Review: Daphne's Greek Cafe - Gyro and French Fries

A Greek gyro, similar to the Turkish doner kebab, the Middle Eastern shawarma, and Mexican al pastor, is characterized by ground meat shaped into a chub, cooked vertically on a spit, and sliced thin for serving. Daphne's Greek Cafe makes a pretty good gyro. The meat is carved fresh off the spit to order and is wrapped with lettuce, diced red onions, sliced tomatoes, and tzatziki sauce (a yogurt sauce usually blended with cucumber and other stuff) in a soft, pillowy, warmed pita. I really enjoyed the warm pita and the veggies are pretty fresh.

The fries were decent, not memorable but okay.

Spotlight On: McDonald's Japan

With McDonald's considered by many, for better or worse, as the embodiment of the West, or rather more specifically, of American cultural imperialism abroad, it's worth taking a look at how the menu differs in other countries as McDonald's caters to its newer audiences. And so, I thought I'd taunt myself with pictures of limited-time, featured McDonald's food abroad (taken from their respective websites) that I'll probably never get a chance to try.

Review: Baja Fresh - Mexican Torta

Baja Fresh has their own version of a Mexican Torta (i.e. sandwich) with grilled seasoned chicken, leafy lettuce, tomatoes, and avocados on a telera roll.

I found it a bit lacking, while the roll had a good texture to it, the strips of chicken tended to shift around in the sandwich making it hard to get a good bite. Also without a sauce, cheese, or beans, which are also sometimes found in other tortas, the sandwich suffered in search of flavor although it's probably a little healthier for it.

Like most Baja Fresh Menu items, the Mexican Torta comes with chips but for the price (around 6 to 7 dollars) I wouldn't get it again.

Review: Popeyes - Mashed Potatoes and Cajun Gravy

Probably my favorite mashed potatoes are the Mashed Potatoes with Cajun Gravy at Popeyes. Although, the gravy is a lot greasier than your typical brown or chicken gravy, it has little bits of meat and a blend of spices that give it an extra kick of flavor that's quite enjoyable.

As for the mashed potatoes themselves, they're probably whipped or instant as they contain no lumps. It's not too heavy and complements the gravy well.

So long as you're not turned off by oily gravy, you should definitely give Popeyes' Mashed Potatoes with Cajun Gravy a try.

Popeyes Restaurant Locations

Nutritional Info - (142g)
Calories - 120 (Calories from Fat - 36)
Fat - 4g (Saturated Fat - 2g)
Sodium - 570mg
Carbs - 18g (Sugar - 0g)
Protein - 3g

News: Starbucks Via Test Challenge, October 2-5, 2009

Starbucks is enticing customers to try their Via brand instant coffee (coined "ready brew") by offering a taste test in comparison to their normal house coffee in their stores this weekend, from October 2nd to October 5th. As an incentive to come in and taste test Starbuck's Via Ready Brew, they are offering an "offer card" (read: coupon) good for your next visit for a free tall brewed coffee.

Having tried Via before, I remember it being actually better than Starbuck's brewed coffee. The reason is probably that the quality of in-store brewed coffee can suffer (or benefit) from variation in its preparation whereas a vacuum-sealed tube of instant coffee will very likely always be the same.

Review: Nong Shim - Shin Ramyun Noodle Soup

To celebrate the spring we call "fall" here in southern California, I decided to enjoy a cold weather favorite of mine, Nong Shim's Shin Ramyun (aka ramen). Wikipedia tells me it's the bestselling brand of noodles in South Korea It's been very hot this September, but at least it was sort of cold tonight... well, comparatively anyway. Close enough for spicy ramen weather! A pack for a buck or less is enough for two servings.
Now a package of ramen by itself is just boring, so this time around I decided to boil some beef balls with the spice mix to start before adding some baby bok choy, spinach, green onions, the freeze-dried veggies, and the noodles.
Mmm... tasty! But very spicy and very hot if you eat it out of the pot like I did! See the steam in the third shot.

But there you go, a quick and easy meal for those who like the spicy or something to warm you up in cold weather. And for the super lazy, Nong Shim also makes Shin Ramyun in a Cup. They call it Shin Cup oddly enough...

Review: Daphne's Greek Cafe - Baklava

For those like myself who have wondered it's pronounced "bah-kluh-vah" and not "bak-la-va" and it's offered at Daphne's Greek Cafe. I didn't care for Daphne's version much. It was too sweet and soggy for my liking. I prefer it to be subtly sweet rather than dripping honey. That way, you can better taste the nuts and enjoy the crispness of the fillo dough.

Sadly, like most things, the longer it sits out, the soggier and less crisp it gets so it's hard to find baklava that I actually enjoy. But this version is no worse than most places.

Review: Chick-fil-A - Chicken Nuggets

Still no Chick-fil-A's nearby in the foreseeable future but at least they're not like Sonic and Dunkin Donuts and taunting me with their commercials. Besides their Chicken Sandwich, Chick-fil-A (that's "chick-fil-ay" and not "chick-fil-ah" by the way) also offers chicken in other forms including nuggets.

Unlike most fast food joints, Chick-fil-A Nuggets are made from whole chunks of chicken rather than the mechanically-separated variety which gives it a more chicken-y texture. The breading is the same stuff they use on their Original Chicken Sandwich.

There a little bit on the small size; bite-sized really but they're only lightly salted which makes them perfect for the large variety of different sauces that Chick-fil-A offers. Unlike most places which place a limit on your sauces, Chick-fil-A humors your curiousity and gives you as many sauces as you can get your grubby little paws on and my cousin got them all. Actually you can order anything on the menu and still get your choice of sauces! Ranging from Buffalo to Polynesian to Honey Mustard, I have to admit a couple of them were so similar that I couldn't really differentiate between them.

While not spectacular or a good value with the small pieces, Chick-fil-A's Nuggets are a nice change of pace from the typical fast food chicken nugget and are especially worth trying if only to satisfy your curiosity about the sauces.

Review: McDonald's Deluxe Breakfast

It's almost like everything on McDonald's breakfast menu thrown into a styrofoam tray... it's McDonald's Deluxe Breakfast!

Review: El Pollo Loco - BBQ Chicken Slider

I tried El Pollo Loco's BBQ Chicken Slider a while back for 99 cents. It was one of El Pollo Loco's entrants to the increasingly crowded fast food slider arena.
El Pollo Loco's BBQ Chicken Slider offered the promise of barbequed chicken and coleslaw on a mini-telera roll (A telera roll is much like a bollillo in texture. Bollillo rolls are the bread typically used to make tortas).

The telera roll usually featured a slightly thick, soft crust with a soft, dense, slightly sweet, interior that I enjoyed. The bbq sauce and cole slaw went well together. But, unfortunately, there just wasn't enough chicken in the sandwich as you can see above. The flavors were there, it was just thrown off by the lack of shredded, barbequed chicken. A bite featured mostly bread and coleslaw.
It is perhaps for that reason that the sandwich no longer seems to be offered. It was a limited-time item but maybe it'll come around again... Hopefully, with more meat...

Review: Daphne's Greek Cafe - Hummus Snack

At Daphne's Greek Cafe, two scoops of hummus and and a soft, warm pita cut into quarters will run you a buck. Not bad for a snack I suppose. It's nothing to write home about but the "Starter Dip" (also available with Red Pepper Hummus and Fire Feta) is a nice snack.

The pita was soft, warm, and pillowy with a slight oven-toasted crispness on the outside. The hummus, while an unappetitizing shade of yellow (a lot darker than most hummuses... Hummusi? ... Just plain "Hummus?" Haha... I could look it up but I won't!) was comparable to most hummus that I've tried. It's not memorable, but it's nice and worth a try should you stop by a Daphne's.

Review: Carl's Jr. - Big Carl

My Favorite "Big Mac"

Priced at $1.99 in the L.A. area (but $2.49 in other markets if the ads are any indication compared to a nationwide average of over $3 for the Big Mac), Carl's Jr.'s Big Carl is set to go head-to-head with McDonald's beloved Big Mac complete with an ad campaign directly challenging the Big Mac. The ads mock the Big Mac's jingle, the Big Mac's miniscule patty size, and the Big Mac's third bun. If the voices in the ads are any indication, the Big Mac is the insecure little nerd that got beat up in highschool and the Big Carl is the confident jock that everyone liked.

Review: Houston's - French Dip

My Favorite French Dip Sandwich

The best french dip I've had... Ever... Although it's not cheap at around $18. Share it with a friend in my opinion. Houston's heats a generous cut of its delectable prime rib under a salamander and then thinly-slices (but not too thin!) it and places the juicy slices inside a soft egg-washed toasted french roll. The completed french dip sandwich is then served with a light beef broth for dipping and horseradish on the side. The result is this is the only place I go for a french dip sandwich anymore. Just thinking about it makes me want to go to Houston's...

The prime rib is moist, tender, and tasty. The bread is squishy soft and bakery fresh but is sturdy enough to hold together even dipped in the broth. The ingredients mesh well together and are well-balanced. If you're looking for a french dip, Houston's is definitely the place to try.

Maybe it's unfair to compare prime rib with regular sliced beef, pork, or lamb but it's really good! An order also comes with your choice of a side: couscous, coleslaw, french fries, or seasonal vegetables.

News: Chick-fil-A Labor Day Giveaway - September 7, 2009

Perhaps since Chick-fil-A rhymes with Labor Day, and Labor Day kicks off the fall sports season, this upcoming Labor Day, September 7, 2009, Chick-fil-A is giving a free Chick-fil-A Original Chicken Sandwich to all visitors who come wearing a sport teams logo between 10:30 A.M. until whenever your particular location closes that day.

Review: McDonald's - Angus Chipotle BBQ Bacon

McDonald's recently released their Angus burgers throughout the U.S. after a period of regional testing. I tried an Angus Chipotle BBQ Bacon because it sounded the most interesting out of the Angus burgers available. As far as fast food burgers go, it's pretty tasty.

News: Free Coupon for a "Forgiveness Taco" from Taco Del Mar Redeemable on August 27, 2009

In honor of Global Forgiveness Day, August 27th, Taco Del Mar is giving people the opportunity to send "I'm sorry" e-cards from their site along with a coupon for a free taco redeemable on August 27th, 2009.

E-cards can be sent from http://www.tacoforgiveness.com/ until August 26th. Five different messages range from a generic "I'm sorry I did that thing in that place" to a not-so-apologetic "I'm sorry you cannot accept how awesome I am" and are generally fairly inane and silly. Send one to all your friends or to yourself for a free taco!

The coupon is only good on August 27th, is limited to one per person, and, as per usual, only at participating locations.

News: Free Food Coupons Today, August 11, 2009

• Steak and Shake (East Coast and Central U.S. - I've never been to one of these but the food on the website looks pretty tasty and relatively cheap) is giving a printable coupon for a Free Mint Cookies and Cream Milk Shake (expires Wednesday, August 12, 2009) and
  
  
• Jack In The Box (West Coast and Southern U.S.) has a printable coupon good for today, August 11, 2009, for Two Free Tacos!

As always, at participating locations only.

Review: KFC - Apple Turnovers

My Favorite Fast Food Apple Pie

Now this is what I'm talking about. Having bemoaned the fate of McDonald's Fried Apple Pie, I was happy to discover a few years ago that KFC added a deep-fried Apple Turnover (they are "pies" to me) to their menu. You can see above the crisp bubbles caused by the boiling oil. It just cries "crunchy!"  And at two pies for $1, it's hard to resist ordering!

Review: McDonald's - Baked Apple Pie

I miss when it used to be just the "McDonald's Apple Pie" because it was deep-fried and not baked. But, amid concerns that the filling was too hot and maybe health concerns, in 1992, McDonald's switched from fried to baked pies here in the U.S.

Rumor has that at a select few locations, you can still get the fried apple pie, but I haven't seen it anywhere. Still, it's a value since as long as I can remember at two pies for $1.

Starbucks Coffee Demystified...

As anyone who has been to Starbucks (so named after the first mate of the Pequod in Moby Dick but I digress) knows, the menu features three drink sizes: (in order from small to large) Tall, Grande, and Venti. A good question to ask then is "Why?" While I don't know for certain, but I'll take my best shot at explaining... or guessing... You pick.