Review: Taco Bell Loaded Grillers

Like a chubby, semi-spanish, acne-covered Phoenix rising from the ashes, Taco Bell is back and here to stay. 2012 was a strange year for the fast food giant. The Doritos Locos Taco took off and easily became one of the most successful new fast food products in 2012. They had a bit of a slump there for a while riding on the Cantina Bell Menu and the Locos Taco wave, not introducing any new items for a while there in the summer months. Then they came back at the end swinging, launching a new dessert menu, the new XXL Nachos, and now The Loaded Grillers.

The Loaded grillers are pretty much just mini burritos that are designed to be based off popular appetizers like Chicken Wings, Potato Skins, and Nachos (I know, it is as stupid as it sounds). These things are 99 cents each which is pretty good value for the size. They have some good heft to them too which leads me to the one big complaint I have over all. There is a lot of tortilla in these, hence the heft, so it takes quite a jaw to bite through them if you get a stale or overcooked tortilla. Now on to each individual one.

I will start with the strongest of the three in my opinion.

The Loaded Potato Griller: Designed to taste like potato skins this loaded griller is Taco Bell's warm season potatoes, sour cream, nacho cheese, and bacon bits. Sounds simple and kind of gross I know. Well it was actually pretty good. There were tons of bacon bits in it, which were flowing out of the streams of cheese and sour cream. The potatoes are always good at Taco Bell, and there were just the right amount. With the flavor of the potatoes and the bacon, plus the consistency of the cheese, it all really blended into a nice package of almost a gooey hash brown burrito. It also was the most filling of the three so if you need to get full for cheap, this is a winner.

Rating: 4/5 "It's Just Swell"

The Spicy Buffalo Chicken Griller: I think the name gives up what this is supposed to taste like. Does it taste like a buffalo wing? Not at all. That is not to say it isn't any good though. This is just chicken, Lava sauce, and sour cream. Boring sounding I know. The lava sauce is meant to be like the buffalo sauce. Problem is it taste nothing like it. It is spicy, but it is more of a spicy cheese sauce then buffalo. This one reminded me more of a taquito with sauce in it. I actually love all the Lava Manu items at Taco Bell so I liked it a lot but if you do not like Lava Sauce stay away from this one.

Rating: 3/5 "It's Just Meh"

The Beefy Nacho Loaded Griller: Why make a griller taste like a menu item you already have? I don't know. It is Taco Bell, they have never been the brightest when it comes to menu items. This one brings back the classic "lets take what we already have, switch out an ingredient, and call it something new" Taco Bell Strategy. It is just the Beefy Crunch Burrito, but smaller. I don't hate it, but it is just boring. There is nothing here that makes me want to taste it again. It is just stuffing for 99 cents. Not to mention because they switched to the little red tortilla strips the get soggy really quick, which takes away the crunch that is supposed to make it good.

Rating: 2/5 "It's Not Worth It "

All in all it was fun to try these and I definitely see myself getting them again. For only 99 cents they would be an awesome addition to the Value Menu, which is shrinking rapidly. I am just happy Taco Bell is back to its glory days again. Heres to hoping that 2013 brings even more uninspired tasty crap!

Review: Ocean Is Theory - Future Fears

My freshman year in college I used to do something that all my friends thought was really weird. I would go to concerts by myself. Not big stadium shows, but small standing-room shows at some of the most run-down, sketchy places in the DFW Metroplex. I always went to these shows by myself because I would see bands that no one I knew listened to or has even heard of. The benefit of that was that I could be whoever I wanted to be. If I felt like raging, if I felt like standing in the back, it didn’t matter because I was by myself. So I am standing in the back at show while the opening acts play. The place was dead, near empty. The main acts were outside hanging out, so most of the people at the show were too (there still couldn’t have been more than 150 people all together). So I am sitting there probably thinking about where I was going to stop and eat after the show when the second opening act started to play. It was a group of young guys all about my age. They were new and not from around the area, hence the lack of fans. Then they started playing. Holy Mother-of-Pearl. These guys were good. Beyond their years good if you asked me. How could they be unknown? They handed out their first EP for free after the show. I grabbed it and listened to it the rest of that semester on repeat. These guys were going to be huge, they had to get huge. Talent was oozing out of them. Well those guys were Ocean is Theory. Four years later, they finally released their first full length LP. They may not be big yet like I expected, but the talent is still all there.

Ocean Is Theory – Future Fears

This record is an example of why it is so hard to make it in the music business. After three different EPs and almost a complete change in the bands sound, they finally got signed to Razor and Tie Records. Well after some stuff happened, (not really clear on what so don’t ask me) they ended up releasing this well after it was recorded on their own.

A word that describes how this record makes me feel is melancholy. I don’t mean that in a bad way. It is just a very mellow sounding album. It starts off with “While We’re Young”, a song about having no regrets. It has a quick tempo and a striking chorus. It goes from there with a good mix of slower paced and high tempo tunes that blend well together. No song seems out of pace thematically or musically. The vocals are strong and fluctuate all over from a whisper to a scream, always conveying lots of emotion. The instruments all do what they are meant to, providing feeling and a distinct rythm to almost every song. These are power-chorus songs that will be stuck in your head for days. Songs like Best Intentions,  Scared Now, and King Sized Bed are standouts in this regard. The end of the record does stand out a little less in comparison to the first half for me. I felt like some of the songs started to blend. Thankfully I liked them all regardless so it wasn’t a huge complaint. About half the album is made up of previously released songs which is a bit of a bummer as well.

Rating: 4/5 "It's Just Swell"

Even though it has been four years since I first heard them, I would still say they have talent beyond their years. This is a fantastic first effort. Hopefully it will lead to an even better second, third, etc. If not, well I suppose that is why the music business is what it is. 

Review: Taco Bell Desserts

So the XXL Nachos were not the only thing Taco Bell released this month. The also dropped two new dessert items on their Value Menu. I told you, they came back with a bang.

No, the ChocoTaco is not coming back. I know, bummer. 

Now that we are passed the initial disappointment, let us move on to what they did decide to come up with. 

1. The Churro

This one seems pretty freaking obvious. A deep fried, cinnamon covered piece of dough that is eatable with one hand? How does this not exist yet?! Now you might be saying, don't they already have this? No, this is not a giant cinnamon twist. Cinnamon Twists are more like cinnamon pork grinds, this is more like a donut. Surprisingly enough, this is a really good churro too. It was hot with a crispy cinnamon-sugar coated outside and a soft, doughy inside. Tasted fresh from the Texas State Fair. For only 99 cents, it was a good value too. 

Rating - 5/5 "It's the Bee's Knees"

Nice Wrap Job

2. The Taco Bell Cookie Sandwich

Do not let the shape of this thing fool you, or the ridiculous wrapper (seriously, I felt like this was something from an elementary school cafeteria line) fool you, this is another winner. The cookie itself is soft but firm enough to stay in one piece with every bite. The icing is rich but not so thick it overwhelms the cookies. It all blends really well and there was actually a solid amount of chocolate chips too. A good attempt at copying the cookie sandwich from The Great American Cookie Company and at a little over a $1 it is a bit more than the churro but still pretty good value. 

Rating - 4/5 "It's Pretty Good"

BONUS: The Carmel Appel Empanada

This is already a Taco Bell dessert but is getting lots of press with the release of the other two new desserts. It is also one of the most underrated Taco Bell items and fast food desserts out there. This thing blows the Apple Pie at McDonalds out of the water. the crust is coated in cinnamon-sugar and is crispy and flaky. The inside is a gooey mix of apple chunks and carmel gooey goodness. Warning to those who have yet to have it, the insides are scalding hot so be cautious while eating.

Rating - 4/5 "It's Pretty Good"

For all those people who think, "I really could use something sweet to wash down that large amount of shit I just ate" then Taco Bell dessert is perfect for you! As for me, I just might stop buying so many burritos and start investing in these dollar treats more often. Good job Taco Bell. I like where this is heading. 

Review: Taco Bell XXL Nachos

Good old Taco Bell is officially back!

After almost a year with no new trashy-Taco-Bell releases and the introduction of their 'upscale' Cantina Menu, the Bell is back to its glutinous-piled-high-garbage-filled glory with the release of the newest member of the XXL line - the XXL Nachos.

That is one hell of an entrance.

Taco Bell released the XXL Steak Nachos, a mountain of cheese, cheese, steak, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and pico de gallo. It actually doesn't sound to bad either does it?

I have to warn, the Volcano Nachos are my absolute Taco Bell Staple. I am addicted to them, so it was hard for me to justify passing up those to try this, or just making these GIANT Volcano Nachos. The things I do for you people.....




They made a whole new container just to put these in. It shows right off the bat how obscenely large these nachos are. I can eat A LOT of Taco Bell, but even for me this thing was pretty filling. Was it any good? Yeah, it was actually. Their normally rubbery steak actually went really well with the crunchiness of the chips. The weird flavor of the steak was almost complimented by the amounts of melted cheese. I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked the steak on Taco Bell Nachos. The sour cream, pico, and guacamole also made sure there was not a chip left untouched. That being said I kind of wish my chips were not touched by the guacamole because that stuff is nasty. It is beyond processed and ruined the section of chips it hit. I got lucky and they dropped some beans in mine too but I am positive they are not supposed to be there. My advice, ask for them. They add a lot and help keep things together. I also wish they sprayed on at least one of their many sauces to give these a bit more .... pizzaz? They just got boring after a while and with so many sauces (like volcano) why not? Seems like a wasted opportunity.

Rating 4/5- "It's Pretty Good"

They could be better but they are still pretty tasty. For $6, it is a steak-filled meal that will make any Taco Bell fatty a happy camper. I am just glad to see Taco Bell return to form and start pumping out what they do best, boat loads of shitty food.

Taco Bell Dessert Reviews to follow soon. I am off to go try and sleep of my Taco Bell Hangover.

Music Review: House of Heroes - Cold Hard Want

You know that feeling you get when you have something really awesome, you love it, and you want to share it with the world. Then the frustration of trying to share it with everyone and no one seeming to care. That feeling really sucks.

That's how I feel about one of my all-time favorite bands House of Heroes. A true hidden gem in the modern music scene. They create catchy modern rock tunes with with meaning. 

Review: House of Heroes - Cold Hard Want

This is a band that has yet to release a BAD record and released their fifth record this summer, 'Cold Hard Want'. With each record they release, I am convinced it is a good enough record to help the band reach the status of mainstream. Strangely enough, that has yet to happen. I felt the same way about Cold Hard Want, but it has yet to strike a chord with my local radio station yet so I will just have to keep jamming out on my own.

This record combines the classic House of Heroes style of catchy, quick rock sound of their previous records but adds the maturity of a band that truly found their sound and style. The record begins with "Out My Way" which reminds me of a classic Queen arena-rock song. It picks up with "Dance (Blow It All Away)", a perfect dance-rock sound reminding me of something OK-GOish. It continues on with some great tunes that have influences ranging from Tom Petty to The Beatles. Some other highlights include "Stay", the catchiest song on the record by far, "The Cop" a slow but heartfelt story driven tune, and an instant classic "Touch This Light". This record shows a band that has more talent that they know what to do with. With Tim Skippers beautiful, striking vocals to Colin Rigsby's fast-tempo drumming, there is not bad moment. 

Rating: 5/5 - "It's The Bee's Knees!"

This is easily one of the best records of the year, if not the decade. I cannot express how highly I view this band. Especially considering how people have given them a chance. Oh well, looks like I will have to keep raving about them to myself.

Til next time

Review: Houston Food Truck Bernie's Burger Bus

Another food truck review for all of you! 


This time, one of Houstons most prized and respected food trucks, Bernie's Burger Bus. This little food truck has been awarded Houston's best burger by many, and I am talking best burger PERIOD, not just for food trucks. That is pretty high praise for Houston, which is known for having some great freaking burgers. I caught the bus over at Little Woodrows in the Heights on a Friday night. How did it stack up against my high expectations?


What I got: The Substitute - "Burger topped with a bleu cheese , thick sliced crispy bacon, burgundy laced mushrooms and Bernie’s Tipsy caramelized onions" (Berniesburgerbus.com)

Oh My God I think I am in love all over. I have been complaining how I have yet to find a burger in Houston that could beat what I consider one of the best burgers out there, Dutch's Bleu Cheese Burger. Well I think I might have found a new contender. This burger was FREAKING GOOD.

Let us start with the bun. Every man knows how important a nice set of buns are. These buns... they are tasty. They are pillow-soft and yet strong enough to do the job of holding in all the juices and goodies on this burger. Now the burger, oh what can I say. It was an almost perfect tasting burger. The meat is thick enough to give it substance, but not to the point you can't take a whole bite. My burger was cooked spot on as well. The mushrooms and onions were packed with flavor and were jammed in this thing. The bacon was thick cut and flavored really well on its own, so it added a ton of great smokiness. Now let's talk about the Bleu Cheese. HOLY COW. It is OOZING out of this burger in a good way. There is a ton of bleu cheese on this guy, and it is melted to perfection. It gets into every nook, cranny, and bite. I am salivating just thinking about it.

Review- 5/5 "It's The Bee's Knees!"

I feel bad using the term food truck when describing this place but that's what it is. The burger is just so much better than anything I can even imagine in an automobile, so cooking this in it is amazing. These guys are very active and have three different trucks around, so do yourself a favor and go try them NOW. Seriously. I cannot wait to see this guy again. I am stopping when I pass this truck, even if I just ate. Check out Bernie's Burger Bus on Twitter @Berniesburgers.

Review: Jack in the Box Mini Corn Dogs

I was watching college football this weekend, like every red-blooded American. I of course had to watch some of the infamous Texas Vs. OU game in Dallas, one of the most rivaled games in history. Unfortunately, this year the game sucked hard... well Texas sucked hard. That meant I was much more focused on the fried food of the Texas State Fair, also an infamous tradition. Except this tradition is in a very different but an equally American sport. eating fried food. After all that fried food I got a craving for some myself. Easiest way to fix a craving? Go eat.

What is more of a fair food than Corn Dogs? Absolutely nothing that's what! So I decided this was a perfect time for me to try the Jack In The Box Mini Corn Dogs. This fat man made a great choice.

For less than $1.50 you get five mini corn dogs, about two inches in length. These things were fried nearly perfect. The outside was crisp and slightly greasy, but not bleed-thru-the-bag wet. The inside of the batter was moist and soft, as it should be in a good corn dog. Big Juicy wieners were hidden in the middle of these nuggets that were nothing amazing, but still not gross. Where they really got it right is in the ratios. Perfect sweet to salty and batter to dog balance is what makes a good corn dog and these are spot on.

Rating: 4/5 "It's Just Swell"

I would get these again anytime I was craving a corn dog and this was a perfect way to fix that craving without having to go all the way to the mall or State Fair.

Until next time children

Review: Breakfast Burritos Anonymous

So to keep with the theme of reviewing local Houston joints, its time to dive into a trend that is blowing up not just in Houston but across the country.

Food Trucks...

The idea behind a food truck is simple. Fulfill your dreams of opening your own restaurant with a lot less overhead, a lot less staff, and a much easier menu. Yeah, you won't be able to make as much money normally, but it still makes a lot of sense. Well they have taken off and now they are everywhere serving just about everything. At least I thought so until I ran across a food truck by the name of BBA or Breakfast Burritos Anonymous. 

A Breakfast Food Truck that actually operates during breakfast hours. 


I have seen breakfast food in food trucks before but up to this point I have only seen food trucks serve dinner or drunk food at 2 AM. One that is open at 6 AM on my way to work.... well it is genius. Needless to say I had to try BBA.

It was..... fantastic

These Things are Massive

They have a good sized menu of items for a food truck. Breakfast tacos, pancake battered sausages, breakfast sandwiches, and of course a make-your-own breakfast burrito menu. The menu was huge as well. choose from tons of different meats, cheeses, salsas, and other stuffings. They even have healthy options like egg whites, whole wheat tortillas, turkey bacon/sausage, and tons of veggies. Everything is made on the spot in house by a very friendly crew.

What I got - Burrito with flour tortilla, egg whites, bacon, jalapeños, potatoes, cheddar cheese, and jalapeño hollandaise.

First, these burritos are massive. For around $5 you definitely get your money worth. They are also really good. My egg whites were fluffy and moist, not dried out at all. The bacon tasted like real bacon, not just bacon bits from a jar. Fresh Jalapeños were a nice touch as well, I was expecting pickled. My only complaint was that I couldn't really notice the Jalapeño Hollandaise much but it was still great.

Rating- 4/5 "It's Just Swell"

Definitely give these guys a try if you want some great breakfast food. Right now they are parked in front of the Inversion Coffee House on Montrose M-F from 6:30-10:00 I believe. Also follow them on twitter @BBAMobile. They are cool guys and make great food so lets support local business and keep them around.

Review: Star Pizza in Houston

Time to start my reviews of local Houston joints across the city. My first review will be for a food that Houston may not be known for, but has plenty of choices for....Pizza.

So there are a ton of Pizza joints in Houston, but there are only a few that I was told I had to try. The first of these is going to be Star Pizza. This is a local Houston place that had very humble beginnings back in 1976 in a house-turned-restaurant. It now has two locations and a very large Houston following, along with dozens of 'Best Pizza in Houston' awards. Are these awards deserving?

First I want to say I tried the location on Washington. I know with only two restaurants there is a good chance for some inconsistency between the two. On to what I got.

The Hank Medium Deep Dish Pizza

I had to try the deep dish. There are lots of places in Houston that can do NY style, but very few even offer deep dish, if master it. There is a delicate balance with deep dish to balance the crust, sauce, cheese, and toppings. Too much of any of those things and it can turn into just a big pile of slop. Thankfully Star Pizza did not make me feel like a pig eating a big pile of slop, it made me feel like a fatty that needs to be in a John Hughes movie eating really good deep dish pizza.

The crust, a crucial part in a good deep dish pizza, was perfect. It was crunchy yet soft, thick yet light, the perfect balance for deep dish. The sauce was great as well. A hint of sweetness while still having some spice. The Hank is topped with black olives, Italian sausage, and mushrooms. The olives were thinly sliced and spread very evenly across the pie. More spicy then sweet, the sausage went really well with the sauce. The chunks were uneven which is always a good sign with sausage, normally meaning it was freshly ripped up before being put on. With mushrooms the size of pepperonis, they gave the pie some extra juiciness and girth.

The cheese was rich and thick, but unfortunately not spread very evenly. Some really cheesy patches of awesomeness were followed by some of bitter baron disappointment. Also the toppings did not make it all the way to the crust which led to lots of crust only pieces, which thankfully I did not mind with such great crust but it could definitely be seen as a drawback.

Rating- 4/5 "It's Just Swell"

Overall I think it is great deep dish, especially in Houston. I will definitely be giving it another go to try some of the other pies. Best Pizza in Houston? I don't know if I am ready to go that far.

Product Review of Dollar Shave Club

IM BACK!!! 

I figured to mark my return back to my random reviews, I would give you guys something a little different. That means this week I will give y'all 'the scoop' on Dollar Shave Club and if it is really worth it or just a big money-eating-Enron-inspired-tebowing sham.

Some of you may know of Dollar Shave Club already through their viral video or through friends. For those that don't, watch the video below to get filled in by their creator/CEO (and get a good laugh too).

If that video is not marketing genius, I do not know what is. It is aimed right at its core customer, young male professionals who are trying to save some cash. Needless to say I was sold. I waited a few months until I had a permanent address and a job that required me to be groomed daily, then I bit the bullet and signed up. 

When you go to the website to sign up you have three options. The 'Humble Twin' (the double blade razor), the '4X' (four blades and a moisturizing strip), and the 'Executive' (a boatload of blades, moisturizing strip, and a trimming blade on the front). The prices are all reasonable. The basic blade is only a dollar a month (hence the name of the company) but does not include shipping, unlike the more expensive options. At the end of the day it will cost you between $4-$9 a month depending on your choice. 

I chose the '4X', a safe middle ground bet. The package came in the mail a few weeks later with a pack of four cartridges, the handle of the razor, and a funny little letter saying thanks for signing up. You get one handle, which can be replaced by request on the website. The cartridges come every month. The blades themselves are great. I have been shaving with the fancy Gillette Quatro up to this point and honestly I can't tell a difference. Very smooth, close shaves with razors that easily can last me two weeks. 

That actually leads me to my two complaints. 

The first is that the cartridges are so big that it can be hard to get those whiskers by your nose. I don't know about you but I don't want a mini mustache hanging right next to my nostrils. 

The second complaint goes back to the fact the blades last me two weeks. I was simply not using four cartridges a month. I hadn't even gotten through one cartridge before my second pack came in. 

Thankfully the guys at DSC are on top of it and sent a letter with the second pack that solved my problem. 

It looks like I was not the only one with this complaint and they listened to their customers. That's a great sign. They now offer an option for 'baby faces' to get blades every other month, which is perfect for me. I switched to that plan this morning. Genius! 

Rating: 5/5 "It's The Bee's Knees!"

I highly support Dollar Shave Club. They keep my face silky and smooth and my wallet fat and happy. If that is not a way to a mans heart, I don't know what is. 

Im not DEAD!

Hey everyone,

I just wanted to update everyone that I am not DEAD! I just had a long transition period and am just starting to get comfortable. I am down in Houston now so expect to see lots of Houston grub in here.

Thanks for reading still!

Review: Taco Bell Doritos Locos Tacos

You ever had someone in your life that you love and care about deeply? Then that person falls into some hard times, makes bad choices, and does dumb things. That does not shake you though, and you have faith they will pull through. In fact, you do everything you can in your power to help them and make sure they make it through this hard time. Despite your love and affection, they just keep disappointing you until, after much thought and heartbreak, you give up. Then, just as you have moved on in your life, they come back better then ever! They promise of great new things and say they have changed and things are different. In the back of your mind, you are still wondering if they can be trusted.

This is how I feel about Taco Bell Nowadays. 

They have had a rough year. They have been raising prices, putting out crap (like their breakfast), and have stood by their choices. Well now times are changing. Taco Bell has just changed their slogan to Live Mas. They also introduced their most hyped item EVER, the Doritos Locos Taco. In a partnership with Doritos they have come together to make something...... spectacular.

This is the first item from Taco Bell in months that I can say lives up to the innovation standards I have come to expect from the fast food giant. They have gone back to their roots, taking one of their original (and I would say one of their best) items, the taco, and have shook it at it's core. There is not much you can do to a hard taco. They realized they can only shove so much in it (and have probably tried everything they can) so why not change the taco itself. It is now a crunchy Nacho Cheese Dorito flavored shell. Everything else about the taco remains the same, only the shell has changed.



I first thought this sounded like a horrible idea and was going to fail. Doritos are way to flimsy to hold together as a shell. Taco Bell fixed that by lining the inside with some sort of thin edible wax coating that holds the shell together better then the original shell. I imagined it would taste like a taco shell covered in Macaroni and Cheese powder. Thankfully, it doesn't. It taste like a Dorito. In fact, it is better than the chips. The powder flavoring is not laid on as thick, so it gives you a lighter tasting flavor that compliments the beef, cheese, and lettuce so well.

Rating 5/5 "It's The Bee's Knees"

Taco Bell has done something good here and I really hope they continue the trend. I am not ready to trust them 100% quite yet but this is a good start.

review: Taco Bell Breakfast aka FirstMeal

 So I recently was in Oklahoma City for a weekend. I decided I could use this road-trip to stop by one of the few Taco Bell location that has breakfast! I for one was really excited to try FirstMeal. I love Taco Bell. It is one of my favorite fast food places not only because I like the food but the variety and creativity of some of the menu items is cool too. Anyhow, needless to say this die hard Taco Bell fan was really looking forward to this breakfast. How was it you ask?

Lets just say I was extremely disappointed. Here is a rundown of every item and why it did not live up to my expectations. Also a heads up, they ran out of the Cini-bites so those are not reviewed here. I was mad too.

Grande Skillet Burrito- So this was the only thing on the menu I felt like I might get again someday. It is just egg, steak, potatoes (the fiesta potatoes), cheese, and pico. The thing that made this burrito good was the Pico. It really made the burrito light and fresh. The steak was pretty bland and the eggs has that mass-produced taste. It also was not that big for being close to three bucks. 

Review 4/5 - "It's Pretty Good"

The Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Burrito- So this was pretty horrible. the bacon was just bacon bits. and not even crispy, cooked ones but raw, chewy ones. Why couldn't they just get normal bacon? 

Review- 1/5 "it's Flippin Horrendous"

The Steak, Egg, and Cheese Burrito- Taco Bell's steak has always been pretty weak. This burrito shows that even more. there was a sauce in it but I honestly couldn't even taste it. I was hoping it was the baja sauce but I don't think it was. 

Review - 3/5 "It's Just Meh"

Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Burrito- Just like the bacon, but with really bad, freeze dried crumbled sausage. Only thing you can really taste is the cheese. This sausage is horrible. 

Review- 2/5 "it's Not Worth It"

Hash Brown- Think of a McDonalds hash brown that was left in the grease pit. It was literally oozing with grease. So gross. 

Review-1/5 "it's Flippin Horrendous"

Johnsonville Sausage Breakfast Wrap- So this was some ol bullshit. This is supposed to be a sausage round patty, egg and cheese. Nope, It was just that freeze dried sausage again, making it just a bigger burrito? I am assuming they just had no more patties. It also was super surprising just how small this is. Thing of a mini crunch-wrap. 

Review- 1/5 "it's Flippin Horrendous"

I think this effort is a huge failure on Taco Bell's part. They should be able make something crazy and good for breakfast, not this crap. The guys in the food lab need to put on their thinking caps and fix this horrible mistake. Throw some Volcano sauce on it or something! 

Overall Review: 1/5 "It's Flippin Horrendous"

Top Five Movies of 2011

So I was putting this post off for a few weeks so I could try and see all the big movies of 2011 that I missed. Next thing I know it's almost march, I have yet to catch up on my movies, and I have yet to post. So I decided that I am going to do to my list anyway. Just remember that this list is of the top five movies I SAW in 2011, not what might be the actual best. 

5. Attack the Block

This movie is a british comedy a la Edgar Wright's stuff (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz). The premise is simple enough, aliens attack a suburb in somewhere in the UK. I honestly could not tell you where and where does not really matter. Just know it is kind of a sketchy neighborhood. What makes the movie so interesting an different is the lead characters. Instead of following around two best friends or some good old  nice chums, you follow a group of 15-18 year old hoodlums who mug, steal, and rebel. It most movies these would be the people you cheer against but as this movie progresses you really gain affection towards them. It has genuine scary moments and lots of funny ones as well. I was pleasantly suprised by this movie and definitely recommend. 

4. Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil

I wrote a review for this movie here. So because of that I will keep this simple. This is one of the biggest hidden gems in horror-comedy to come out. EVER. Once again, if you have ever seen a horror movie and though "wow, these kids are so dumb they deserve to get murdered" you will love this movie! Go find it now. You will thank me. 

3. The Muppets

This one scored huge points with me for nostalgia reasons. I was a huge Muppet fan growing up and still am. When I heard they were rebooting it and someone who actually loves the Muppets was being the camera, I got really excited. I will admit, the movie is not perfect. It has pacing issues and they do not give the Muppets the screen time they deserve. That being said, I had a huge smile on my face the whole movie regardless. If you liked the Muppets check this out. If you have not seen the Muppet movies, it makes for a good introduction. I think Jim Henson would be proud to see the Muppets back. 

2. Drive

Now please do not think I am a movie snob because this is one of my favorite movies of the year. I know, no one talked the first half of the movie. Big whoop, no one talked for the first half of WALL-E either. Just because someone does not use words does not mean they are not speaking. That is one of my favorite parts of this movie. The first half is just so calm and cool, it builds so much tension. You know the shit is hitting the fan at some point and waiting in silence makes it even more suspenseful. Ryan Gosling is a huge badass in this movie and I want that jacket. Be warned, this is more of an "artsy" action flick, it is not mindless. But it is awesome.

1. Midnight In Paris

I will be the first to admit, I know very very little about Paris and the history and culture of the city. I know even less about the 1920's and the historical figures of that time. Yes, that is what this movie is about. I still loved it though, and that is why this is my favorite movie of 2011. It has such great character building, a whimsical plot, and is beautifully shot the whole way through. Owen Wilson does a great playing a stupefied author who looks like a kid in a candy store when he meets his idols from the 1920's. regardless if you know the time period or the figures, the message still hits. Take in the beauty of your life, don't wish it was something it's not. 

Honorable Mentions

Hanna- Wrote a review for this one here. Another badass action movie that has a great artistic feel to it. 

Rango- One of the best non-pixar CG movies ever. Johnny Depp is perfectly cast for this role and will have you laughing in a manner of minuets. 

The Decendants- Imagine Little Miss Sunshine, only with George Clooney and in Hawaii. 

Review: Jack in the Box Bacon Shake and BLT cheeseburger

So I am walking home from class the other day, scrolling thru my twitter feed when grubgrade posted an article about Jack in the Box's new BLT cheeseburger and Bacon shake. I am by no means the worlds biggest bacon fan, but crazy fast food ideas like this one always catch my attention. Needless to say, I changed my walking direction towards the nearest Jack in the Box and gave these two a try.

I am going to start with the more intriguing of the two, the Bacon shake. Now this concept is not really new. Bigger restaurants all over the country have been mixing bacon with sweet for a while now. Heck, last year even Denny's got on this trend with their Bacon Milkshake. Regardless, I was still surprised a fast food place like Jack in the Box had the guts to throw this out there. I was also excited because I have never really had the urge to try a bacon desert and this made it easy.

I do not think Jack in the Box has staff meetings because when I asked for the shake, only one out of the seven employees even knew what the hell I was talking about. The rest of them just looked at me confused. Eventually I got my shake, and at first I was a bit disappointed. I was hoping it would have little bacon bits in it or something. I mean if your gunna go crazy, go all the way right? It just uses a bacon syrup flavoring that gives the shake a bit darker vanilla color. It smelled more like vanilla then bacon, with only a hint of smokiness. I was nervous to try it, after all it IS a BACON SHAKE. Honestly though, it tasted pretty good. At first it comes of more like a vanilla shake. The bacon flavor doesn't hit you until midway through your first few sips. I was impressed by how much it actually tasted like bacon, yet still have a strong enough vanilla flavor to not be disgusting. It was actually a really enjoyable shake all the way through with a good balance of sweet and bacon.

Now on to the BLT burger. This was also another pleasant suspire. When I think of Jack in the Box burgers, I think of a shit ton of meet and cheese slathered in mayo. This burger was pretty much just a whopper with no onions or ketchup, but I have never had this many veggies on a burger at Jack in the Box. I gotta say, I really liked it. The shredded lettuce gave the bigger a good heft and crunch. The tomatoes were juicy and plentiful. There was around 6 pieces of bacon on it too. It actually reminded me a lot of a BLT. I do NOT get why there are pickles on there, especially because they did not really had much to the flavor, and its not called a BLTP. Oh well, I am sure there is some research explaining why somewhere.

Ratings:
Bacon Shake: 4/5 "It's Just Swell"
BLT Burger: 4/5 "It's Just Swell"

I gotta say I am impressed. They managed to recreate two tastes in common fast food items, and do it well. If you like bacon at all or are just curious like me I recommend giving the shake a try. If you like Jack in the Box burgers but wish they had more veggies, then give the BLT a go. I do not know if I will ever have either again, but thats more because I dont really care for Jack in the Box.

PS check out the impulsive buy for another view of the Bacon Shake.

tell next time folks