The Asia Trip: Vending Machines in Japan

Let me start out by saying that drink vending machines are everywhere in Japan. I was told that even in the middle of nowhere, on a scenic hill, you'd still be able to find a vending machine or two. It's less a vending machine on every corner, and more like a vending machine on every corner, street, store, train station... well, you get the idea.

News: Wendy's - New Garden Sensation Salads

It's official, this summer Wendy's has replaced their Mandarin Chicken, Southwest Taco, Chicken BLT, and Chicken Caesar salads with an updated line up of Baja Salad, BLT Cobb Salad, Apple Pecan Chicken Salad, and Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad. The retail price on the new premium salads is $5.99.

Besides your choice of dressing, here's what's in each salad:

-Baja Salad - Spring Mix, Pico de Gallo, Wendy’s Chili, Guacamole, Cheddar & Pepper Jack Cheese Blend, and Seasoned Tortilla Strips.
-BLT Cobb Salad - Spring Mix, Tomatoes, Chopped Eggs, Blue Cheese Crumbles, Applewood Smoked Bacon, and your choice of chicken.
-Apple Pecan Chicken Salad - Spring Mix, Apple Chunks, Blue Cheese Crumbles, Dried Cranberries, and your choice of chicken.
-Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad - Romaine Lettuce, Asiago Cheese, Grape Tomatoes, and your choice of chicken.

The "Spring Mix" is a blend of  baby lettuces (red & green Romaine, red & green oak, red & green leaf, lolla Rosa, tango), Spinach, Mizuna Arugula, Tatsoi, Red Chard, and Green Chard.

Update 9/16/2010: Wendy's is selling a "Pick 2" meal for $4.99, where you can choose a half-portion salad plus your choice of a small chili, a small drink, a small Frosty, a Dasani bottled water, a chicken wrap, a sour cream and chive baked potato or a Junior Bacon Cheeseburger.

Nutritional info available after the jump.

Review: McDonald's - Real Fruit Smoothies

Real Fruit Smoothies are the latest McCafe offering in McDonald's edible repertoire. They are available in two flavors: Strawberry Banana and Wild Berry.

Both feature a fruit blend of mostly fruit puree, water, and sugar (much like the Frappes feature a coffee base), lowfat yogurt, and ice. McDonald's new Smoothies are available in small (12 ounces), medium (16 ounces), and large (22 ounces) sizes and, are priced the same as Frappes, at $2.29, $2.79, and $3.29 respectively.

Brand Eating Sonic Gift Cards Giveaway Winners!

I have pulled the numbers out of my virtual "hat", courtesy of Random.org, and the winners of Brand Eating's first ever prize drawing are... drum roll please!

The grand prize of four (4) tickets to a local MLB/AAA baseball game (transportation not included) and a $25 MySonic Gift Card goes to Onelcoolj!

As for the two second prizes of a $25 MySonic Gift Cards, the lucky winners are Paul and Thegrants!

Congrats to all the winners and thank you everyone for participating. I'll be emailing the winners shortly for their mailing info.

News: Subway - Buffalo Chicken Sub Back for Good

Looks like Subway's Buffalo Chicken Sub is back for good as a permanent part of their regular menu. The Buffalo Chicken Sub features ranch dressing over glazed Buffalo chicken and, of course your choice of bread, veggies, and condiments.

Nutritional info available after the jump.

Sunday Funny: KFC South Africa - "Milkshake"

"That boy took my milkshake!" Haha, you just have to watch this one.

News: Panda Express - Free Thai Cashew Chicken on 7/14

Thai Cashew Chicken Breast is back at Panda Express and they're promoting it with a coupon-based giveaway on July, 14th.

Panda Express's Thai Cashew Chicken Breast (is it just me, or does the naming seem a bit awkward?) features cashew and cilantro wok-tossed with white meat chicken breast and veggies.

When: Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Where: At particpating Panda Express locations.
Why: Free single entree serving of Thai Cashew Chicken Breast with coupon (click here for coupon).

Nutritional info available after the jump.

Review: Seattle's Best Iced Vanilla Latte Can

I got a couple of Seattle's Best coffee cans from my cousin, who bought a bunch of them on the cheap with a combination of sales and coupons. I believe they normally cost around $1 for a 9.5-ounce can.

Seattle's Best Iced Vanilla Latte has a fairly strong vanilla taste finished with milky coffee flavor.

Frozen Friday: Marie Callender's - Pot Roast

Marie Callender's is a restaurant chain probably best known for their pies but I'm probably most familiar with their line of frozen meals made by super giant food manufacturer ConAgraFoods. Actually, I don't believe I've ever eaten at a Marie Callender's, so their frozen food is actually all I know them by. Normally the dinners are around $3.99 at supermarkets around here, but they often go on sale for two for $4 or inexplicably $1.88 each.

Review: Popeyes - Spicy Chicken

Popeyes has had a nice little deal going on in my neck of the woods for a while now, where you can get a leg and a thigh for just 99 cents on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  It used to be only on Tuesdays, but I guess with the economy in the crapper and people looking to stretch a buck, they expanded the deal to Thursdays as well.  I bought 10 leg and thigh pieces of Popeyes Spicy Chicken for about $5.

News: Peet's $2 Medium Freddo Fridays in July

Peet's Coffee and Tea is offering a summer promo for $2 Medium (16-ounces) Freddos during every Friday in July. Freddos are Peet's version of ice-blended coffee and tea drinks; basically, it's Peet's analogue to Starbucks' Frappuccino. Like Frappuccinos, Freddos are also customizable with your choice of milk, decaf, additional espresso shots, syrups, etc.

They normally retail around $4, so it's a pretty good deal if you like ice-blended coffee and tea drinks.

At participating Peet's locations only. Excludes airports, supermarket, BART, and other licensed locations.

Peet's Store Locations

The Asia Trip: Random Ramen at Shinjuku Station

Life in metropolitan Japan is largely centered around train stations which, I was told, are privately owned by the same companies that build department stores on and in them. There are a great deal of little shops and restaurants in most busy train stations. While passing through Shinjuku station, we stopped and ate at this random ramen-ya (ramen restaurant).