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!

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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.

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Wendy’s “W” Burger

Wendy’s has recently introduced a few new burgers to their menu, and I like the direction that the company is going in this regard. I tried the new “W” burger, which has two patties, two slices of American Cheese, and other fixins. It’s a tasty burger, and this is coming from someone who has never been a fan of Wendy’s burgers. The meat had a nice flavor and was cooked just right (i.e., not over cooked as can sometimes be the case at fast food restaurants), and the cheese was, well … I just love American cheese on a burger! I can’t comment on the burger’s “signature sauce” (Thousand Island dressing??) as I ordered my burger with mustard and ketchup instead. The patties are on the small side, not nearly as big as those on Wendy’s new Dave’s Hot ‘N Juicy burger. So, I recommend the “W” only to those with modest appetites. With the “W” and the Dave’s Hot ‘N Juicy burger - which I think is a fine burger, notwithstanding Jin’s recent review on this blog - now on the menu, I'm much more inclined to eat at Wendy’s than I used to be.

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