Cow Tales Minis (Vanilla)

These are such a classically great candy. Not great like "nut free" great, but just truly great. Though they are, of course, nut free, with the little logo and everything. These have been around for a long time, and they're very similar to the caramel creme bullseyes from the same company, just a different shape. The caramel outside is floury and stiff, but creamy and sweet, which is way better than that ooey-gooey-sticky stuff. And the inner cream filling is so soft and vanilla-y, it's a perfect combo. I don't understand the people who doesn't love these! They taste great, they don't hurt your teeth, and they aren't messy. Sure, they aren't good for you, but this is candy, man! Live a little!


Overall
Cost: 6/10 (around 3 dollars for a package, or 50 cents for a single non-mini cowtale)
Taste: 8/10

Lee Kum Kee Panda Brand Ready Sauce for Korean BBQ Stir-Fry

Dude. Dude. Dude. OK, so if you've read this blog or know me in person, you probably know that since the age of 12 or so, when I got seriously diagnosed with NUT ALLERGY BAD NUT ALLERGY, I've been on the quest for nut-free Chinese food. And not crap Chinese food, but stuff that actually tastes like the (takeout) Chinese food of my youth. However, I have been mostly unsuccessful (mild success came with Yoshinoya Beef Bowl's fried rice (RIP West coast life) and this frozen Innovasian chicken and broccoli meal, but after many attempts, I've generally come up short. Since I am usually in search of (Chinese) lo mein or fried rice or chicken and broc, I never would have thought to try this packet of Korean BBQ stir fry sauce on my own. However, blessedly, it was sent in my monthly Degustabox (fun food sub box). First downer: I have to buy meat, onions, and veg if I want veg. So this is a commitment. Then I need to marinate the meat for two hours. Whew. And they say to buy "flank steak", and I'm not very familiar with cuts of beef, being a mostly poultry-only girl left to my own devices. The only flank steak is over 10 bucks a pound at my store! Good lord! But, since the only potential alternative (London Broil Top Cut) looked really different, I bit the bullet and spent the 10 bucks for this meat, then came home and made rice and cut veg and marinated it up and stir fried the heck outta this thing! (The cooking itself took less than 10 min, which was crazy, and I don't have a meat thermometer so I was a little scared and did it on the longer side, like 8min total). And...and....it tastes EXACTLY like the beef teriyaki I used to get as a kiddo! Chewy beef pieces skewered with a wooden stick. Now as a kid this wasn't my favorite Chinese dish, my parents always ordered it, but damn if it didn't bring tears to my eyes to taste a so similar thing!!! I think it must be partially the cut of meat (damn you, beautiful chewy 10 dollar meat), but the sauce is also a really similar flavor, and it's just really great to have this. Ahhh. I think it came out well; even though I used a little less meat than called for and so I had a fairly saucy dish, when it's over rice it isn't too overwhelming or too sweet or anything like that at all. Just great. What a fun surprise! I might have to buy this again, even given the expense, maybe to make for my loved ones (i.e. parents and bf (separately)) to get their reaction. Woo! Cooking success high! :)

Overall
Cost: 3/10 (about 3$ for the sauce, which is OK, but see my meat stress above -- though I'm sure you can use other meats or veg or something instead)
Taste: 9/10 (as a meal, the sauce on its own didn't wow me, although it is good)
Nostalgia: 10/10

Welch's Fruit 'n Yogurt Snacks - Cherry

These are pretty tasty little "fruit" snacks. To be honest, they taste more like a candy than a snack (very sweet and vaguely white-chocolatey), but they have some vitamin C and are low calorie, so I guess that's alright. The taste is a little like a cherry twizzer with the white-chocolate coating from Flipz Pretzels (RIP the days when I could eat Flipz Pretzels), and the texture is soft and a little chewy, but not too much (kind of like cookie dough bites...RIP the days when I could eat cookie dough bites). So these are a nice treat, technically not candy, and nut free! The strawberry flavor is good too. I'm here for it, Welch's.



Overall
Cost: 8/10 (about 2$ for 8 packs)
Taste: 7/10

Tasty Organic Fruity Snacks - Super Fruit

Clever move(?) to call the brand "Tasty", but these didn't really win me over. The taste is fine, I guess, a generic fruit snack taste, and they have no major allergens, which is great, but they are also vegan, i.e. without gelatin. And whatever they used to make these chewy, I think they really overdid it, because these are super sticky/chewy. They also made me feel a little itchy, which could be entirely unrelated, but they weren't good enough for me to hazard a second trying of them. So, I recommend you avoid these!

Overall
Cost: 4/10
Taste: 4/10 (if we include texture in taste, which we (I) do)

Qdoba

I guess I've been on a Mexican kick lately! Anyway, my roomie texted me a picture of their brisket ad (which had a dumb pun in it), so I decided to give their new brisket a try! Alas, the brisket was bad! It was a little sweet, a little dry, and super weird. The flavor just did not match any burrito type ingredients at all. However, they did give me a good amount! For 8.40 I got meat, rice, veg, guac, queso on the side, and 2 salsas. It was super filling, and apart from the weird brisket, pretty tasty too. Definitely better than Moe's (although the queso is yellow and not sweet sweet white), and if you're sick of that distinct Chipotle flavor, this is a nice alternative. I will definitely try another protein option here soon!

Drunken Yardbird Taco: Dunno what this name is a reference to, but I like that you can just get one single taco. This one had no lettuce (don't want e.coli) but it had guac and chicken and green salsa and weird parm-looking cheese and possible onions. It was OK, a little spicy, and I like trying new things. 6/10

Taco Salad: The shell for this is super buttery! It's basically a bowl but with extra shell. For the same price, you can't really say no. Taco salad all the way, baby. 8/10

Overall
Cost: 6/10
Taste: 7/10

Del Pez Mexican Gastropub

I went here with my dad, kind of assuming I wouldn't like it since nothing on the dinner menu struck me as looking great (even though the lunch menu has an intriguing breakfast burrito on it, note to future self). But it really exceeded my expectations! First and most importantly, they have a nut logo on their menu for nut things, which there was only one of, and the nut was pepitas (i.e. pumpkin seeds i.e. not even a nut)! I asked the server and she said they don't use any nut ingredients in the whole restaurant. Um, amazing. Anyway, we ordered the salsa sampler as an app, and the chips were very tasty (and they brought out refills) and the three salsas (red, corny pico, and green) were all really unique and all good. I got a white sangria which was great, and a chicken chimichanga which came with tasty rice and was super filling and delicious (although not healthy, oops). Pops got beef enchiladas which looked like cute sushi rolls, and I think he liked it. Plus we sat outside which is always fun and pleasant. I will definitely go back if I can convince someone to come! They have good 3-6pm MF happy hour deals too (both food and drink).

Overall
Cost: 6/10 (not super cheap entrees, but some good deals if you get them)
Taste: 8/10

Starburst Tropical Fruit Chews

My roommate won (by losing) trivia and brought these home, so I made sure to sample one of each flavor so I could give a review! I serve you, the people.

Mango Melon - Not much mango, quite a lot of melon. A strong watermelon-y flavor, but I actually like this one! It's not as sour as some watermelon candies. A unique flavor that feels somehow familiar.
Piña Colada- At first I thought 'ew', but then it went from coconut (which is weird in chew form) to juicy pineapple, and I thought "maybe this is not so bad". A strong bright flavor, and pretty darn accurate. The most prevalent flavor by far in the mix, so I hope you like coconut/pineapple/a little whipped cream in your Starburst. 
Strawberry Banana - First thought: eww, this is weird. Second thought: OK, OK, it's not so bad. A little creamy, tastes kind of like the strawberry chewy runt (the pink one, if I remember correctly). Third thought: I guess this one is pretty good!
Cherry Kiwi - Just like cherry in the regular mix, this is the best flavor here. It also tastes basically like cherry, anyway. I guess there's a little kiwi flavor, which isn't really adding much, but it's fine. Super sugary, like Minute Maid cherry limeade.

In conclusion, these were all unique, strong flavors that grew on me after chewing. They might be a bit much after a whole bag, but for a stick of starburst, I think I like these even better than the regular ones!!

Overall
Cost: 6/10
Taste: 7/10