Reviews

Arby's Jr. Buffalo Chicken Sandwich Reviewed

by Erik R. Trinidad, Posted Apr 25th 2011 @ 2:00PM

Arby's Jr. Buffalo Chicken Sandwich Photo: Erik R. Trinidad

Arby's used to pride itself solely on its signature item -- the roast beef sandwich, and all its variations thereof -- but let's not forget that they also serve chicken, as well as salads and deli-style sandwiches. These days, their menu is quite diverse for a fast food chain -- much like their sibling restaurant chain Wendy's -- which they celebrate in song with their kitschy new jingle "Good Mood Food." However, there should be a disclaimer at the bottom of their ads which reads, "*Does not necessarily put you in a good mood," because sometimes their food just gets you full without really doing anything to your emotional state. Such is the case with the new Jr. Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. Here's how it rates:

The Claims: Arby's Jr. Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, a new addition to their Value Menu, is "value sized crispy tender all white-meat chicken," topped with shredded lettuce and Buffalo sauce on a toasted sesame seed bun. (Approx. 340 calories.)

The Price:$1.29. (Prices may vary at participating locations.)

Get our verdict after the jump.

Filed under: Reviews, Chain Stores / Restaurants

Pizza Hut Ultimate Stuffed Crust Pizza Reviewed

COMMENTS 16

by Erik R. Trinidad, Posted Apr 5th 2011 @ 11:00AM

Pizza Hut's Ultimate Stuffed Crust Pizza Photo: Erik R. Trinidad

When you hear about Pizza Hut's "new Ultimate Stuffed Crust Pizza," you might think it's déjà vu -- haven't stuffed crusts been around for years? True, basic idea of stuffed crust pizza is nothing new, however their new "Ultimate" Stuffed Crust Pizza takes the slice's edge to a new level, adding not only cheese, but also meat inside. The result is an interesting new rearrangement of their staple ingredients that should satisfy anyone's curiosity about just what Pizza Hut could do to make their fare even more gluttonous. Here's how they rate:

The Claims: Pizza Hut's new Ultimate Stuffed Crusts come in two varieties: Pepperoni (with cheese), or the superlative "Meaty," stuffed with pepperoni, Italian sausage, bacon, and cheese. Both pizza pies come with up to three toppings of your choice. We found no calorie count information for this specific product at the restaurant, nor at PizzaHut.com, although a non-ultimate Stuffed Crust Pizza with pepperoni toppings weighs in at 380 calories per slice (1/8 of a pie). With "Meat Lover's" toppings it's 480 calories per slice, so the Ultimate's calorie count is probably going to be a lot more than that, depending on what toppings you choose.

The Price:$12.99 for a large pie with up to three toppings. (Prices may vary at participating locations.)

Filed under: Reviews, Chain Stores / Restaurants

Denny's Maple Bacon Sundae Reviewed

COMMENTS 84

by Erik R. Trinidad, Posted Apr 4th 2011 @ 12:00PM

Denny's Maple Bacon Sundae Photo: Erik R. Trinidad

America is obsessed with bacon. No longer is it just a side with eggs or the 'B' in a BLT; bacon and bacon flavoring have managed to find their way into chocolate, into mayonnaise, and even into vodka. As the slogan of America's Pork Checkoff Program says, "Bacon makes it better."

Denny's is no stranger to bacon, having served it up at breakfast for decades with their Grand Slams. However "America's diner," along with support from America's Pork Checkoff Program, has stepped up its bacon offerings with the new, limited-time menu called "Baconalia!: A Celebration of Bacon." The crispy and salted pork product invades Denny's like never before, with items like Bacon Flapjacks, Bacon Meatloaf, and the BBBLT. But the most peculiar and talked about new offering is the new Maple Bacon Sundae. Here's how it rates:

The Claims: Denny's Maple Bacon Sundae starts with a layer of maple-flavored syrup, topped with a layer of vanilla ice cream, topped with a layer of diced hickory-smoked bacon. All of this is topped by an additional set of the same layers.

The Price: $2.99. (Prices may vary at participating locations.)

Filed under: Reviews, Chain Stores / Restaurants

New Burger King Chicken Tenders Reviewed

COMMENTS 70

by Erik R. Trinidad, Posted Mar 29th 2011 @ 11:00AM

Photo: Erik R. Trinidad

Burger King has a history of being inspired by the menu items of their long-time adversary McDonald's. In the '90s, BK revamped their old soggy French fries with a crispier recipe that suspiciously resembled the ones at the Golden Arches. It was also during that decade that BK blatantly ripped off McDonald's Big Mac with the introduction of the short-lived Big King -- a hamburger that also contained two all-beef patties, a special sauce-like Thousand Island dressing, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onions on a sesame seed bun. Now, with the introduction of their new Chicken Tenders, it seems that BK is at it again -- this time looking to the McNugget for inspiration, and attempting to do more than just drop the "Mc." Here's how they rate:

The Claims: BK's new Chicken Tenders are "tender," "crispy," and contain "white meat." They come in servings of four (190 calories), eight (380 calories), or twenty (950 calories). If you do the math, you'll find that each piece is 47.5 calories, but that adds up when you dip it in any of the six sauces: Zesty, Honey Mustard, Ranch, Buffalo, Barbecue, or Sweet & Sour.

The Price:$1.00 for four; $1.99 for eight; $4.99 for 20. (Prices may vary at participating locations.)

Filed under: Reviews, Chain Stores / Restaurants

Qdoba Mexican Grill Mini Street Tacos Reviewed

COMMENTS 13

by Erik R. Trinidad, Posted Mar 22nd 2011 @ 12:00PM

Photo: Erik R. Trinidad for AOL

It's ironic that perhaps a decade ago, "street meat" sidewalk food was frowned upon by uppity gourmands, because these days, it's all the rage. Food trucks and sidewalk cart vendors are now the go-to spot to get good, inexpensive meals, and the fervor over these portable eateries has spawned the Vendy Awards and food truck rivalries in different American cities. Restaurants, including fast food chains, have embraced the trend: Last year Taco Bell introduced street-inspired "Cantina Tacos," and now Qdoba Mexican Grill has jumped on the urban bandwagon with their Mini Street Tacos. Here's how they rate:

The Claims: An order of Mini Street Tacos is a "light meal, heavy on authentic flavors" consisting of "three snack-sized soft corn tortilla tacos with your choice of pulled pork or shredded beef, finished with diced red onion and fresh cilantro." Completing the combo is lime wedge for a squeeze of citrus, plus a small side of ancho chile baked beans.

The Price: $4.99 for the combo (480-510 calories). (Prices may vary at participating locations.)

Filed under: Fast Food, Reviews

Taco Bell's New Pacific Shrimp Reviewed

COMMENTS 73

by Erik R. Trinidad, Posted Mar 18th 2011 @ 4:00PM

Taco Bell Pacific Shrimp Burrito Photo: Erik R. Trinidad

As the "Fish Fridays" of Lent continue, the folks at Taco Bell want remind all the observant omnivores out there that fish isn't the only game in town -- shrimp is fair game, too. And as we all know from "Forrest Gump," shrimp can be prepared in many ways -- you can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, or sauté it. Taco Bell has jumped on the proverbial shrimp boat, and now offers the Pacific Shrimp Taco and Burrito. Here's how they rate:

The Claims: Both the Pacific Shrimp Taco and Pacific Shrimp Burrito are made with soft flour tortillas, and start with "six succulent shrimp, marinated in spices, crisp shredded lettuce, creamy avocado ranch, [and] fiesta salsa." The tortilla of the burrito is larger, allowing for two additional ingredients: a shredded three-cheese blend and crispy red tortilla strips.

The Price: $3.29 for the taco (170 calories); $4.29 for the burrito (460 calories). (Prices may vary at participating locations.)

See the verdict after the jump.

Filed under: Fast Food, Reviews

Starbucks New Coffee Drinks: Taste Test

COMMENTS 6

by Bill Sertl, Posted Mar 10th 2011 @ 11:00AM

starbucks cup with new logo Photo: Simon Q, Flickr

We already reported on Starbucks' new coffee, cappuccino and cakes, part of the company's 40-year anniversary celebration that kicks off today, but I've now actually tasted them-yesterday, at its store in Manhattan's Soho. And I can report that the brand-new Tribute blend had subtle berry notes, perhaps hinting of currant. One sip and it was obvious that the brew was low in acidity. But what really surprised me was the realization that Tribute, which is only being offered in a limited quantity, obviously had beans from all three of the world's major coffee-growing regions-Asia (Sumatra and, if I was correct, Papau New Guinea), Africa (Ethiopia) and South America (Colombia). That seemed unusual, and I sensed that this must be the first time Starbucks had ever done such a globe-spanning blend.

Okay, all of the above is true, but the only reason I know is because the guy who manages the New York stores told us, teaching us how to taste coffee at the same time-sniff, to catch the aroma, followed by a quick gulp, to check the acidity. (Be careful the coffee isn't too hot before you gulp.) On my own, though, I can honestly report that Tribute was really good. Really good coffee, man. I also liked the new Cocoa Cappuccino, with only 150 calories, which surprised me, because I'm no chocolate fan. (My idea of a sweet treat is a pretzel.) Even more amazing, I loved the Petites, pretty little confections that give dessert a good name, and with only 200 calories each themselves.

Filed under: Coffee Shops, Reviews

Pizza Hut's Big Dipper Reviewed

COMMENTS 41

by Erik R. Trinidad, Posted Jan 21st 2011 @ 4:00PM

Pizza Hut's The Big Dipper Pizza Photo: Erik R. Trinidad

You might have noticed that most "new" items at fast-food chains are just rearrangements of the ingredients found in their usual fare, and Pizza Hut is no stranger to this concept. Their latest offering is the Big Dipper -- made from their staple ingredients of crust, tomato sauce, cheese, and toppings. It's the presentation that's new: This pie is sliced to share three or four ways on Super Bowl Sunday.

The Claim: The Big Dipper is a rectangular pizza (about 24"x9"), served with one or more toppings. It is cut into 24 pieces, each about 2" x 4.5", and served with four 3-oz cups of marinara sauce, presumably so that four individuals can have his/her own.

My full review after the jump...

Filed under: Taste Test, Reviews

Best New Restaurants (and Standbys) of 2010

COMMENTS 0

by Slashfood Editor, Posted Dec 28th 2010 @ 3:00PM

Photo: awcole72, Flickr

Why ask just one food pro about the best new restaurants around the country when you can ask a gaggle of them? Eater did just that, and came up with its Top Newcomers and Top Standbys in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, L.A., Miami, Portland, and Austin.

When in Austin, go to newcomer Uchiko for contemporary Japanese dishes like walu walu (oak-grilled escolar with candied citrus, yuzupon and myoga), say four of the seven experts in the Texas capital. If you happen to be in San Francisco, be sure to drop by standby Pizzaria Delfina (above, and home to the "Purgatorio" pie) say three of the Bay Area critics.

And in Slashfood's hometown of New York? Thai is where it's at, according to the pros. Wander over to Kin Shop for a braised goat curry, or Lotus of Siam for crispy rice with sour Thai sausage.

Filed under: Restaurants, Reviews

Great Finds from Lodi, California - Wine of the Week

COMMENTS 3

by Kristine Hansen, Posted Dec 16th 2010 @ 5:00PM

Michael David Winery Lodi wine Photo: Cuvée Corner Wine Blog, Flickr

Lodi, California, is a wine-growing region just northeast of San Francisco (in San Joaquin Valley, the Northern portion of the Central Valley) and quickly coming into its own despite being one of the state's oldest wine pockets. Zinfandels are the best-known wines from Lodi and can easily stack up to juicy Zins from Sonoma's Russian River Valley. Yet Lodi winemakers are also turning out varietals that include Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Chardonnay and Merlot.

Here are some of our favorites from a recent tasting. Good news: all of these seven bottles cost under $20 each.

Brazin 2008 (B)Old Vine Zin, Lodi ($15)
Packed with bright red fruit, the Zin also expresses plum and fig flavors, accented by mocha. It's the kind of Zin you might save for a dessert -- it's that sweet and indulgent.

Ravenswood Winery 2008 Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi ($14)
This cult Zin producer culls from a lot of Northern California AVAs to make a solid Zin, Lodi included. Twenty-four percent Syrah is blended with 76% Zinfandel, culminating in a wine that has a fragrant bouquet that seamlessly kicks into concentrated notes of plum and blackberries. White pepper enters mid-palate and coasts through to the finish, linking up with vanilla and cocoa.

Filed under: Reviews, Drinks