Archive
Sep 24, 2010

Frozen Friday: Totino's Pizza Rolls

Totino's Pizza Roll box
Totino's Pizza Rolls are mini bite-sized pizza crust rolls with pizza filling inside. They come in a variety of flavors but the ones I usually see are: Cheese, Pepperoni, and Combination (sausage and pepperoni). A 7.5-ounce box goes for $2.99 at my local Alberton's but go on sale from anywhere between $1 and $2. For a buck more at $3.99, they also sell a 19.8-ounce bag which is a much better value.

Sep 23, 2010

Review: Starbucks - Pumpkin Spice Latte

Starbucks Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte
A perennial fall drink at Starbucks, the Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte is billed as "espresso, pumpkin, fall spices and milk over ice with sweetened whipped cream." The price for a 12-ounce "tall" is $3.75 (about a $1.10 premium over a regular latte!). It is also available hot for cold fall nights and as a Frappuccino... for hot fall days?

Update 10/4/10: I tried the regular hot Pumpkin Spice Latte this morning since it actually bore some resemblance to fall with a light drizzle and cloudy skies. Interestingly, it was colder inside the Starbucks than it was outside (it was around mid 60s outside). I have to say, I much prefer the hot version, it fits the season better and I could taste the pumpkin flavor better. It feels more like autumn... it's also very orange, which helps.

Sep 22, 2010

Review: Jack in the Box - Pastrami Grilled Sandwich

Jack in the Box Pastrami Grilled Sandwich
Jack in the Box's latest artisan grilled sandwich is the limited time Pastrami Grilled Sandwich for $3.99. The Pastrami Grilled Sandwich keeps it fairly simple with pastrami, melted Swiss-style cheese, pickle strips, and a deli style mustard.

Sep 21, 2010

News: Panda Express - Free Kobari Beef Day on September 29

Panda Express new Kobari Beef
Panda Express is introducing its newest menu item, Kobari Beef tomorrow, September 22th.

The new dish with a made up name features sliced marinated beef tossed in a wok with mushrooms, leeks, onions, red bell peppers, and Panda Express' Kobari sauce which is purportedly inspired by Korean BBQ. I would guess that to mean some blend of soy sauce, sugar, maybe apple or pear, and sesame oil as a base.

To promote the new dish, Panda Express is hosting a Free Kobari Beef Day on Wednesday, September 29, 2010. Starting tomorrow, you can visit the Panda Express Facebook page to print out a coupon for a free single serving of Kobari Beef on the 29th.

Nutritional info after the jump.

Review: Jack In The Box - Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Jack in the Box Grilled Cheese top view
Jack in the Box's Grilled Cheese sandwich features two slices of melted American cheese between two rounded pieces of grilled sourdough bread. It's for late night munchies and when you're feeling too lazy to take the minute or so to make your own. Fortunately, it's a very affordable $1.29.

Sep 20, 2010

Review: Sonic - Hazelnut Java Chiller

Sonic Hazelnut Java Chiller
Sonic's Hazelnut Java Chiller features a shot of espresso and hazelnut syrup blended into vanilla ice cream. A regular costs $2.49.

Sep 19, 2010

Around the World: KFC Phillipines - California Maki Twister

KFC Philippines offers something called a California Maki Twister. I guess the "maki" is as in sushi? I've never heard of sushi with mayo, but I guess that explains the cucumbers. Like a California roll I suppose.

The California Maki Twister features a crispy-fried chicken filet with bits of mango, cucumber spears, and Japanese mayo dressing, wrapped in a flour tortilla.

Here's a video of it in action:

Sep 18, 2010

Review: Subway - Subway Club

Subway Club close up
The Subway Club sandwich features slices of turkey breast, roast beef, and Black Forest ham as a base with your choice of vegetables, condiments, and bread. It's falls into Subways Select Sub and goes for about $6.75 in my neighborhood.

Depending on how you build it and if you eat a 6-inch or a Footlong in one sitting, it is one of Subway's Fresh Fit subs with under 6 grams of fat.

Sep 17, 2010

Frozen Friday: Claim Jumper - Chicken Marsala

Claim Jumper Chicken Marsala box
Claim Jumper's Chicken Marsala frozen dinner features roasted white meat chicken in a marsala sauce over rigatoni pasta with baby bell mushrooms. It's normally around $4 but I usually get them on sale for somewhere between $1.50 and $2.

Sep 16, 2010

Review: Burger King - Seattle's Best Iced Mocha Coffee

Burger King Seattle's Best Iced Mocha Coffee
Burger King's Seattle's Best Iced Mocha Coffee is part of their new breakfast menu. It's brewed Seattle's Best coffee with a flavor shot of chocolate syrup over ice. The suggested retail is $1.89, but my local Burger King was charging $2.49 for a regular (They also charge 30 cents extra for an extra flavor shot and for whip cream) which comes in a narrow but tall cup.

Sep 15, 2010

Review: Burger King - BK Ultimate Breakfast Platter

BK Ultimate Breakfast Platter
The new BK Ultimate Breakfast Platter from Burger King is analogous to McDonald's Deluxe Breakfast but with a little more hyperbole. The BK Ultimate Breakfast Platter comes complete with scrambled eggs, hash browns, a sausage patty, a biscuit, and three pancakes with syrup for $4.29.

Sep 14, 2010

Review: Burger King - BK Breakfast Ciabatta Club Sandwich

BK Breakfast Ciabatta top view
The parade of new items on the Burger King breakfast menu into my mouth continues with the BK Breakfast Ciabatta Club Sandwich. The BK Breakfast Ciabatta Club features a whole grain Ciabatta bun filled with thin-sliced ham, bacon, tomatoes, melted cheese, an plain egg omelet, and a smoky tomato sauce" It costs $2.89.

Sep 13, 2010

Review: Burger King - Mini Blueberry Biscuits

BK Mini Blueberry Biscuits - set of four
New to Burger King's breakfast value menu and part of Burger King's new breakfast expansion/push, Mini Blueberry Biscuits are slightly bigger than bite-sized biscuits with blueberries baked in. They're served in a set of four with a side of icing and retail for $1.

Sep 12, 2010
Sep 11, 2010

Review: Sonic - Butterfinger Sonic Blast

Butterfinger Sonic Blast
Sonic's Butterfinger Sonic Blast is simply their vanilla ice cream blended with crushed pieces of Butterfinger candy. A 14-ounce "regular" cost me $2.99. Besides blending in crushed pieces, they also provide a sprinkle of pieces on top; a nice aesthetic touch.

Sep 10, 2010

News: The Coffee Bean - Free Ice Blended or Latte on September 14th

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is kicking off their fall seasonal drinks by hosting an open house on Tuesday, September 14th, 2010 offering a free 12-ounce Cinnamon Toast or Classic Pumpkin Latte or Ice Blended to visitors.

When: Tuesday, September 14th, 2010, from 4pm to 7pm.
Where: Participating Coffee Bean locations in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas.
Why: Free 12-ounce Cinnamon Toast or Classic Pumpkin Latte or Ice Blended (One per person).


Details: "Only valid at participating The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® store locations in AZ, CA, NV, TX. Excludes all Ralphs stores, military base, casinos, campus or airport locations. Valid only on September 14, 2010, from 4pm to 7pm. Offer applies to 12oz. Cinnamon French Toast or Classic Pumpkin latte or Ice Blended® drinks. No substitutions. Limit one complimentary drink per customer. Cannot be combined with other offers."

News: Jack in the Box Testing Focaccia Sandwiches

Jack testing Focaccia Sandwiches
Looks like Jack in the Box is testing more premium sandwiches. This time though, instead of being grilled on artisan bread, Jack is testing Focaccia sandwiches (they're already used Ciabatta bread so why not?) in two varieties: Bruschetta Chicken and the Deli Deluxe.

Both sandwiches are being tested in out in Austin. The Bruschetta Chicken features bruschetta (duh), a chicken breast, Swiss cheese, lettuce, and mayo on toasted Focaccia bread. The Deli Deluxe appears to contain a trio of deli meats (ham, turkey, salami), cheese, pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, red onions, and creamy Italian sauce on toasted Focaccia bread.

Nutritional info not available for test items at Jack in the Box.

Frozen Friday: Stouffer's - Baked Chicken Dinner

Stouffer's Baked Chicken Dinner box
For those preferring something slightly healthier than the normal frozen dinner, there's Stouffer's Baked Chicken Dinner which features a boneless baked chicken breast with gravy and mashed potatoes topped with paprika. I usually find it on sale for between $1.50 and $2.00.

Sep 9, 2010

News: Jamba Juice - New Organic Coffee and Hot Blends

Jamba new Organic Coffe and Hot Blends
Jamba Juice is boosting its breakfast offerings with new coffee drinks in the form of Organic Coffee and Coffee Hot Blends.

The Organic House Blend Coffee is brewed fresh by the cup and features a blend of Central and South American arabica coffee beans. It is also available in decaf. Prices are $1.80 for 12 ounces and $1.95 for 16 ounces.

The Coffee Hot Blends come in two flavors: Mocha Marvel and Vanilla Coffee Whirl. Mocha Marvel features organic cocoa, organic vanilla, organic cane sugar and organic milk powder (soy, nonfat, or 2%) blended with organic coffee. Vanilla Coffee Whirl is the same sans the cocoa. Pricing stands at $2.80 for 12 ounces and $3.40 for 16 ounces.

Nutritional info after the jump.

Review: McDonald's - Mushroom & Swiss Angus Snack Wrap

McDonald's Mushroom & Swiss Angus Snack Wrap in foil
McDonald's Mushroom & Swiss Angus Snack Wrap features half a third pound Angus beef patty, sauteed mushrooms, Swiss cheese and mayonnaise wrapped in a flour tortilla for $1.99.