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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Steak and Egg Burrito rating:

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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, and 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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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