Brand Eating

Review: Popeyes - Spicy Cajun Wings

2012-01-28T18:50:00.000-08:00

Popeyes' Spicy Cajun Wings are a limited-time menu item featuring marinated, battered, and deep-fried chicken wingettes and drumlettes.

I picked up 6 pieces for $3.99 which is a little bit more than the 50 cent wing promotion KFC is running.

I'm not sure if I was imagining it but these seemed a little bit smaller than KFC Hot Wings.

While they may have "spicy" in their name, Spicy Cajun Wings ironically are not that spicy. I would say they are at about the same heat level as Hot Wings.

Though not as seasoned as KFC's Hot Wings, Popeyes' Spicy Cajun Wings are extra crispy; they're flaky and crunchy with more nooks and crannies. The more subtle seasoning makes them prime for hot sauce or dipping.

As with most chicken at my local Popeyes, these wings were nice and juicy. Overall, I still like KFC's cheaper (at least right now) and more seasoned Hot Wings better, but Popeyes' Cajun Wings are still pretty good. I'm surprised that Popeyes doesn't keep them as a regular menu item to better compete with other fried chicken chains.

Nutritional info not available on Popeyes limited-time offers.

Frozen Friday: Jose Ole - Steak & Cheese Flour Taquitos

2012-01-27T23:49:00.000-08:00

Jose Ole frozen Steak & Cheese Flour Taquitos (aka Flautas) are a convenient, microwavable option for taquitos.

They come in a 22.5-ounce box of 15 taquitos for $6.49 a box or around $5.00 on sale.

Taquitos were one of my favorite school lunches back in the day but I was always miffed that they'd only give us two skinny ones for our entree (and was ecstatic when they had leftovers for second helpings!). Jose Ole Steak & Cheese Taquitos are a bit thicker and substantial (partially because they're made with flour tortillas and not corn) than my school taquitos of yore and I can eat as many as I want (Still only two oddly enough)!

The flour tortilla doesn't have the same crispness as a corn tortilla but, on the other hand, it's not as oily either. It lends a soft thickness instead.

The filling of a Jose Ole Steak & Cheese Taquito is like a over-braised shredded beef which is to say it a little bit paste-like. Still, the flavor is good; beefy, seasoned, and, a word of warning, spicy. It's not mentioned anywhere on the packaging but these carry a fair bit of heat. The cheese lends a bit of gooey-ness here and there but give little in the way of flavor.

On the whole, I like these a fair bit. The seasoned spicy flavor of beef paired with the soft, slightly chewy flour tortilla is pretty good.

Nutritional Info - Jose Ole Steak & Cheese Flour Taquitos (85g)
Serving Size - 2 Taquitos
Calories - 250 (from Fat - 110)
Fat - 12g (Saturated Fat - 3.5g)
Sodium - 470mg
Carbs - 26g (Sugar - less than 1g)
Protein - 8g

News: Popeyes - New Garlic Pepper Wicked Chicken

2012-01-27T18:38:00.000-08:00

Popeyes has a new limited-time menu item out, a new take on a previous limited-time offer, Garlic Pepper Wicked Chicken.

Taking the same thin strips of chicken breast as Wicked Chicken, the new dish tunes the formula by marinating the strips in roasted garlic and cracked black pepper.

To promote the new, limited-time item, Popeyes is offering an order of Garlic Pepper Wicked Chicken, Cajun fries, a buttermilk biscuit, garlic parmesan dipping sauce, and a mini bottle of Tabasco sauce for $3.99.

News: Papa John's - Free Pizza if America Correctly Calls Super Bowl Coin Toss

2012-01-26T19:37:00.000-08:00

Papa John's has a neat promotion going on where Papa Rewards members stand to gain a free large, 1-topping pizza and two-liter bottle of Pepsi MAX if America correctly calls the Super Bowl coin toss ("heads" or "tails").

You can enroll in Papa Rewards and place your vote for "heads" or "tails" at the Papa John's website.

Papa John's will announce the results for voting on February 2, 2012 at www.freepapajohns.com. Remember, you have to enroll in Papa Rewards to win and have until 6pm ET on Super Bowl Sunday, February 5, 2012 to be eligible.

Then, after the coin toss for Super Bowl Sunday, if America is correct, Papa John's will email its Papa Rewards members with instructions on how to redeem their free pizza and soda.

News: Nature Valley Introduces New Protein Bars

2012-01-26T18:55:00.001-08:00

Nature Valley, best known for its granola bars, is extending its line with all-natural Nature Valley Protein Bars which feature 10 grams of protein, five grams of fiber, and less than 200 calories per bar.

The new bars come in two flavors: Peanut Butter Dark Chocolate and Peanut, Almond, and Dark Chocolate.

A box of 5 chewy bars carry a suggested retail of $3.89.

Review: Domino's - Parmesan Bread Bites

2012-01-26T04:03:00.000-08:00

Domino's Parmesan Bread Bites are a new menu item largely overshadowed by the launch of Domino's Stuffed Cheesy Bread. Parmesan Bread Bites feature oven-baked, bite-size breadsticks lightly sprinkled with a blend of Parmesan and Asiago cheese, seasoned with garlic and more Parmesan.

I picked up 16 bite-sized pieces for $2.99.

At about half the cost of an order of Stuffed Cheesy Bread, I was pretty satisfied with my 16 pieces. They come stuck together in a monkey-bread-like fashion in a small paper bag.

The bread portion is soft, dense, and moist. It's made from Domino's Hand-Tossed dough and brushed with a buttery garlic oil blend.

The Parmesan carries a strong flavor and is liberally sprinkled on each piece. Combined with the Asiago, it gives a nice crust and flavor to each bite.

These don't have the gooey-ness of mozzarella if that's what you're looking for, but they deliver Parmesan-garlic tastiness in a soft bite of bread.

Nutritional Info - Domino's Parmesan Bread Bites - per 4 pieces (55g)
Calories - 150 (from Fat - 35)
Fat - 4g (Saturated Fat - 1.5g)
Sodium - 190mg
Carbs - 23g (Sugar - 1g)
Protein - 5g

News: Hardee's - New Country Fried Steak 'N' Gravy Platter

2012-01-25T16:29:00.000-08:00

Hardee’s is out with its new Country Fried Steak ‘N’ Gravy Platter. The platter is one of those big breakfast options with a breaded, deep-fried beefsteak smothered in sausage gravy, Hash Rounds, a folded egg, and a house made buttermilk biscuit.

The new Country Fried Steak ‘N’ Gravy Breakfast Platter is available at participating Hardee’s restaurants starting at $2.79. Prices may vary by location.

Nutritional Info - Hardee's Country Fried Steak 'N' Gravy Platter (372g)
Calories - 660 (from Fat - 490)
Fat - 55g (Saturated Fat - 13g)
Sodium - 1860mg
Carbs - 49g (Sugar - 4g)
Protein - 19g