Shake might just be your thing. Hats off to Jack for pushing the milkshake envelope.

Phoood rating:

McDonald's Chicken McBites

As if McDonald's didn't have enough chicken products on their menu, they went ahead and recently introduced the Chicken McBites- which are said to be juicy bites made with chicken breast meat, in three deliciously poppable sizes. I just so happen to be a big fan of the chicken items at McDonald's, so I decided to give this one a go. First thing worth mentioning is that the McBites come in a convenient little container that allows you to house dipping sauces in the container itself. However, I did not use any dipping sauces for the purpose of this review. The McBites had a very soft and chewy texture, but the breading didn't have much seasoning or flavor to go along with it. Perhaps that was done intentionally so that the sauces would be more useful. The breast meat wasn't spongy like the McNuggets, but rather more akin to the Chicken Selects. It's also worth noting that there was probably twice as much breading than chicken meat for most of the bites. I might have enjoyed this a bit more had I used some of the dipping sauces, but as it stands, the McBites themselves earned a "So-so" from me.

Phoood rating:

Arby's Fish Sandwich

The other day, my wife and I received an Arby's flyer in the mail announcing that their Fish Sandwich was back. We hadn't been to Arby's in a while, so that was our lunch choice for today. I like fish sandwiches, although the ones offered at fast-food places have always left something to be desired. Until now. I really liked this sandwich! It's made very simply: a nice-sized fish patty, sesame-seed bun, a tasty tartar sauce, and shredded lettuce. The fish was nicely cooked and light tasting, my guess would be cod. The ratio of sauce to fish was perfect, and the bun was just the right size to contain, but not overwhelm, the other ingredients. It is a good-sized sandwich, and with curly fries and a drink would be a satisfying meal for a moderate appetite. The regular price is $2.99 for the sandwich alone, or $4.00 for a combo. I consider it well worth the money, and will be eating one again soon!

Phoood rating:

Wendy's Cheesy Cheddarburger

I'm just gonna put it out there: I REALLY love cheese.

As a matter of fact, most of the items I've reviewed on this site have cheese listed as one of their ingredients. When I heard about Wendy's new Cheesy Cheddarburger, I knew that this would be the closest I could get to experiencing a "Juicy Lucy," unless I were to make it myself, of course. The difference here is that the melted cheese is on the outside. So, how did it taste? Well, pretty much just how I imagined it. The cheese sauce was spectacular and reminded me of macaroni and cheese... for some strange reason. It was nice and thick as well. The meat patty itself was juicy and delicious. Some people might have a problem with how plain it is, but it didn't really bother me too much. I'm sure it would be really easy to request additional toppings for it anyway. And yes, it may be sort of small but a few of these would prove to be a satisfying snack. Kudos to Wendy's for creating a unique item that tastes great as well as saves everybody some money.

Phoood rating:

Cheez-It Mozzarella

You expect a mozzarella cheese-flavored cracker to taste like it has some mozzarella cheese in it, right? And, you expect that there would be a decent amount of mozzarella cheese in it too, wouldn’t you? So, I don’t know what the folks at Cheez-It are thinking with new Cheez-It Mozzarella. Sure, they have a cheese flavor. But, it’s not the flavor of mozzarella cheese. It’s just a generic, amorphous cheese flavor. It could be one of many cheese flavors. One look at the ingredient list on the side of the box explains why. Mozzarella cheese is listed there, but it’s not the first type of cheese in the list. In fact, it’s not even the second type of cheese on the list. Sadly, mozzarella cheese is third on the list, behind white cheddar and cheddar. This is why the crackers don’t taste like mozzarella cheese. It also explains why the crackers deserve the lowest Phoood rating. It’s not because the crackers themselves aren’t perfectly edible, but because as I ate them I had the feeling that I had been duped.

Phoood rating:

Burger King French Fries (New Thicker Cut)

Burger King recently introduced new french fries to their menu. I recall that the last time Burger King did this - over a decade ago, if my memory is correct - they went with a skinny, crispy fry similar to those offered by McDonald’s. Nowadays, Burger King thinks that thicker fries are the way to go. They couldn’t be more wrong. They must not be familiar with the First Law of French Fries, which states “Skinnier fries are always better than thicker fries because skinnier fries have a better ratio of crispy exterior to fluffy interior.” See, a great fry isn’t the one that has a lot of fluffy potato on the inside, even if the fluff tastes great. It’s the one with the delicious, crispy exterior and just the right amount of fluffy potato within. Get the exterior/interior ratio wrong, and the fry will never be great. The Second Law of French Fries states “If you are going to make a thicker fry, leave the skin on because the overall flavor will be better.” Burger King violated this law also. All this being said, Burger King’s new fries aren’t bad. My order came with a generous amount of salt on them and were cooked to a nice, light brown. I prefer fries that are cooked a bit more (to a “golden brown”), but light brown is okay. And, I must admit that the fries had a nice potato flavor. Overall, they’re not bad fries, but they aren’t great either. If Burger King was aiming for the best fries in the fast food marketplace (and I assume they were), they came up short.

Phoood rating:

Taco Bell Beefy Crunch Burrito

Now this is what I'm talking about.

Just recently, Taco Bell has decided to bring back the Beefy Crunch Burrito for a limited time. The first time the Beefy Crunch Burrito was introduced to the Taco Bell menu, I almost immediately fell in love with the combination of textures and flavors. And when I finally ordered two of them today during my lunch break, it was as if I had been reunited with an old friend. Everything I enjoyed about it the first time has come back immaculate and untouched. The crunchiness provided by the Flamin' Hot Fritos balances well with the beefy, gooey mess found in the rest of the burrito. There's not much more to say other than the fact that you get a perfectly adequate serving size for such a very cheap price. Maybe I'm just crazy, but I have to say... this is probably my favorite thing from Taco Bell. Here's to hoping that they make this a permanent addition to their menu in the future!

Phoood rating:

Phoood Hall of Fame: It’s-It Vanilla Ice Cream Treat

There are few things that I find to be as delicious as an It’s-It. First, I love oatmeal cookies. I also love vanilla ice cream and chocolate. Put a scoop of vanilla ice cream between two oatmeal cookies, cover it in chocolate, and I’m in heaven. It just doesn’t get much better. Straight from the freezer, an It’s-It will be pretty firm. As you eat it, it gets softer as the cookies and ice cream thaw a bit. By the end (if you don’t eat it too fast...), you may have ice cream dripping down your hand. Don’t be embarrassed if you have the urge to lick your hands like you are a cat - it’s normal. In addition to vanilla, It’s-Its also come in chocolate, mint, and cappuccino flavors. I’m a traditionalist, so I stick with vanilla. Look at the ice cream treat section of your supermarket some time. There’s a lot of choices and many of them are very tasty. However, I think It’s-Its are the best of them all.

If you live outside of California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Hawaii, or Arizona, you may have never had the opportunity to enjoy an It’s-It. Don’t fear, you can buy them directly from the company and have them shipped to you (link here). I recommend getting at least a couple of cases.

Carl's Jr. Oreo Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich

I can't ever remember having a bad experience with an ice cream sandwich. After trying the Oreo Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich from Carl's Jr. today, I can still proudly say that ice cream sandwiches are one of my favorite desserts. The simplicity of the sandwich is arguably what makes it so great. The combination of the giant Oreo cookies with vanilla ice cream in between makes for a very satisfying experience. The Oreo cookies contained the unmistakable chocolate flavor associated with other Oreo products. The sandwich held together quite well, and the ice cream didn't end up melting at all. The only downside I can think of is that the ice cream didn't have much vanilla flavor, which ended up being downplayed by the flavor of the cookies. It would've been nice for there to have been a perfect balance between vanilla and chocolate. Regardless, this was a fine dessert that had me longing for another one immediately after I had finished it.

Phoood rating: