Route to India Yoga Pops

I've seen popped lily seeds on the market before.  But I haven't been particularly drawn to them, in part because their marketing is often ... so focused on being over the top healthy, in very specific ways that don't quite appeal to me in general.  And seemingly, always about yoga?  That part makes no sense to me.

"Ayurveda-inspired super seeds for yogic nourishment. Turmeric's curcumin offers antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits. Balances elements: Kapha, Pitta, Vata."

Yeah, that. 

"Our ethically sourced super seeds are hand harvested from ponds in Bihar India and then painstakingly hand beaten to pop by the womenfolk of these farmers."

This also doesn't particularly make me excited for them.  So much manual labor!

"These ancient super seeds taste crunchy and delicious like popcorn but they are also known for their functional benefits and have been used for centuries as part of Ayurveda, the Yoga Of Food. Our crunchy artisanal snacks are a great alternative to popcorn with half the carbs and twice the protein."

But I finally decided to give them a try, as, after all, they are a crunchy snack, and I you know how much of a snacker I am, and, well, they compare them to my ultimate snack of choice: popcorn.  If it matters to you, they are also gluten-free and vegan (among many other things).

I tried four flavors, three savory, and one sweet-ish: curry, truffle, tandoori, and caramel.  They all had the same form factor, which I actually really did enjoy.  They are slightly crunchier than popcorn, they take seasoning well, and come in slightly assorted sizes.  All of these characteristics make them an *excellent* snack.  The only problem?  I didn't really care for the flavors themselves.

Tandoori Masala.

The first flavor I tried: tandoori masala.

A mixed experience for me.  As noted above, I loved the form factor.  So crunchy!  Yet airy!  Like popcorn, but, better!  And the pieces were really nicely coated.  Some a bit bigger than others.  Yes, eating this was enjoyable.

The flavor for me though was not the best.  They had a slight bitterness that I wasn't sure if it was the lily seed taste itself, the seasoning?  I think the former.  The seasoning was very heavy in the turmeric, too much for my tastes as I don't really care for turmeric in general.  They did taste fairly generic "Indian".

So, great form, not the right flavor for me.  Low ***, as I still finished the bag, but I definitely didn't want more.

Curry Dusted.

Next up, a very similar flavor, "curry dusted".  I'm not really sure what was distinctly different between these and the tandoori masala, although the turmeric seemed slightly more muted, and they didn't have added sugar.  The seasoning was still fairly generic "indian" flavor.

The pieces were the same as the others, great crunch factor, assorted sizes, well coated in seasoning.  Still not a flavor I get excited for, but, I really do like the form.  Again, borderline ***, maybe a bit better than the previous as they didn't have the bitterness from the previous flavor or at least had more seasoning to mask it.

Truffle Tantra.

The final flavor is the one I expected to like the most.  Truffle!  But it turned out to be my least favorite.  The spicing was more mild than the others, so it allowed me to taste the lily seed a bit more, and the bitterness I wasn't really a fan of.  It did have a nice earthy truffle flavor, but more dominant was the porcini powder, and ... I don't generally care for porcini flavor.

Sadly, my least favorite, although I really do like the form factor, and these might be good if you really enjoy porcini. **.

Caramel Jaggery.

The final flavor is a less savory flavor, caramel jaggery, and they look quite different, the coating considerably thicker.

These were the hardest to wrap my head around.  To start, I didn't really taste caramel, and they weren't really a sweet offering exactly, just, less savory.  They were also strangely softer, which made them not quite as pleasant of a actual piece to eat.  And wow, the cardamom.  These were incredibly cardamom flavored.  Which I wasn't expecting at all.  Had they named them perhaps "Cardamom Jaggery", I think my expectations would be more aligned with the product.

So ... not the sweet treat I was expecting, strange texture, and overpowering cardamom, but ... certainly fascinating, and I didn't hate them exactly.  **+, my second to last favorite.

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Burger King

Update Review, March 2025

It turns out, I've been missing out at Burger King.

Now, I haven't actually been to Burger King *that* many times in my life (my family and field hockey team were always McDonald's bound when fast food was in order, my high school friends and I were team Wendy's, and, well, I pretty much stopped eating fast food other than out of novelty for freebies or in other countries since actually growing up), so I suppose it makes sense that I had never tried some hits on the menu (no, not burgers or fries), but I was still a bit surprised that folks don't mention some of these things more!  (and, as I went through my love affair with the Hershey Sundae Pie, and proclaimed its goodness to everyone around, none of THEM had ever had it either ...).

Anyway, without further ado, I had some random BK rewards points (er, crowns) to spend, and decided to have fun with them.  Spoiler: zomg, the sundae pie!

Onion Rings (Value Size).
$4.09 / 250 Crowns.

"Golden brown, hot, and crispy."

Behold, my first Burger King onion rings.  If you are unfamiliar with these, just a warning: they are really quite different from most people's expectations of onion rings (including mine, but I had done my research so I knew what I was getting in to).  For example, um, they don't have an actual slice of onion inside the ring form.

Yes, onion rings can come in different shapes, sizes, and styles in general.  They can be crumb coated like these, or beer battered, or Japanese tempura. They can be seasoned or not. They can be thin, they can be just strings, they can be thick and juicy inside.  They can be petite, have a large girth, or be a mix.  The batter can fall off too easily, the onions can be overly slimy inside, etc, etc.  I personally prefer beer battered or tempura, thick, and assorted sizes.  These are crumbed, small, and all about the same size.  And yes, again, they don't have an actual onion slice inside.

The crumb coated style and petite size already makes them a bit 'eh' to me, but they had some good qualities.  They were very well seasoned (high salt level!), and remarkably crispy.  I got my order fresh from the fryer, and they were piping hot inside too.  Well drained, not too greasy nor oily.  For all these reasons, I did like them.

But then there is the whole glaring issue: the lack of onion inside the ring!  They taste vaguely onion-y, but really its just more a savory fried crispy crumb ring.  Which is good, much in the way that Funyuns can be good, but, when I think of an onion ring, I want more than just vaguely onion-y savory fried things.  I applaud Burger King for having onion rings in the first place, as they aren't very common at generic fast food restaurants, but ... you kinda gotta just think of these as fried savory crumb rings.  As fast food fried side items go, I'd give them a high ***+, but if I was judging as onion rings, they'd only get a **.  They really are so crispy and I did enjoy them, all the caveats aside.

Best dipped in bbq or honey mustard.

(And if you are curious, the ingredients list for these is amusing.  Of course, they do not actually contain actual onions, you will not see "onion" listed as an ingredient.  Only minced onion.  And that is the 5th ingredient, behind #1 corn meal, #2 vegetable oil, #3 salt, and #4 rice flour.  MSG, whey, buttermilk powder, and a whole lots of chemicals round them out.)

Soft Serve Cup.
$2.79 / 250 Crowns.

"Cool, creamy, and velvety soft serve."

It had been a while since I last had Burger King's frozen soft serve confection, which, you will note, is not called "ice cream" on the menu, and is not described that way either.  Like most fast food soft serve, it is not, in fact, ice cream, as it contains too little milk fat.  Soft serve frozen dairy delight it is.

The soft serve can come in a cup or cone.  One small size only, thus, I got two.  No toppings available.  McDonald's definitely has the edge in that they at least have sauces to put on top of a sundae, or obviously mix-ins for McFlurries.  Burger King has none of that.  Just soft serve.

But the soft serve really is decent.  The most remarkable aspect to me is just how creamy it is, and how perfectly it melts.  Kinda exactly my mental model for how soft serve should melt, including the rate at which it should do so.  The flavor is sweet but not cloying.  Vaguely vanilla-ish maybe?  

I wouldn't go out of my way for this soft serve, but if I had a craving for a cone on a hot day, or wanted a soft serve pairing with a dessert, it would do just fine.  ***.

Hershey Sundae Pie.
$3.69 / 400 Crowns.

I've heard about this pie for years.  People on the internet rave about it.  Strangely, no one I've ever been around in person has ever mentioned it.  I certainly hadn't ever sought it out.  Until now.  

The pie comes packaged in a cardboard box, and in this case, even labelled with the date it had been pulled from the freezer.  They take no care to make this look homemade or special in any way.

But that's ok.  Because once you have this, you'll know it is special.

Hershey Sundae Pie. $3.69.

"Say hello to our HERSHEY’S®? Sundae Pie. One part crunchy chocolate crust and one part chocolate crème filling, garnished with a delicious topping of fudge drizzle and real HERSHEY’S® Chocolate Chips."

"A crunchy chocolate crust filled with chocolate crème filling and garnished with real HERSHEY’S® Chocolate Chips."

OMG, OMG, OMG.

One bite is all it took to break into extreme joy.  This this was good.  Really, really, really good.

I don't even know where to start.  Every element was glorious.  Amazingly sweet, crispy, chocolate crumble crust.  Definitely not a throwaway component, and I loved the texture it added.  Light as air milk chocolate mousse and sweetened whipped marshmallow-like fluff (er, "crème filling").  Although it looks like the marshmallowy one was only along the back crust, it actually was under the chocolate filling, and vice versa (under the marshmallow one was chocolate crème).  Then the decoration, a chocolate drizzle that hardened a bit like magic shell, and a few little chocolate chips, both added a stronger, darker chocolate component and more texture.  Did I wish there were more chips?  Well, sure, mine literally had just 5 (!), but still, a minor quibble. 

Glory.  I loved every bite of it.  Definitely not something you share, and the light nature of it makes it extremely easy to devour and not feel weighed down.  I can't wait to get another!  ****+.

Update Review, October 2023

It had been a while since I last had a burger from Burger King or McDonald's, but when I wound up with a free Whopper loaded on my account, I of course had to go claim my freebie.  I went with zero expectation of actually liking it, armed with my own drinks and side dishes (because, I was there for the free thing after all!), and ended up leaving very pleasingly satisfied.  I won't be rushing back to get a fast food burger anytime soon, but, I liked it considerably more than I expected.

Whopper (low carb). $7.69.

"America's Favorite Burger, The Whopper Sandwich is a ¼ lb of flame-grilled beef with juicy tomatoes, crisp lettuce, creamy mayonnaise, ketchup, crunchy pickles, and sliced white onions on a toasted sesame seed bun."

I never care for Burger King's buns, so I ordered mine bunless, or, "low carb" they call it.  Note that you cannot order online or in the app with no bun, it isn't in the customization options, but if you order in person, they don't blink an eye, and the receipt comes out saying "low carb", so, clearly this is an easy and moderately common thing.  I wish they'd add to the app.  

I did not ask for no ketchup/mustard/mayo, and those are generally slathered on in the regular sandwich version so I expected them too, but alas, mine came bare.  Luckily I realized it before I was out the door, and went back to ask for some, and was given packets of all three.

My low carb burger came in an amusingly large platter this time.  It was fairly attractively presented, with the pickles and onions atop the burger patty, and lettuce and tomato on the side.  5 pickles, 3 onion rings, 2 slices of tomato, plus a pile of shredded lettuce.  I wonder if these are the same standard portions used when constructing into a burger?  The toppings are not really enough to make a salad of it, so if you are intending to enjoy this as a burger atop a salad, bring more base mixed greens.

I actually brought my own large slices of green leaf lettuce to make lettuce wraps (and sauteed mushrooms and fresh heirloom tomato slices to put in with the burger, and a small salad and cole slaw to have as sides).  I assembled my wraps, added condiments, and dug in.  I was immediately pleased.  The burger patty wasn't anything special, certainly not a big fat juicy medium wagyu burger, but it wasn't too tough, and was reasonably well seasoned.  It went oh-so-well with the pickles, onions, and condiments.  Really, it is all the bits together that combine to give a very classic burger taste.  

The onions were crisp and harsh, but, that works here.  The pickles lightly acidic and juicy.  The ketchup and mustard as generic as can be.  Put that together?  Such a familiar taste.  The lettuce was pretty boring pieces of iceberg, but they were fresh enough, and not browning.   The tomato was actually fine, not too mealy.

Overall, with my additions as burger lettuce wraps, I truly enjoyed this.  Would I pay $7.69 for it?  No.  But, it was satisfying and free, and totally worth the venture to BK.  ***.

Update Review, April 2022

A year ago, I became a fan of Burger King.  Yup, it took me 40 years to really truly love Burger King (besides the crowns, of course).  I genuinely enjoy their Impossible Whopper, which I've reviewed several times before (below).  Honestly, **** burger.

But this time, I headed to Burger King for something else.  Dessert.  Not just any dessert.  Ice cream.  Somehow, in all my soft serve eating, I had never had a cone from BK before.

Soft Serve Cone. $1.49 (or 250 crown points).

"We didn't invent soft serve, but with one taste of our cool, creamy, and velvety Vanilla Soft Serve, you'll think we perfected it. Served in a cone."

This was my first time having Burger King soft serve.  I didn't expect anything special, but, it was ridiculously warm out, totally ice cream weather, and I had some "crown points" burning a hole in my pocket.

So I splurged, redeeming 250 of them for a cone (a cup is also available), normally $1.49.  Only the one flavor is available, never actually listed as "vanilla" just as "soft serve".  No toppings are available.

It was, well, fast food soft serve?  About as I expected.  The consistency was good, in the fake ice cream kind of way, and it melted perfectly on the warm day.  It was not grainy nor icy. The flavor certainly wasn't vanilla, almost more like a white chocolate, just, sweet.  It didn't taste too artificial or plastic-like though.

The cone was the part that actually surprised me as it wasn't stale in any way.  Even decent ice cream shops can suffer from stale cones.

So overall, the consistency was good, the flavor was fine, and the cone not stale.  Would I pay $1.49 for it?  Well, given other options, probably not, but it wasn't bad, and once I added my own sprinkles it was much better.

***.

Update Review, February 2021

Well, I've become a Burger King fan.  I'm really, really into their Impossible Whopper, which I reviewed once before.  And now, I've hacked it even further.

Impossible Whopper. $7.29.
Extra Onion, Extra Cheese, Low Carb. ($0.50, $0.80).

"Features a flame-grilled patty made from plants topped with tomatoes, lettuce, mayo, ketchup, pickles, and onions."

I finally, finally, finally took my own advice.  I am not low carb, but I dislike Burger King buns.  I had started bringing my own iceberg wedge to do lettuce wraps, and always thought about asking for no bun.  

So, I did it.  "No bun," I said, and the cashier without hesitation said, "Ok, low carb."  They have a button on the register for it even.  I asked if that meant it would be a lettuce wrap or just no bun, but she didn't seem to know nor care.  The answer?  Basically just no bun.  Perhaps they threw a little extra lettuce in?  It also came packaged totally differently, in a square plastic container (what they use for side salads?).

I left in all the standard toppings (tomato, pickles, lettuce) but upgraded to extra onion ($0.50!) because I adore their onion.  As always, I adored the onion but its a bit hard to justify $0.50 for just 1 (maybe 2?) extra round of onion, as I think it usually comes with 3.  It is so harsh though and I just really like it with my burger.

The lettuce was standard shredded iceberg, which is not my lettuce of choice normally, but is entirely appropriate with a burger.

The pickles I don't normally care for, crinkle style, but I actually didn't mind them this time, the little bits of pickle really do complete the "burger" experience.  That said, these are certainly not pickles I like much at all.

The tomatoes I always plan to leave out, but I'm glad I left them in this time.  Yes, they were awful, two slices of not juicy, not even red, clearly out of season tomato, but again, its all about the burger "experience" and the juicy tomato is kinda key.

I also added cheese, because, well, cheeseburgers are delicious?  More on this soon.

I wondered what they'd do with the ketchup and mayo, which come standard on the burger, and are key elements for me.  I hoped that they'd just put them on the burger patty itself.  Looking in from the top gave no indicator though (where *was* that actual burger?).  Sadly, the answer was "leave out entirely", but I was able to ask for packets instead.

I actually really, really, really enjoyed my burger this way.  I brought additional large hunks of iceberg to make a wrap, and I'm glad I did, although really you could just make a pretty tasty cheeseburger salad bowl from this (and their base salad?).

It was crazy satisfying, gave me a legit burger experience, and was everything I wanted it to be.

****.

Impossible Whopper Patty & Cheese.

The Impossible Burger patty was hiding under the toppings in the bottom of the container.  It came with what my receipt said was "HEAVY CHEESE", 2 slices, but, when I asked, they told me this was the normal amount.  I would have thought 1 slice was normal?  And I asked for regular.

Anyway.  The cheese was ... um, entirely not melted.  Oh, I'll also note that my burger was ready before I even reached the pick up area, so, clearly it was already cooked and the cheese just set up on top.  I guess that is normal?  I generally forget to order the cheese, and generally go to McDonald's, where they do usually melt it on ...

The cheese was fine, artificially bright orange "American" cheese, which, you guessed it, I liked to help complete "the burger experience".  But ... I really wanted it melty, so I'd probably leave off in the future.

Impossible Burger Patty: Grill Marks.

At some point, the burger patty I guess was actually grilled, and you could see the grill marks clearly on it.

The patty however, yeah, lukewarm at best.

This didn't detract me from enjoying it, but clearly it would be better actually warm, and actually freshly cooked.

Impossible Burger Patty: Inside.

And here you can see what the inside of that patty looks like.  It really, really did look like beef.  It tasted like beef.  Honestly, more than the last one I ordered.  I ... can't say that I'd be surprised to learn that they just didn't care and gave me a real patty.

It wasn't thick, it wasn't juicy, but ... it tasted like beef, and it was exactly what I wanted at the time.  Slathered with way too much mayo, ketchup, and mustard (from packets since they didn't add on), with all the other "essential" toppings, I really loved it.

****.

Update Review, November 2020

Oh T-Mobile Tuesday.  How I love you so.  I love random freebies. Particularly, it turns out, while living in a more rural area, staying with my parents in New Hampshire for a while during COVID for fresh air, summer, and greatly reduced COVID rates, and, it turns out, a way higher number of places that actually show up as T-Mobile freebies.  Maybe I'm biased because I was just soo happy to see Dunkin' Donuts on there regularly (where I discovered a great new favorite donut, actually, review coming soon - but previous reviews of baked goods here, drinks here), and I usually miss out when it is the weekly feature, as alas, no Dunks in San Francisco.

Anyway, T-Mobile Tuesday featured a free Whopper from Burger King, and I could pick regular or Impossible.  I've had my share of free Whoppers from Burger King, always mostly out of amusement/getting my free things, but I really do love their lettuce/onion/mayo mix (I know, I know), and I was eager to try out this Impossible burger.  

Yes, I actually ... was excited to visit Burger King.  My mother warned me as I left the house that I was likely to be disappointed.  Thanks, Mom!

Impossible Whopper Experience.

My visit was via the drive-thru, as it was in the depth of COVID, and the dining room was closed, even for takeout.

My burger was hot, seemed freshly made, was ready as I approached window, toppings were applied well, and the patty? Definitely better than I expected.

I was actually very pleased with the experience.  I wouldn't seek out a Whopper ever in general anyway, but if I found myself wanting one for some reason, I'd certainly get this again.

Impossible Whopper. $6.39.  (Packaging)

"Features a flame-grilled patty made from plants topped with tomatoes, lettuce, mayo, ketchup, pickles, and onions. *For guests looking for a meat-free option, a non-broiler method of preparation is available upon request."

The Impossible Whopper comes in a standard wrapper, branded with the IMPOSSIBLE name.  The standard prep actually makes it not technically entirely meat-free, as they cook it on the same broilers are the beef burgers, which, outrages real vegetarians, I know.  No dedicated Impossible burger grills at BK.  You *can* ask to have it prepared fully meat-free, and I think they microwave it that way ... Since I am not a vegetarian, I didn't care, and wanted the better, broiler experience anyway.

The same toppings as regular Whoppers are applied unless you ask for changes: lettuce, tomato, mayo, ketchup, pickles, onions.  You can add cheese or bacon, or add extra of anything normally included (most for a fee), and remove anything, obviously.

I left everything as-is, except I added extra onions (because I love them!) and extra pickles (because free!).

Bun.

The bun is the same standard Whopper bun.  Quite large, soft and fluffy on top, grilled on the inside top bun, slathered with the mayo mix on top, nothing on the bottom, thinner bun.

I never care for these buns, they are fine, but very generic, and I'm not much of a bun girl in general, if not a brioche or something special, so I never use them.  I actually went prepared this time with an entire half of an iceberg lettuce, and used the outer leaves to make a lettuce wrap, which worked remarkably well.  So juicy, fresh, and helped cut all the heaviness of the burger, and, um, my favorite part, the mayo.

But yeah, standard Whopper bun.

Toppings: Regular tomato (2 slices), lettuce, mayo, ketchup
Extra: onion, pickles (5 slices).

For toppings, I left the regular ketchup and mayo, as I adore the mayo at Burger King (just something about it!) and they apply it quite generously.  And ketchup really does go great with beefy taste, so I left that, and did not add mustard (free to add, but, not standard).  I was quite pleased with the sauces, again, that mayo is just ... awesome, I really think it tastes soooo very good with their lettuce and onions.  And they really do smother it in it, literally, 160 calories of the burger is *just the mayo*, even with the standard order.

For once, I left the tomato, finally willing to at least try it.  The regular amount is two slices.  They actually weren't that scary, looked decent, and were a solid "fine", what you might expect from a fairly generic tomato.  Not pale, not mealy, so, at least not that.  But I wouldn't get them again.

I also left the lettuce at regular, although I do like their lettuce, just shredded iceberg, but adding more is an additional charge, and I brought an entire half an iceberg head with me anyway.  I did like it as always though.

I added extra pickles, which meant 5 slices, crinkle cut, because it was free, and I could give to someone at home (along with bun), to use for their own purposes.  I did try one, and can confirm, that yup, I just don't care for BK pickles.  Something about the taste.  I like McDonald's pickles though!

And lastly, the onion, extra, which meant quite a bit, all different sized rings.  I really like their onion, again, I know, nothing special, just white onion, but I love the crispness, harshness, and way it combines with lettuce and mayo.

So, pickles and tomatoes given away, but everything else, exactly as I was hoping, and I truly enjoyed the lettuce/onions/mayo in my burger-wrap.

***** onions/lettuce/mayo, **+ tomato, *pickles.

Impossible Burger Patty.

The Impossible Whopper is assembled just like a regular Whopper, the patty under all the veggies, ketchup squirted on top, nothing under it besides the bottom bun, which had no sauces.  It had classic, visible grill marks, and looked like any standard beef patty from a fast food restaurant - fairly thin, cooked well done, no pink really inside.

I tasted a bit of the patty, sans anything else, and was reasonably impressed.  It wasn't nearly as good as other Impossible Burgers I've had, thicker, juicer ones, but it wasn't dry, it didn't taste funky, and certainly didn't taste like a veggie burger.  The texture was pretty close to that of a standard *fast food* beef patty.

Once I combined it into my lettuce wrap with all the other traditional burger toppings, it worked very well.  I certainly liked it more than the Burger King regular beef patties.  It really did have the beefy taste, as much as any fast food burger, perhaps even slightly more.

I brought a chunk for my mom to try, and made her a perfect bite with all the toppings, and she was actually really impressed, and said she'd never know the difference.

Overall, I was impressed with what BK has pulled off.  I won't seek it out, but if I was getting a Whopper again, I'd certainly get the Impossible one.

The patty is 240 calories, 29 fewer than the beef burger, still has 14 grams of fat, and does pack in 19g protein.

*** (**** for fast food burger I guess?)

Update Review, June 2020

Yup, National Burger Day, 2020.  Burger King gave out free Whoppers.  Of course I stopped by.

I wanted to do my "salad sandwich" that I proposed to myself last time, with extra lettuce, extra onion, etc, but adding extra anything comes with a fee, and I didn't want that for freebie day! 

Whopper. Add mustard.
Free for National Burger Day.

So, regular Whopper it was, only mod was adding mustard, which I learned I *can* do, and had lamented not having last time.

My review is largely unchanged.  These things are pretty consistent.  Burger King does have that going for htem.

Bun nicely toasted inside, soft, but, just a really boring bun.  Its also huge!  My partner also commented "wow, a Whopper is way bigger than I remember!"  Beef patty was thin, cooked all the way, and tasted like ... processed beef, and wasn't great.  Ketchup and mustard just in the center, not tons, and not spread around.  I didn't have the horrible looking tomatoes, and gave him the pickles as he likes them more.

I did like the onion, crisp and harsh, and the iceberg (no brown in sight), and I do love their mayo.  It was extremely generously slathered with mayo, all along the top bun.

It was what it was.  No more, no less, a Whopper.  Nice for free, but I mostly just gave it away.

**+.

Update Review, January 2020

When I was growing up, McDonald's was always my fast food of choice, and the Quarter Pounder with Cheese, or sometimes Big Mac, was my burger.  I always felt sad when the field hockey bus pulled into a Burger King instead, as I just never liked it nearly as much.  I settled for a Whopper Jr. with Cheese, but always wished we had picked McDonald's (and McDonald's had better fries, and McFlurries ...).

As an adult, I have not sought out fast food burgers all that often, although I did go through some years of excessive burger eating, running a dining club that got burgers every single Monday night.  I started my blog after those years, but you can read about some of my burger adventures here.  Let's just say I ate a lot of burgers, and plenty of them were fast casual style.

I never went to Burger King though, except when I went to try the new Satisfries (not tasty!), or, uh, when I went to Burger King in Munich explicitly seeking out the waffle ice cream sundae (ok, really good!).  Until now.  I think it had easily been 20 years since my last BK burger.  I won't mind if it is another 20.

Packaging.

My Whopper took a few minutes to assemble, and was handed over without a word: "A Whopper", is all she said, not even saying my number.

Signature Whopper paper, decently well wrapped.

Whopper.

"Our WHOPPER® Sandwich is a ¼ lb* of savory flame-grilled beef topped with juicy tomatoes, fresh lettuce, creamy mayonnaise, ketchup, crunchy pickles, and sliced white onions on a soft sesame seed bun."

I opened it up to reveal the contents.  It looked pretty good, nothing falling out, nothing mushed ...

The bun was nicely toasted inside, soft, and seemed fresh enough.  A large, kinda oversized bun though, I realized that I always got a Whopper Jr. in the past, not a regular one.  It is, uh, kinda a Whopper?  Just comparing the buns, the Whopper bun is 230 calories, the Whopper Jr. is only 120, so it really is nearly half the size, at least, the bread component.  The regular burger uses the same bun as the Whopper Jr.

Whopper: Inside.

It is the insides I was interested in though of course.

The top bun was slathered in mayo, creamy, generic mayo, that I really did love.  It went great with the lettuce and onions.  The lettuce, torn shreds of iceberg, was ... moderately fresh.  Crisp, but I did see some brown bits.  The sliced white onions gave a hit of harshness and pop of flavor, and I appreciated them.

Pickles are always one of my favorite parts of a burger, but I wasn't really into the BK ones.  Wavy style, and fine, but, I really prefer McDonald's and Subway style.  I didn't try the pale looking tomato, two slices.

Ketchup was somewhere in the mix, it seemed to be between the pickles and tomatoes, and was not well distributed.  This was easy to fix with an additional ketchup packet.  I also forgot that a Whopper doesn't include any special sauce, nor any mustard, so the ketchup and mayo really is it.  I prefer a McDonald's Quarter Pounder for the mustard, but, I do love mayo ...

I also forgot that a Whopper doesn't come with cheese by default.  Oops.  I certainly would have wanted that.

And finally the patty.  "¼ lb* of savory flame-grilled beef " ... yeah, it was barely warm, it was not juicy in any way, but at least it wasn't tough, and did have lovely grill marks?  It was basically, as expected.  No worse, but certainly not a burger you get to taste and enjoy the beef.  Again, comparing to the Whopper Jr. what I always used to get, that patty is just 100 calories, vs the 240 calories here, so this patty is actually nearly 2.5 times bigger, and I could tell.  Although it was very thin, it was a large patty, in diameter.  I guess they named this thing for a reason!

Overall, it was exactly as I expected.  No better, no worse.  It has a place in the world, but it is certainly not anything I plan to seek out again ... at least for another 10-15 years when curiosity strikes?

**+.

Whopper #2.

I blame T-Mobile for this.  T-Mobile Tuesdays had free Whoppers.  How could I resist another freebie?

My review is largely the same.  Beef patty thin and not exactly a juicy quality burger, but it isn't *that* bad.  I still couldn't bring myself to try the tomatoes.  I really did love the generous mayo, the harsh onions, and the iceberg.  I can kinda imagine enjoying a "salad sandwich", a Whopper hold the patty, extra onions, extra lettuce, definitely add cheese ... uh ...  

**+.

Original Review, October 2013

Burger King has always had a larger selection of sides than McDonalds, but they've now taken another leap, and offer not one, not two, but THREE different types of fries: sweet potato, regular, and their latest offering, dubbed Satisfries ... the healthy, yet still satisfying, fries.  The marketing behind them is genius, boasting that they contain 40% less fat and 30% fewer calories.  I assumed that they were comparing against their own fries.  They aren't.  They are comparing against McDonalds!  The numbers aren't nearly as impressive when you compare against their own versions, but given that they use the same oil and fryers, I guess it is impressive.  They developed a coating that somehow magically absorbs less oil.  But, (spoiler alert!),  they didn't live up to their name.

Value Sized Satisfries.  $1.69.

My fries were hot and fresh.  I give them credit for that.

Unlike the standard fries, they are crinkle cut.  I've never really liked crinkle cut fries, and my family always ate tons of frozen crinkle cut fries when I was a kid.  These reminded me of those exactly, not just in look, but also in taste.  They tasted like cardboard.  The outside was crispy, but the inside was just mush.  It didn't resemble potato in any way.  Burger King claims the fries are cut from whole potatoes, but I'm pretty skeptical.  They weren't salted well either.

Definitely not a win.  *+.

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Lesser Evil Snack Foods

"Snacks that feel and taste good".

Do I really care if my snacks "feel" good?  Nah.  Am I a healthy snacker?  Ha.  But do I love snack foods?  Oh yes.  And do I jump at the chance to try new products and brands, even if they don't appeal at first glance (hey, this is how we discover some gems!).  Of course.

Lesser Evil makes several product lines, including my #1 snack obsession (popcorn!), along with Paleo Puffs, "Power Curls", Space Balls, "Moonions", and now, cookies.  All are gluten-free, certified organic, plant based, etc.

Most of the offerings I've tried are generally a bit too light for my style, but there are a few items that aren't too bad, and I do continue to try more products regularly.

Organic Popcorn (Previously branded as "Buddha Bowl")

"If you have heard of Buddha bowls you know the ingredients you are meant to put in them are healthy and beautiful. Like in a Buddha Bowl we only wanted to put healthy and beautiful things in our popcorn bags. Our popcorn is special because it's earth friendly (it's organic), so it's free of many of the chemical residues that exist on convention popping corn. Also, we air pop only the most tender kernels so we don't add unwanted fat and calories. We then use either coconut, avocado oil or ghee. The oils are cold pressed without heat or chemicals keeping the essential nutrients intact. We then dust with Himalayan salt which we think is the purest form of salt available. We think you will like the ingredients we use."

The popcorn is available in a slew of varieties, savory and sweet.  Classic Cheddah, Avocado-Licious, Himalayan Gold (e.g. "butter"), Himalayan Pink, Himalayan Sweetness, Jalapeno & Honey, Oh My Ghee!  They also introduced new seasonal flavors like, sigh, Pumpkin Spice.  I've tried many.

"We air-pop the most tender butterfly popcorn, making it lighter, fluffier and lower in fat and calories."

The popcorn all is ... fine.  It is fairly fluffy.

Savory

Oh My Ghee!

"The first organic popcorn made with organic grass-fed ghee. We tumble this popcorn in ghee with an amazingly silky flavor that is much easier on the digestive system than traditional butter."

This was a very simple variety, just plain salted popcorn, but made with ghee instead of traditional oil or butter.

It is ... fine.  

Simple, well popped, slightly salty, popcorn.  It doesn't taste any different than popcorn made with more traditional fats, so if you want simple salted popcorn that is possibly better for you ... try it?  For me it was too plain. **+.

Oh My Ghee! (June 2020).

I didn't seek it out again, but my partner's company sent him monthly snack boxes during the COVID working from home situation, so of course I stole any popcorn that came our (uh, his?) way.

It certainly isn't what I normally go for - very plain, savory, but, nice when I've had too much sweet.  Slightly almost cheesy flavor.  Nicely popped kernels.  Guilt free at 100 calories per bag?

I ate it happily (frozen) one night late at night when I was munchy, and had really overdone it on sweets.  It hit the spot, but again, I don't seek this out on my own. ***.

Classic Cheddah.

"The ultimate cheesy popcorn that will instantly enlighten your taste buds. Lovingly dusted with a specially crafted organic cheddar cheese blend."

This was ... also just fine.  Well popped, good salt level, but the cheesy nature was very muted.  Probably the lowest calorie cheesy popcorn I've had, and, it was clear it was a lighter style.  Not really for me.  **+.

"No Cheese" Cheesiness.

I was really craving cheesy popcorn, and so I tried the cheese-less cheesy flavor from Lesser Evil.  It uses nutritional yeast to create the cheese-adjacent flavor, which was fine, but not great.  However, like most of their popcorn, the coconut oil flavor was really quite strong, and I didn't care for that underlying taste.  Well popped popcorn, but, another that just isn't for me.  **+.

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Himalayan Pink

"Our original flavor is made with just three simple ingredients – organic popcorn, organic extra-virgin coconut oil and Himalayan salt."

Another very simple flavor, more well popped, nicely salted popcorn.  Somehow I liked this more than the others, I think because it wasn't trying to be anymore more than it was.  But still, not an exciting variety, and I don't really like the coconut oil base.  **.

Sweet

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Himalayan Sweetness

"For the sweet tooth in every household!"

Ok, so they tried to do sweet but not crazy decadent.

In this product, the coconut oil base works quite well.  Coconut and sweet are a good combination.  In particular, I liked this one frozen, the coconut oil provides a coating that gets crunchy.

This, frozen, was my favorite of all varieties I tried, no question.  I'd get it again. ***.

Seasonal

The seasonal offerings are definitely far more exciting than the regular products, although, still, healthy style ...

Dark Chocolate & Himalayan Pink Sea Salt.

"Your favorite Himalayan Sweetness flavor is all dressed up for the holidays. This subtly sweet, organic popcorn tumbled in luscious dark chocolate proves that indulgence really can be guilt free."

This is an interesting flavor.  

It is not nearly as decadent as other popcorn I go for that features chocolate - e.g. the kind that is drizzled in generous melted chocolate (like Salted Caramel & Fudge from PopWorks or Dark Fudge Peppermint Drizzlecorn from Popcorn Indiana), and usually is sweet crispy kettle corn under all that.  Or the kinds that are *entirely* coated in chocolate, such as Harry & David's signature Moose Munch (omg, so good, but soooo decadent) or the equally ridiculous Zebra Caramel Corn from Popcornopolis (yes, fully coated rich caramel corn, with both white and dark chocolate coating in addition!).

It is not a decadent style, and I didn't expect it to be.  This brand is about better for you options, and, they call this one "guilt free" and "subtle sweet".  Which it was, more the style like Johnny's Popcorn (chocolate chip) or Skinny Pop (chocolate), a lighter style, cocoa dusting rather than melted chocolate.

This was the best of the lighter styles I've tried though - a more intense chocolate, richer, real cocoa flavor (at least on some pieces), than other brands.  I did find myself hunting for the kernels with more coating though.

It had decent salty component as well, and the kernels were fluffy and well popped.  It was definitely good, not the kind of popcorn that I crave usually, but, for the style, the best I've had.  

Over time, it really grew on me, particularly once I froze it! ****.

White Chocolate & Matcha.

"Behold the un-matcha-ble combination of white chocolate and matcha! Turn any space into a cozy teashop with a bag of this lightly sweet, vegan, seasonal treat."

Another holiday only variety, although I really don't understand why.  There is no reason not to enjoy matcha and white chocolate in the summer!

I have long been a fan of matcha white chocolate popcorn, although usually go for, as you likely suspect, a much more decadent version.  One covered in tons of white chocolate and matcha.  This was, like all Lesser Evil popcorn, very, very lightly dusted, just a little sugar, salt, matcha powder, and ... "organic flavor".  No actual white chocolate.

But it was good, again, for a lighter style.  You just have to be ready for the lighter style.  Sorta sweet, sorta matcha flavored.  Again not what I generally go for, but I liked it enough.  I wouldn't get again though.

***.

White Chocolate & Matcha (Seasonal).

"We're spilling the TEA on what makes our snacks so awesome - clean ingredients! Our limited edition White Chocolate and Matcha popcorn will satisfy your sweet tooth this holiday season! Creamy white chocolate and herbacious matcha create a melt-in-your mouth flavor combination that is simply zen-sational."

I forgot that I had tried this last winter holiday season (when Lesser Evil has dubbed matcha & white chocolate appropriate).  I didn't dislike it then, but, I probably would not have gotten it again if I had re-read my review first.

The base popcorn itself was fine.  Big puffy kernels.  Well popped.  Unlike most of their flavors, I don't taste the slightly odd coconut oil much here.  But ... it really is a quite light popcorn.  Very very very mild chocolate flavor, and really barely any matcha.  I easily could have believed it wasn't matcha flavored at all.  As you can see, it isn't even green colored to give it away.  It was lightly sweet, and good for a healthy popcorn, but certainly no decent white chocolate drizzlecorn like most other brands.  Fine for what it was, ***, but I generally want something more decadent, sweeter, and, well, that tastes like matcha if I buy something matcha.

Pumpkin Spice (Seasonal).

"Tis’ the season(ing)! Our Pumpkin Spice Popcorn is a superb autumnal treat. Our signature blend of coconut oil and Himalayan Pink Salt gets cozy with Organic Pumpkin Spice seasoning. It’s a sweet, spicy, salty snack you’re sure to Fall in love with."

This is the tale of two popcorns.  First, we have the popcorn that made up the majority, probably 75%, of the bag.  This was lightly pumpkin spice seasoned plain popcorn.  A little sugar, salt, cinnamon, and a touch of something else, but nothing aggressive.  Fairly plain popcorn, really, with a hint of fall if you really searched for it.  

And then, the bright orange glazed popcorn, <25% of the bag.  These were a light caramel corn, that just happened to be oddly orange, and seem to have been kissed by a touch of pumpkin spice.  Blindfolded, you'd likely think it was just light caramel corn, maybe cinnamon caramel corn.

Put them together, and basically a very, very mild pumpkin spice lightly sweet experience.  Rather boring really (not that I wanted a punch in the face of nutmeg!).  I ended up breaking this bag down entirely, eating all the orange glazed popcorn first, which of course made putting the bag down impossible, as I got rather obsessed with finding all the pieces.  Eating just those pieces, in quantity, made for a sweet treat, which became cloying by the end, but, they were my favorite.  No better nor worse though than average light caramel corn.  ***.

Then, the plain lightly spiced ones, even more boring.  **+.

Overall, fine, but, not remarkable, and if you are looking for strong pumpkin spice vibes, they aren't here.  ***.

Pumpkin Spice.

I had this the first time a few years ago, and thought it was decent, but I didn't remember my specific thoughts when I had it again this pumpkin spice season.  I was glad to try it with a fresh perspective.

I basically liked it. There were 3 different types of pieces: plain, spiced, and orange glazed.  They seemed to be in about equal distribution.  All the popcorn was well popped, fluffy.

The orange glazed pieces were definitely the sweetest, and although they were my favorites (I think), I quickly realized that I didn't want to just pluck all of those out, as it got a bit cloying fast.  Definitely sweeter than most kettle corn, less candied than caramel corn, more akin to the glaze on a candied apple, if that makes sense.  ***+.

Then there were the "spiced" pieces, basically, the ones that had lots of brown spices on them.  I didn't taste too much nutmeg (possibly not even any?), which delighted me, as I don't care for aggressive nutmeg.  They were definitely spiced though, nice warming spices, and it somewhat reminded me of gingerbread.  Once I got over loving the sweet glazed pieces, I liked these the most.  ***+.

And finally, the more plain pieces, that still did have flavor, lightly salty, and mostly you could taste the signature coconut oil in these pieces, which is the aspect of Lesser Evil that I don't generally care for.  This flavor was entirely masked in the other pieces, and only came out in these. **+, just because I don't like that coconut taste.

Add it all up, and it is quite balanced, and enjoyable.  Not too aggressive in the pumpkin spicing, but definitely spiced.  I'll get it again next "holiday" season.  ***+.

Grain Free Paleo Puffs

"Our organic puffed snacks are packed with nutrient-dense cassava, coconut, and sweet potato flours. We stand for the little things both in our products and in this life and it's the simple acts that make this world great."

The puffs are available in three varieties: Himalayan Salt, Apple Cider Vinegar, and  “No Cheese” Cheesiness.  I tried the later.  They ... weren't bad, actually.

 “No Cheese” Cheesiness.

Ok, these *really* surprised me.

The puffs are made of cassava flour, tapioca starch, coconut flour, and more, a fairly strange texture, but not entirely unpleasant, and they were light and airy.  Not a bad base, really.  The "cheese" came from a combination of garlic, onion, and sweet potato powder, plus ground mustard (?!), and nutritional yeast.  It was a kinda cheesy, kinda zesty mix, and, well, I was fascinated with it.  It paired well with the base puff.

Overall, I don't want to run out and purchase bags of these, but, I did actually find myself enjoying the ones I had.  Well, huh.

***+.

Fiery Hot!

"When you're craving something smoky and spicy, our Fiery Hot Paleo Puffs, pack all of the flaming hot flavor you love without all the bad stuff."

It had been several years since I had Paleo Puffs, and somewhat forgot that I had tried them before (in another flavor).  I was drawn in again by the form factor, and the promise of heat.

I tried a few, and was somewhat put off.  But I was also a bit fascinated, and had a few more.  Which quickly turned into nearly half the bag.  Gulp.  At least these are, after all, "Lesser Evil", even if I quickly went way past a normal serving size.

The puff is super crunchy, yet a bit airy, which I find really compelling.  It is that great crunch that keeps me going.  They look ugly, but, hey, something about it really works.  Great form factor and eating experience: ****.

The base flavor is where they start to seem a bit odd.  The combo of cassava flour, sweet potato flour, tapioca starch, and coconut flavor leans in the direction of tasting too "healthy"ish, or hearty perhaps.  And then the coating?  That's where things get confusing.  I don't care for the nutritional yeast very much.  But onion, garlic, salt, vinegar, and habanero?  Sure.  Very savory, and some slight heat.  I actually wanted, and expected more heat from the habanero, but, there was some.  So flavor wise, I couldn't tell if I liked them, tolerated them, or disliked.  I think probably somewhere in the "tolerate" spectrum, with an appreciation for the slight heat.  **+ flavor.

I easily finished my bag, but there were enough little misses here that I wouldn't purchase again.  Low *** overall.

Space Balls

Space Balls are puffs, but in round ball form.  They come in 3 flavors all with cosmic names: "outer planet pizza", "ranch ship ranch", and "interstellar cheddar".

Interstellar Cheddar.

"Want legendary cheesy flavor without the guilt—and the side effects? These are the healthy snack puffs for you. This organic, vegan snack is made with seasoning that brings the cheesy flavor to your new favorite functional snack, without any of the other questionable ingredients."

I was going through a cheesy snack phase, so the Interstellar Cheddar flavor jumped out at me.  That said, these are vegan, so I knew the cheddar flavor was going to be limited to some nutritional yeast and spices approximation of cheddar flavor.

The space balls were reasonably enjoyable.  Good crunch level, puffy form factor, very snackable.  They had a mild cheesy flavor, that did taste sorta healthy and a bit bitter on the finish.  Not bad, but not great.  

Overall, "fine", but not something I'd seek out again.  ***. 

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Maison Georges Larnicol

Maison Georges Larnicol is a French bakery, patisserie, and chocolatier.  They have 32 stores throughout France, and also distributed some of their goods wholesale, which is how I was able to try them.

"The Kouignette® (Pronounced “kween-et”) was created in 2003 by Meilleur Ouvrier de France Georges Larnicol. The Kouignette® was inspired by the the Kouign-Amann and has become their flagship product."

If you are unfamiliar with kouign-amann in general (you've been missing out!), these are much like a basic kouign-amann: 

"The Kouignette® could be described as a richer, more indulgent version of the croissant. It can be enjoyed as a breakfast pastry, a dessert or simply a treat alongside a cup of coffee or tea. It is a delicious pastry that is produced in Brittany, France."

Maison Georges Larnicol makes the Kouignettes in 3 sizes: mini, medium, and large (ok, technically 4 sizes, as they make a party size tray version that is 6.5" diameter as well).  They come with assorted fillings (almond, salted caramel, raspberry, chocolate, candied orange, pistachio, rum raisin, Contreau), or plain as "natural" flavor.  They recommend serving them warm with whipped cream or ice cream "for a delicious, sweet dessert".  You don't need to tell me twice to add either (or both!) of those.

Mini Raspberry Kouignette®.

"Miniature handmade pastries produced in Brittany using French flour & butter, and homemade raspberry jam."

First I tried one of the smallest pastries, the mini.  These were basically the size of any other mini pastry (1.5" diameter).  They didn't really look like kouign amann, but I know they are taking liberties with these "kouignettes".  The form factor was a bit odd, with the rolled shape, which isn't what I normally see with kouign amann, even filled ones.  It looked more like a cinnamon roll style or any other rolled danish.

I tried at room temperature first.  The pastry was a bit soft, not the crispy caramelized exterior that I know and love from fresh kouign amann.  But there was caramel (it was just soft), and the base dough had a very rich and decadent flavor.  Clearly lots of high quality butter and sugar at play here.  

The raspberry jam was incredibly flavorful and fruity.  Real raspberries used, clearly, lots of seeds.  It was very good, but very intense jam.  It made the overall pastry very sweet and fruity.  I liked it, but you definitely needed to be in the mood for a lot of jam.

Overall, this was good - clearly quality base ingredients, but a different spin on a kouign amann, and, clearly not a fresh item, so go in with those expectations.  If you found it in a hotel breakfast buffet, you'd think it was slightly above average, if that helps.

***+.

Medium Chocolate Kouignette®.

"Small pastry made from puff pastry with pure churn butter and chocolate ganache."

Next up, the medium, this time with chocolate filling.  These were still smaller than a standard kouign amann, but still big enough to feel like you ate a reasonably full size treat (2.3" diameter).  For context, the large are 3.5".  

I tried this at room temperature first too.  Same basic review: strangely soft, but great caramel and butter levels, very good tasting. Non-standard rolled format. Minimal chocolate between the layers, but what was there was deep, dark, and seemed high quality.

I heated it up, and the chocolate got slightly melty, which was a nice improvement.  Paired with a scoop of ice cream, it was an enjoyable treat.  Still not as good as fresh, but the quality taste of the base pastry is quite notable.  High ***+.

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