News Release: KFC Declares Monday, April 27, 2009 “UNFry Day” and Offers Free Taste Nationwide

"KFC is so confident consumers will love the new Kentucky Grilled Chicken, it’s inviting America to sample the newest mouth-watering menu item on “UNFry Day,” Monday, April 27, 2009. Consumers are encouraged to stop by KFC throughout the day on “UNFry Day” and receive a free piece of Kentucky Grilled Chicken.

A full page advertisement will run in USA Today on April 24 to remind Americans to stop by and grab their free piece of Kentucky Grilled Chicken. See http://www.unthinkfc.com/ for more details. (At participating locations, limit one piece per person, piece selection is manager's choice and may vary per location.)"

Review: KFC - Kentucky Grilled Chicken

In a bid to offer healthier fare, the folks at KFC have come up with a line of grilled chicken (Kentucky Grilled Chicken) with a blend of spices reminiscent of the Colonel's Original Recipe. KFC touts the grilled chicken as having fewer calories, less fat, and less salt than its Original Recipe Fried Chicken.

The chicken itself is slow-roasted in an oven on grill racks to receive the desired grill marks.

It tastes pretty good, you can definitely taste the blend of spices and herbs, though I still prefer the texture and novelty of fried chicken a bit more. Grilled chicken just isn't as special to me. It is definitely not as salty as the Original Recipe which I sometimes find to be too salty. It is also very juicy and not dry at all. Kentucky Grilled Chicken is definitely worth a try if you feel like KFC flavor without the fried or just want a heathier (though not exactly healthy) alternative.


KFC Store Locator

Review: Taco Bell - Beefy 5-Layer Nachos

The latest change to Taco Bell's "Why Pay More!" merry-go-round value menu is to feature three nachos over the previous ten items at the 79, 89, and 99 cent price points. Taking over the 89 cent slot is the new Beefy 5-Layer Nachos which relegates the previously 89 cent Triple Layer Nachos to the 79 cent slot for an even better value. Of the three new value nachos, the Beefy 5-Layer Nachos is my favorite and is a great value especially in light of this recession.

The Beefy 5-Layer Nachos features tortilla chips piled with seasoned ground beef, nacho cheese, refried beans, a red sauce, and a blend of 3 shredded cheeses. Obviously, it's a whole lot of "not good for you" but it's tasty and cheap! There are plenty of toppings--so much that I ran out of chips. As with all nachos, you should eat them shortly after ordering otherwise the chips will steam and get soggy.

Review: Original Tommy's - Chili Cheeseburger

Another Los Angeles institution, Tommy's was founded back in 1946 and I grew up hearing about their burgers now and again.

Review: Popeyes - Onion Rings

Popeyes' Onion Rings are the best I've had from any fast food joint. These rings are battered (as opposed to breaded) in a seasoned batter and then deep fried. The price is six rings for $1.99 in southern California, which is a bit pricey but they've always given me more than six rings.

Review: Burger King - Iced Mocha Joe

Like McDonald's Iced Coffee, Burger King's Iced Mocha Joe comes in a 20 oz. cup for about 2 dollars.  Unlike the McDonald's version, the Iced Mocha Joe tastes more like chocolate milk then like milky coffee.  To be more precise, the BK Mocha Joe tastes like cold chocolate milk with a slight note of coffee after the initial chocolate milk flavor.

Review: Porto's Bakery - Polverone

The polverone is also known as a Mexican wedding cookie though I don't know why. I guess they must be served at Mexican weddings? Anyway, these are pretty interesting looking which is why I bought one for about 70 cents. The taste is much like a sugar cookie except as you can see above, there are quite a few air pockets and the result is a very crisp and crumbly cookie.

You can expect to make a mess if you ever eat one of these. It's not overly sweet. It makes me think of a cross between an chinese almond cookie and biscotti. It's definitely worth a try if you like either.

Porto's Bakery

315 North Brand Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91203
(818) 956-5996

3614 W Magnolia Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91505
(818) 846-9100

Review: Starbucks - Sorbetto

I tried Starbucks' Sorbetto a while back, when they were testing it in the southern California area. It was free. I'm not sure if it is planned to be a seasonal thing, or if it has been completely discontinued.

They went for about $3 for 10 ounces and came in two flavors: citrus and grapefruit. I tried the citrus since I don't care for grapefruit. At $3 for 10 ounces, I don't think I would ever buy one. It's basically a fruit juice slushie on the bottom half, topped with Pinkberry original flavor frozen yogurt and that is exactly what it tastes like. Mixing it together just makes for flavored frozen yogurt. No surprises here. No peanut butter and jelly combination here folks.

Review: Porto's Bakery - Cheese Roll

A fairly famous Cuban bakery in the Los Angeles area, Porto's Bakery has two locations: one in Glendale and another in Burbank. I've only been to the Burbank location and it's always really busy but the line moves pretty fast. Porto's offers a plethora (including a vast selection of cakes) of baked goods at reasonable prices. They also offer sandwiches (which I'm not too fond of) and coffee (which can be quite good).

The most famous item on the Porto's menu is the famed cheese roll which is a sweet fillo dough pastry with a layer of cream cheese in the middle.  People love these things and will drive miles and miles just to pick up a box.  They sell like hotcakes for 65 cents each or a dozen for $7.40 which is a pretty good price for a pastry.

They cost about 70-some cents each are pretty tasty. There is a negligible discount for buying them by the dozen but I think a lot of people buy them by the dozen anyway.

They are great for breakfast or a snack. Best fresh but still good the next day. For those with no self-control, be careful not to eat the whole box in a sitting.

Porto's Bakery

315 North Brand Blvd.

Glendale, CA 91203

(818) 956-5996

3614 W Magnolia Blvd.

Burbank, CA 91505

(818) 846-9100

Review: Langer's - #19 Pastrami, Swiss Cheese, and Cole Slaw Sandwich

Langer's is a Los Angeles institution and a must-try destination if you're ever in the area. New York has Katz's and Carnegie Deli, Los Angeles has Langer's.

Langer's has been around for quite a while: since 1947. The then Jewish neighborhood is today a predominately Latino neighborhood which may make it seem out of place, but I like to think it's a piece of history that's far too often missing in Los Angeles. The deli has a bit of that old school '50s diner feel to it.

Review: Popeyes - Big Easy Chicken Bowl

For $3.49, Popeyes' Big Easy Chicken Bowl comes in about $1.50 less than its Jambalaya Bowl which prompted me to try it. It comes in a sturdy and re-useable plastic bowl that you can also reheat any leftovers in.

The Big Easy Chicken Bowl is basically pulled chicken and cajun gravy served atop Popeyes' Red Bean and Rice, and then sprinkled with a blend of shredded cheese. There's supposed to be some parsely as well but I didn't see any. They also give you sour cream and hot sauce in packets if you want.

I wonder where they cook the chicken though since it's a fried chicken joint. It was pretty tasty though, not something I'd crave but it's interesting and a good value.

Review: McDonald's - Chicken McNuggets

My Favorite Chicken Nuggets

Ah, the Chicken McNugget, another McDonald's staple. Formless pieces of minced chicken bits, battered, and deep-fried to a golden, crispy sheen. I pick up these when SoCal McDonald's was running a promotion that featured four Chicken McNuggets (i.e. the child's size) for a dollar.