Nuii Ice Cream, Germany

 One of my favorite things about travel, particularly to other Google offices, is that most have ice cream freezers, stocked with local ice cream novelties.  Maybe they get boring to the locals, but to me, this is always a highlight.  My recent trip to Munich was no different, and I was thrilled to see the ice cream freezer remained well stocked throughout my trip, although with totally different products from the last time I was there (sadly, no more Mövenpick).

"Every Nuii ice cream uses the smoothest dairy ice cream, bursting with exciting textures and flavour, with ingredients carefully picked to evoke a feeling of adventure and discovery."

This time, one brand that was stocked was Nuii, with their range of "ice cream adventure" bars.  These bars are available in a slew of tempting flavors, all of which feature a location specific ingredient.  Eating the bar is supposed to be like taking you on an adventure there.  Get it?  So there is the "Caramel white chocolate & Texas pecan" for a trip to Texas, "Salted caramel & Australian macadamia" to visit Australia, "Dark chocolate & nordic berry", etc.

I'm not really sure where Nuii is from, as the products have worldwide appeal.

Coconut & Indian Mango

"Coconut dairy ice cream swirled with Indian mango and passion fruit sorbet, covered with white chocolate with coconut chips coated in coconut sugar and caramelised coconut flakes."

"India is known as a spiritual, botanical and culinary place and it is the homeland of the Alphonso Mango - which is often referred to as the "King of Mangos". We take this velvety smooth mango and mix it with passion fruit to create a fruity sorbet that we fold into a creamy coconut ice cream. We cover it all in white chocolate and coconut flakes to deliver multi-layered freshness and an exotic touch."

The first bar, er "ice cream adventure", I tried was the coconut & indian mango bar.  I was drawn in by love of both coconut and mango, and the white chocolate shell I could see on the wrapper.

I did love the thick white chocolate shell with crispy caramelized coconut flakes in it.  Super sweet, but really tasty.  However, I didn't really like it with what was inside ...

Coconut & Indian Mango: Inside.

Inside was ice cream, fairly smooth and creamy, and I actually thought it was vanilla, as I didn't taste much (any?) coconut.  That was fine.  

But the sorbet swirl I really didn't care for.  The fruity mango was super sweet and ok, but the passion fruit really surprised me (I didn't read description first to know it was there), and, well, it was just way way too sweet.  This was super tropical and fruity, and not what I was in the mood for.  With the delicious white chocolate shell it all was just sweet on sweet on sweet.

So, sadly, not what I wanted, but I think it is a well made product, and ideal for someone who wanted a sweet fruity treat.

**+.

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buffet Kull Bar, Munich

"French joie de vivre. With a New York spirit."

When in Germany, go to a French brasserie, right?  Perhaps not what most tourists do, but, to start of my recent trip to Munich, that is exactly what I did, my first night in town, with a couple co-workers.  I knew we had a full week of German beer halls, beer gardens, sausages and pretzels, and lots of meat and potatoes ahead.  I wanted something a bit different.

So to buffet Kull Bar we went, our reservation easily made ahead of time on Opentable.  Service was good, we were provided English menus (which I anticipated as their website had both English and German) but it definitely didn't feel like a touristy place, and every other table I overheard was speaking German.  The staff checked in on us just frequently enough, met my additional needs ("Could I have some salt and pepper?", "Do you have a small spoon I can use with my dessert?", "Can I take the leftovers to go", etc) with a smile and ease, and paced the meal out nicely.  Never rushed but not too leisurely either.

Setting

Buffet Kull bar is located a few blocks off the Marienplatz, so we were able to enjoy a leisurely stroll there from out hotel, great for keeping energy up and combating jet lag.

Sidewalk Seating.

The restaurant has a fairly small inside area, but expands out onto the sidewalk when the weather allows.  Since our visit was in May, this was iffy on the rain front, and we lucked out by it being a relatively warm evening.

More sidewalk seating.

Our table was right up against the restaurant, where they did have some heaters installed, and an awning to cover, neither of which were needed.

The vibe both outside and in was fairly vibrant, people all enjoying good wine and company, slightly nicer dining, but certainly not fine dining stuffy.

Food & Drink

"High-quality, Mediterranean-inspired meat and fish dishes meet a select range of wines and spirits; French brasserie cuisine meets New York lifestyle."

Savory Cuisine.

I had of course read the menu in advance online on their website, and looked at recent photos on Instagram, and was fairly certain I knew what I was ordering before setting foot in the restaurant.  I did actually kinda want 4 of the 8 starters, and kinda wanted 3 of the 8 mains, and would have gladly shared any of the additional side dishes, but actually I narrowed in on my choices fairly easily.

For my main, I actually had another starter (grilled octopus).  I knew I wanted at least one other starter and dessert, my appetite was skewed from jetlag and poorly timed (late) previous meals and snacks, so, 2 starters and a dessert was plenty, and the restaurant had no problem accommodating this.  I was pleased with my choices. 

Reds by the Glass.

The wine list was in its own leather binder, and was fairly extensive, all in German.  They did have only 4 regular reds by the glass, or 3 more by Coravin.  Most tables got bottles, but my companions started with beer, so I did wine by the glass, priced in .1L pours, which I wish places in the US did so I could try more wines at a time!

2016 Brunello di Montalcino, Casanova di Neri, Toskana. 18.50.

I splurged on a Coravin wine, a rare chance to try something like this.  I got only the tiny .1L pour, which would be perfect to enjoy alongside a single course.

It was far lighter than I had expected, not as much acid nor tannin as is characteristic of this style of wine, and was better suited for me anyway.  Very smooth and easy drinking, with subtle complexity to it.  I'd get it again, but would love to explore more of their wine list.

Bread Basket.

All tables were given a bread basket after ordering.  No butter nor olive oil came with it, and the bread was not warmed.  Two kinds, not sourdough.  I skipped this.

I failed to get a photo of the olives that were on the table when we arrived, with toothpicks for easy eating.

Marinated Green Asparagus. 16.60.

"with tarragon béarnaise & mustard eggs."

For my starter, I went with the seasonal pick: asparagus.  This was a green asparagus, as opposed to the white asparagus as a main.  I really was just craving asparagus, and in particular, asparagus with béarnaise/hollandaise, which I had, literally the day before (green with bearnaise) in the Swiss First Class lounge in Zurich (which, by the way, was outstanding! (review coming soon!), and the week before (local Zuckerman's farms colossal green with hollandaise at Boulevard in San Francisco).  This was actually the most interesting of all the preparations.

The serving of 4 spears looked a touch small at first, but with all the egg and other garnish, it was actually a nice size, I wouldn't have wanted more.  The asparagus were well cooked, not mushy, but not particularly flavorful.  It also wasn't particularly warm.  The colossal asparagus at Boulevard certainly had more flavor to it, and the Swiss Lounge asparagus was better seasoned.  So, the asparagus itself, fine, but not really interesting, and I did find myself really wanting a touch of salt and pepper (which, I asked for, and was quickly given grinders for each).

What made this interesting wasn't even the bearnaise actually (which, was good, light and fluffy), as the other two preps I had recently had similar components.  It wasn't the cute little tomatoes that I ignored as I don't care for cooked tomato.  Nope, it was the simple sounding "mustard eggs".  What this was was cubed bits of hardboiled egg along with grainy mustard.  Think of the egg you might get with caviar and blinis, and it was that, plus some mustard.  There was also a different yellow sauce on it (not the bearnaise, that was separate in a bowl), that I think was a citrus heavy oil?  Those components were actually really tasty, which surprised me as none seemed like anything I'd care about, and certainly not combined with each other.  But mixed together it was a tasty sauce to dunk my asparagus in, or really, even just eat on its own.

So, asparagus?  Fine.  Bearnaise?  Fine.  Accompaniments?  Tasty and fascinating.   I was glad to eat the dish, but I wouldn't likely order it again.

***+.

Crustacean Carpaccio. 19.50.

"with raw marinated artichokes, lime vinaigrette, & szechuan pepper."

My dining companions opted to split the crustacean carpaccio, which was my second choice, and likely what I would have ordered if I hadn't just had a crustacean "salad" on my Swiss Airlines First Class flight (again, review coming soon!) that seemed similar, and filled all my quasi raw crustacean needs for a few days.

It came with one seared scallop, that looked like it had a decent sear, but was not particularly large.  It also had all sorts of emulsions drizzled over it, and what we think was candied lemon peel.  Now that I see this, I think actually my dish had the same yellow sauce (lime vinaigrette?) and buffet Kull did definitely re-use components across dishes.

They seemed happy enough with this dish.

Grilled Octopus. 17.50.

"with fine merguez lamb sausage, lime & pointed bell pepper pesto."

My main dish was actually another starter, the one I most wanted, the octopus.  In very uncharacteristic style, it turns out that I totally missed the *lamb* description on the merguez sausage, but luckily I realized it before I started eating.  My dining companions, both of whom almost ordered the lamb main (and one did) gladly took it off my hands.

The octopus was really nicely done, and I was very happy with my pick.  I had octopus the day before that wasn't nearly as good, and before that ... I don't know the last time I had octopus.  It had a slight smoky quality from the grill, the perfect chew (not rubbery), and really, was just well prepared.  They always have an octopus on the menu, and it gets strong reviews, which I realized why.

This dish was another though where the accompaniments really were interesting.  The green base I believe was a pea puree, not mentioned on the menu at all, but very "spring" flavored, smooth, creamy.  I quite enjoyed it.  The red stuff was the "pointed bell pepper pesto" which I was prepared to say "meh" to, as I don't tend to be excited about bell pepper flavors, but, this was crazypants flavorful and went really well with the octopus.  I loved the texture too.  There was also a thin brown sauce on the plate I couldn't identify.

Overall, a very good dish, great execution of the protein, tasty sides.  I'd get it again.

****.  

Char Fillet. 28.50.

"with pointed cabbage, lobster bisque & char caviar."

One of my dining companions went for the char, which was probably my third choice of main (behind the loup de mer and white asparagus).  I had char the previous two days though, so I was sufficiently sick of char/salmon/etc.  It looked nice, skin crispy.

My other dining companion opted for the lamb, that I didn't take a photo of, but we definitely on the well done side of medium-well, which was disappointing to him.  He had the same tasty bell pepper pesto I did, along with cous cous and other mediteranean inspirations.  It seemed fine, but, more cooked than he'd like.

Dessert Menu.

The theme of my trip so far had been desserts, lot of them (on my flight, in the airline lounges, at breakfast that morning, after lunch ...), so you'd think perhaps I'd skip dessert, particularly when the menu didn't have anything I particularly wanted, but ... you know me and dessert.

The dessert lineup:

• Crème Brûlée (which, I'd normally get in a heartbeat, but, I literally had panna cotta just a a few hours before, and panna cotta, and whipped cheesecake, and mango mousse the day before that ... so, yes, crème brûlée lover I am, I wasn't interested in another pudding-like dessert).
• Tarte Tatin (which, um, I never like, and is very far at the bottom of my list of desserts, particular apple ones).
• Rhubarb Crumble (fruit crumble with ice cream?  Yes!  Oh, but, rhubarb ... too many childhood experiences of mom making strawberry-rhubarb this or that, and me thinking it was just strawberry ....)
• Chocoalte Foundant (which I'd get if not nighttime, but, #caffeine).
• Lemon Sorbet (I mean really, is this even a dessert?  It is a palette cleanser!).
• Cheese Plate (After a day in Zurich, I didn't need more cheese!).

And thus, dessert didn't really make sense, neither of my companions were hankering for it either, but ... you know me.  Warm fruit crumble it was, even if rhubarb, as it came with an interesting sounding ice cream that I could enjoy if all else failed.  My co-workers wanted the same, and didn't want to split anything, so, 3 of the same it was.

The dessert menu also listed a few dessert wines, grappe, and a slew of brandies.

Hazelnut Brandy, Lantenhammer, Schliersee. 8.80.

Since I had only .1L of wine and my wine glass became empty long ago, I decided to pair dessert with one of the many brandies on the menu, sorta randomly picking the hazelnut one.

The aroma to this was lovely.  Sooo much nutty goodness.  It smelt like Nutella.  And then, you take a sip, and ... yup, it is alcohol!  My co-workers agreed it smelt amazing, and said it was like if your vodka smelt like Nutella.

Fun to sip and try, not something I'd get again. ***.

Rhubarb Crumble. 10.50.

"with sour cream ice cream."

The crumbles took a little time to arrive, but clearly each had been freshly baked, or at least warmed, in their own creme brulee dishes.  I appreciated that they were served so warm.

I almost liked this.  It was actually more like a soft warm cake or muffin to me than a crumble - the top was crumble-eque, but the body was mostly softer cake, rather than what I expected as a fruity heavy base with just crumble/crisp on top.  I'd say mine was at least 85% crumble rather than fruit.  Maybe more what I'd call a buckle or betty?  Anyway, that part was sweet, warm, and decent, but I was in the mood for a fruit dessert, and got pretty sick of eating cake.

The fruit was quite minimal in mine, very cooked down mushy rhubarb, very sweet actually, no signature rhubarb tartness coming through.  So I didn't mind it, but would prefer some other kind of seasonal fruit.

And finally, the sour cream ice cream, which I did quite enjoy.  It was tart and creamy and helped balance the otherwise quite sweet dessert.  Warm dessert and cool ice cream is always a winner for me, and I even would have wanted more of it (or, equal parts this and whipped cream or whipped creme fraiche), as I ran out, and was thus left with spoonfuls of just cake.  Ratios just felt off all around on this.

So, interesting, but not entirely successful. ***.

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Schmalznudel Café Frischhut, Munich

When I travel, I love to check out regional variations on a theme, like, the classic donut.  Ok, perhaps not quite a donut, but Schmalznudel Café Frischhut serves up a pretty close German equivalent (and no, I'm not just talking about Berliners!)

Setting

Schmalznudel Café Frischhut is fairly easy to find, just half a block down from the Viktualienmarkt.  I get the impression it is always busy.  When I first arrived, there was a line down the sidewalk just for the takeout window.  It moves quickly though, every person processed in mere seconds.

Items can be purchased for takeout at the register, or table service is available out front, in a garden out back, or inside.  Most people seem to get their items to go, so they can stroll through the nearby market.

Oh, cash only, be prepared.

Fresh Dough.

You can see how freshly made everything is, this is an active bakery before your eyes.  Dough was set to rise in the window, ready to be fried off soon ...

Freshly prepared.

Here are the signature schmalznudel doing their thing ...

Indoor Seating.

The cafe actually has a reasonable amount of seating, mostly small tables, and lovely rustic decor inside.

Back Patio.

There is also a sunny back patio.

Both seating areas have full table service.

The Baked Goods

Schmalznudel Café Frischhut makes exactly 5 items (plus coffee), all of which are on display in the window in front.  All cost exactly the same: 2.40.  All are very fresh.

Rohrnudeln - 2 kinds (with or without stewed plum).

The bakery makes two kinds of rohrnudeln.

These buns are sold individually, sorta like brioche with a slightly sugary exterior.  Available plain or with stewed plum inside.

Krapfen & Stritzerl.

The next two treats are the krapfen (basically a Berliner, filled with apricot jam) and a stritzerl which looked like a plain fried dough stick.

And then, their signature item.

Schmalznudel. 2.40.

I opted to get the signature item, schamlznudel.  Once I ordered, I was offered sugar or not, much like the donut shop (Muriel's) in my hometown.  Of course I opted for sugar, and my fresh item was coated in it before being handed over.

It was ... fine.  Fresh fried dough.  Yes sugar.  But really, I didn't quite understand the appeal.  It was quite greasy (particularly the thin center) and the dough didn't really have any flavor to it.  Sugar was nice, but, a bit plain.  Cinnamon sugar I could see working better?  I had some tiramisu cream with me that I dunked it in, and I suspect spreading some jam or Bavarian cream on would jazz it up, but as it was, it was just fairly plain.  Fine, but boring?  Basically, less good than state fair fried dough/funnel cake, less good than a donut.

I wouldn't really want another.  My bag, and everything I touched for an hour after, was covered in grease. ***.

Rohrnudeln - with stewed plum. 2.40.

My companion selected the one with stewed plum, and we traded chunks of our treats.

It was basically as I expected - fresh, lofty, brioche, which is fine, but a bit boring.  The lightly caramelized exterior was nice.

I didn't see this as a real dessert, but could make for a nice morning bun.

Rohrnudeln: inside.

Inside it did have a whole plum, super soft and cooked down.  Slightly sweet, slightly tart, slightly jammy, very different from things we have in the US.

Overall, interesting, and as I said, maybe something I'd want at 8am alongside a coffee, but didn't seem dessert appropriate at 1pm.  It was quite fresh though.

***.

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Dinner in the Lounge @ Boulevard

Ah, Boulevard.   I've been to Boulevard a handful of times over the years, such as my full dinner in the main dining room, a full dinner at the Chef's Counter, and just appetizers and desserts.  I've also hosted a lovely large group private dinner there.

Boulevard is a bit of a classic.  Always great sounding menus, always fairly reliable, good, solid execution, satisfying ... but doesn't blow me away.  After several pandemic years, I finally returned to Boulevard on a random Friday night with one other.  We had no reservation, but arrived right after opening at 5pm, and were able to have our choice of seating in the lounge area.  The restaurant quickly filled up though, and by midway through our meal the entire place was filled.  Coming early certainly was the right move for not having a reservation.

A la Carte Menu.

Since we dined in the lounge area, the menu was a la carte, rather than the 3 course tasting menu served in the main dining room.  I preferred this, as it allowed us to order just starters and mains (yes, I know, I skipped dessert, but Boulevard desserts rarely impress).

Our service was good, even though it got quite busy, and although it lacked the touches like an amuse bouche, I was pleased with the more casual vibe of the lounge area.  Everything was well paced, we never felt rushed, and overall just a nice experience.

French Manhattan. $20.

"Cognac, Dolin Sweet Vermouth, Grand Marnier, Orange Bitters."

I started the meal with a cocktail, a slightly interesting spin on it, the French Manhattan.

It was an elegant cocktail, presented in an appropriate glass.  It was boozy, cognac forward, and quite enjoyable, citrus accents and all.  I let my cherry soak up all the alcoholic goodness, and quite enjoyed it as a very sweet, very boozy final bite.

A strong, yet well balanced cocktail, and a nice start to the meal.

***+.

We moved on to a lovely bottle of red, that I failed to get the details on, but was light yet complex, with an aromatic floral bouquet on the nose, which makes me feel ridiculous saying, but, well, was true.

Starter: Zuckerman's Colossal Aparagus. $20.

"Olive oil hollandaise & summer truffles."

I was really, really happy to see asparagus on the menu.  And of course, sourced from local darling Zuckerman's.  Perfectly in season, and I've been kinda adoring it lately.  The menu had changed slightly since I saw it posted online, no more brillat-savarin fondue (!!) but olive oil hollandaise instead.

The asparagus, colossal as advertised, was well prepared, although I do prefer a bit more al dente.  It was juicy and fresh though, although I've had more flavorful recently.  It was warm, but not all that hot.  The summer truffles were novel but didn't deliver much flavor nor earthiness either. The hollanaise was nice  to dredge the asparagus in.

I found some bites to be massively under-seasoned, even commenting to my dining companion that it needed a touch of salt, but some bites did have that necessary pop.  I think it was just unevenly seasoned.

So, overall, the dish was fine, but, I've had more flavorful, more properly seasoned asparagus other places, even my office cafes.  I wouldn't get it again, but wasn't unhappy to eat it.

***.

Main: Sea Scallops. $48.

"Roasted morel mushrooms, crispy cauliflower panise, fresh carrot with brown butter & carrot jus viniagrette."

This was a lovely, lovely, lovely dish.

The scallops, three large sea scallops, had a great sear on them, nice caramelization.  Pretty textbook execution, no complaints , and really, they were shockingly large, even for sea scallops.  Well cleaned, no grit.  

And then the "crispy cauliflower panise", another 3 items, this time, cubes of mashed cauliflower (I guess?), with a crisp exterior and yet creamy interior.  I originally thought they were potato but the taste didn't quite match, and now I see why.  I liked the creamy component they added to the dish, and the symmetry between the three scallops and three panise.

But the dish had much, much more.  The carrots I could kinda do without, again, in a trio, mid-size carrots, decently cooked, not too soft, but, eh, carrots.  Cooked carrots aren't quite my thing.  Fine but throwaway.  The morels though ... swoon.

Luckily there were more than three of these, and they were expertly prepared.  The morels delivered all the flavor and earthy tones that the truffles on the starter did not, and wow, they soaked up the sauce beautifully.  They were rich without feeling too heavy or weighed down, and just a true joy to eat.

Everything was rounded out by a pretty orange carrot viniagrette.  While I'm "eh" on cooked carrots, the sauce worked really well, and I enjoyed running everything through it, soaking up every last bit.  And floral garnishes may have been a bit showy, but, they worked too.

Overall, just a really well conceived, flawlessly executed, interesting spin on seared scallops, and although the $48 price may be a bit high for 3 scallops, I really can't fault the dish in any way.

****.

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Mrs. Redd's Pies

Mrs. Redd’s Pie Company is a hard brand to learn about.  They have no website.  Yup, in the year 2022, a company exists with no website.  And in this case, it is not because its a tiny little local bakery in a small town.  

Mrs. Redd's does have a retail bakery location, but their baked goods are primarily distributed by grocery stores and supermarkets, at least in California.  I see their "pies" on the shelves at my local Safeway all the time, right alongside Hostess, and I know Walmart carries them too.  It seems Mrs. Redd's is a fairly big brand, just, one with virtually no internet presence.  All I could learn about the company is their moto:

"Real fruit filling."

So I can't tell you much about the brand, besides that they make snack pies, much like Hostess, in a variety of flavors: apple, cherry, berry, chocolate, vanilla, coconut, pineapple, and lemon.  They claim to be "locally sourced" and use real fruit.  Reviews are generally quite positive, always saying how they are better than Hostess.  I've tried to find the coconut, pineapple, vanilla, or chocolate ones in stores near me, but alas, the less exciting apple, cherry, berry, and every once in a while, lemon, ones are all my stores seem to have.

Pies.

I've wondered about the brand for a while, so, one day, when really craving that kind of thing, I took a plunge, and picked up a few.  They all come as individuals, in paper bags.  I suspected they'd be much like the Hostess snack pies (which I've reviewed before) they were displayed alongside (e.g. not an actual pie crust, made for one-handed eating, and filled with generic goo, not wholesome ingredients), or perhaps akin to McDonald's pies (which I've also reviewed)?

Berry Pie.

The first one I tried was the "berry" pie.

I eagerly opened my package to find my berry pie.  It was significantly smaller than the packaging.  I bit in to the end and ... honestly, was met with disappointment.  The bite was entirely crust, even though I took a big bite.  And that crust?  Well, kinda, gross?  I knew it wouldn't be flaky pie crust, but, I thought with the glaze it would have some kind of redeeming element.  It really ... didn't.  It didn't taste like much at all, it wasn't particularly sweet, and the texture was just ... there.  

I pushed onward.  Crust only ... uh ... *+.

Berry Pie: Cross Section.

What were the berries lurking within?  A glance at the ingredients tells me it is ... blackberries.  Just blackberries.  For some reason, I expected a mix of berries.  Why not just call this blackberry pie?  I wished I had looked at the label before purchasing, because, honestly, I would have picked cherry, or even lemon, instead.  I just don't dig blackberries that much (seeds!).  I say this as someone who grew up with blackberry bushes in her yard, and copious amounts of fresh berries, and always, blackberry pies.  Oh, well.  The imagery on the front wrapper was indeed only blackberries, so, not entirely misleading.  Again, oh, well.

Once I got past the end crust, the pie really was loaded up with filling.  And I need not fear those blackberry seeds, as seeds were nowhere to be found.  It was just dark colored, vaguely berry flavored, goo.  Thick, gloopy goo.  Er, "real fruit filling"?

At room temperature, this thing was just ... not good.  Hostess pies are considerably better.  But still, I pushed onward.

I threw it in the toaster oven for a few minutes to warm it up.  I got out maple ice cream, whipped cream, and fresh blackberries.  I served it warm, a la mode, with extra berries and whip, and then, and only then, did I enjoy it.  But ... I certainly wouldn't get another, as it didn't offer much besides some warm fruity goo to top my ice cream/whip/berries.

What is remarkable about it is that it is somehow 520 calories, and 21g fat, for a very small pie.  If it tasted particularly decadent, I can understand that, but I have no clue where all those calories went - this didn't taste like it should be particularly calorie-laden, and given that it required at least one scoop of ice cream and a generous pile of whipped cream to make it edible, I quickly had a 1000 calorie mediocre dessert on my hands.

** as packaged, **+ once warm, *** once warm and a la mode + whip + berries.  Clearly, not getting another.

Update Review: Except, really strangely, I found myself craving another a few days later.  So I got another.  I served it warm, a la mode, with fresh blueberries this time, and liked it even more.  I was just really in the mood for it I think.  I think I still like Hostess ones more though, the crust on this one just isn't as good. ***+ for served my way, with adjusted expectations, and strong craving.

Apple Pie.

Still intrigued by Mrs. Redd's I opted for the apple pie next, since, well, it is a classic, and, as I said in my review of a similar product from Entenmann's, "Sometimes, a simple little snack pie is all you want." 

I had a better sense of what to expect this time though, and when that first bite at room temperature yielded all mediocre crust and no filling, I was ready for it.  My toaster oven was also ready, so I could warm it up, as I knew how much that transformed the berry pie.

Once warmed up, and served a la mode, I really actually enjoyed this pie.  It doesn't have as much glaze as its Entenmann's or Hostess counterparts, and the crust isn't particularly great (it isn't bad either, it just kinda "is"), but when eaten together with ice cream and filling, it was a complete tasty bite.  The filling was diced apple and some goo, nice to have the apple bits, but still plenty of thick goo.  Lightly spiced.  Again, not remarkable, but warmed up, with the ice cream and the crust, I was quite satisfied.

I wouldn't go out of my way for this pie, and it certainly wasn't as glorious as something like the deep fried version from Krispy Krunchy Chicken (zomg, like their mac and cheese, sooo good, and yes it is just fast food!), but when you know what to expect, and how to serve it, it is quite satisfying, and for $1 a pie ... absolutely worth it.

***+.

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Dragon Eats

Dragon Eats is a small chain of casual Vietnamese lunch spots, with a location really close to my house.  I've walked by sooooo many times, and always been a bit curious as I love a good bahn mi, but, I aways go by on the weekend, when they are closed.  The location near me is open only Mon-Fri, lunchtime only, and takeout only.

I became further interested in Dragon Eats during the pandemic, when they managed to reopen partway through, when the rest of my neighborhood was entirely shut down.  They always had a crowd, and most often then not, a sign out saying they were out of duck (this seems to be a very common occurrence!)  Whenever I walked by on weekends, I saw an employee (the owner?) busy stocking things, cleaning, prepping.  I wanted to root for them to make it through the pandemic just because it seemed like they were working so hard.

I only later learned the Dragon Eats has several locations, the others are open on weekends.   I was able to visit recently while on a neighborhood tour (run by my neighborhood community district), and also got a chance to meet the owner.  He verified what I suspected - they care about freshness and roast their own duck, chop veggies and herbs fresh every morning, etc.

Menu.

The menu at Dragon Eats is made up of only a few things: banh mi, fresh bowls, salads, and fresh rolls.  Most are available with several different protein options. Bags of chips and bottled drinks found out the menu. 

We were able to try both a bahn mi and fresh roll on our tour, but alas, I wasn't able to choose the protein.  I'd love to return again and order something I like more.

5 Spices Chicken Bahn Mi (half). $8.50.

"Pate, mayo, carrot + pickled diakon, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeno."

Bahn Mi are available in 7 varieties: classic roast pork with pate and the works, a similar version with 5 spice chicken, a tempting sounding sardine option (no pate, add fried shallots), roast duck (often sold out!  No pate, with sweet and sour sauce), pork meatball (no pate), garlic butter chicken breast (also no pate), or a vegan teriyaki tofu with fried shallots.

If I was ordering myself, I'd be tempted by the classic roast pork with pate as I just love pate, possibly the sardine one because I do love oily little fish, maybe the pork meatball, or the roast duck although I wasn't quite so sure about the sweet and sour sauce.  But alas, for this event, our host picked one of the two I'd never pick: the 5 spices chicken.  I'd even pick tofu over this.  But at least it wasn't the garlic butter chicken breast, as this at least had pate?

I was still able to evaluate the quality of the bread and freshness of ingredients, even if the primary component, the chicken, wasn't for me.

The baguette was nicely crispy on the outside, fluffy inside, seemed fresh enough.  It wasn't remarkable, but it wasn't bad.  I liked the generous portion of pickled carrot + diakon, and it was clear that the cucumber and herbs were quite fresh.  The mayo was pretty minimal - I'll be honest, I really like a significant slather of mayo in my bahn mi, and this left me wanting for more creaminess.  Likewise, the pate, just a tiny tiny amount ... honestly, I wouldn't have known it was there if not listed on the menu.  And then of course, the chicken.  Which was a mix of dark and white meat, mostly dark, and well marinated in the 5 spice blend.  It made me wish it was pork or duck.

So overall ... fresh ingredients, clearly made with care, but I wanted far more pate, and, well, not chicken (the later bit is not their fault in any way though).  The $8.50 price for a full size sandwich seems reasonable.

***.

Chicken Fresh Rolls.  $8.50/each.

"Avocado, rice noodle, red leaf lettuce, mint".

For a lighter option, in addition to bowls, Dragon Eats offers fresh rolls, large spring rolls, in only 3 varieties: shrimp, chicken breast, or teriyaki tofu.  All have rice noodles, lettuce, and mint inside.  I'd normally order shrimp, and would never pick chicken, particularly as it has avocado also and I'm allergic, but alas, I wasn't ordering.

I couldn't really evaluate this, but, it was well wrapped, had very visible fresh large slices of avocado, plenty of minced chicken, and rice noodles.  And, um, some cilantro garnish.

Peanut Sauce.

The fresh rolls come with peanut sauce, which was tasty enough, although I'd prefer something like sweet chili, rather than this heavy sauce. ***.

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Kettle Chips

I've had a thing for salty, crispy snacks lately, so I've been trying out all sorts of chips.  It is pretty random, as I honestly think I hadn't had a bag of chips for about 10 years, and suddenly I crave them all the time.

Kettle brand chips show up as the "premium" chips at most delis and casual places around town, so I've tried a bunch of their flavors.  I don't really care for their standard chips, but the Krinkle Cuts and the Baked ones are pretty decent. 

Krinkle Cut™

"We slice our Krinkle Cut™ chips nice and thick, so you get a satisfying crunch in every bite. It’s the perfect chip for dipping, but you don’t need to with all the bold, all-natural flavor nestled into those rich, golden ridges."

I really like the krinkle cut chips.  They are so crunchy and satisfying, my favorite of Kettle brand products.

Buffalo Bleu.

 "From the first, bold crunch, you’re hit with a tangy assault of chili spice. But…wait for it…a hint of bleu cheese comes around the corner and pulls it all together in a supremely craveable, insanely crunchable mouthful of goodness."

These didn’t really seem like buffalo flavor (not spicy as described), nor did they seem blue cheese flavored.

But, I did like them.  They had a sweetness to them, and reminded me of bbq chips.  The crickle cut allowed for maximum coating in the chips.

***+.

Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper.

 "There is a reason they make salt and pepper shakers in matching sets—they go together like no two other spices in the world. We’ve taken that collaboration of flavor goodness to new heights (and depths) by lightly sprinkling them on the rolling ridges of our Krinkle Cut chips." 

I thought that I'd dislike this flavor, since I've had pepper chips before and really disliked them, but these were not bad.  Not my favorite flavor, but, decent.  The pepper flavor was there for sure, but somehow it wasn't strange.  Salt level was also good.

***.

Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper (2022).

"This iconic duo has never been so extra. That’s because every Krinkle Cut Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper Kettle Brand Chip holds the boldest amount of salt and pepper possible."

I forgot that I'd tried these before, and I'm really not sure why I picked them, to be honest, as I don't tend to like pepper chips (I use pepper on plenty of things, but on chips, or french fries, zomg, I just hate pepper!  I can't explain it!).

These were ok ... I do like the krinkle style, nicely folded over pieces, and thickness.  The pepper I didn't care for, and they actually seemed overly salty too.  So ... mostly, good form factor, not flavor for me.

***.

Thick + Bold: Dill Pickle.

"Like the Tangy Spears that inspired them, Kettle Brand Thick and Bold Dill Pickle chips leave you with one thing to decide: In your sandwich, or beside? The extra crunchy thick ridge cut chips offer the perfect balance of tang, dill, onion and garlic. "

These sounded great.  I love dill pickles.  And, yes, I was one of those people who always put pickles and chips into my sandwiches when I was a kid.  So, the pickle flavor sounded right to me!

And ... they were my favorite Kettle chips ever.  The Krinkle Cut is wonderful, as marketed, the ridges help catch all the flavor.  The thick chips have a wonderful crunch.  Form factor alone, these are an enjoyable chip to eat.

The flavor ... it really does remind me of a dill pickle.  A little dill and vinegar, but more onion, garlic, and salt than I'm used to with dill pickles.  Still, an enjoyable flavor, and, I'd get these again.

***.

Dill Pickle - Updated Formula 2021.

"If you say yes to chips and a pickle, every time you walk into a deli, then Kettle Brand Dill Pickle Chips will leave you shook. With all the flavor of both made boldly from whole, thick cut potatoes, you really couldn’t ask for more. Except for maybe that sandwich you went into the deli for in the first place. "

A few years later,  I did indeed get them again.  The pros are still the same: of all Kettle brand chips, I certainly prefer the "thick and bold" style of the Krinkle Cut, as they are thicker, crunchier, and just a form I prefer.  So, great form factor.

Second, they really are an extremely flavorful chip.  Bold, as they say.  And they *do* taste remarkably like pickles.

So, all that is good.  But for me, the flavor isn't quite what I want - I love pickles, but these are a different style of pickle flavor than I prefer, which is kinda impossible to really describe, but, it is what it is.  I was glad to try them again, but I don't think I'd get these again.

***.

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Cheddar and Sour Cream (Retired Flavor)

Decent cheddar and sour cream flavor.  Much better than Ruffles.  Very crispy, I really like the form factor.  ***+.

Preview review notes: Super crispy, delicious cheesy flavor, I really like these. Nice and crunchy.

Classic Kettle Chips

"Our classic Chips are made from the whole potato and seasoned with authentic recipes. Cut thick and flavored just past the point of bold, they’re extra in a good way."

This is their original, and namesake kettle style line of products.  My least favorite of their offerings, generally, just thin, standard kettle chips.  They do have some creative flavors though, I'll give them that.

Sweet Chilli and Sour Cream.

"There's nothing like Thai Cuisine for its wonderfully complex balance of flavours. We've added our own twist to the authentic spicy sweetness by combining with the coolness of sour cream."

These are available in Europe only.

When I saw these, I had to try them.  When I lived in Sydney, I became a bit obsessed with potato wedges served with sour cream and sweet chili sauce.  To this day, I still do not understand why we do not have them in the US.  I was interested to see them made into chips.

The chips were basic crunchy kettle chips, nothing remarkable.  The sweet chili flavor was a bit lost though, they tasted more like bbq to me, except bbq crossed with sour cream and cheddar.  Interesting, but, nothing like what I wanted them to be.

**+.

Sriracha.

"Our flavor experts have done it again. This bold flavor is everything you love about the hot sauce on a chip. The combination of chili, garlic, and vinegar creates the authentic taste of the real deal".

These were actually really quite good.  Did they taste like sriracha?  Well, no actually.

Like the sweet chili chips, they reminded me of a bbq chip.  The initial flavor was actually sweet.  They did have a kick to them that came in on the finish.  Really a fun chip to eat, since it evolved from sweet to spicy.  But sriracha?  Nah.  Particularly tasty with some dip.  ***.

Update: I had these again months later, completely forgetting that I had tried them before, and without re-reading this review.  I again liked the flavor, but found that it didn't taste like sriracha at all.  And, again, I enjoyed dipping them in a dip (this time, chive creme fraiche), but I thought they were fine plain too.

Maple Bacon.

"This natural flavor match combines the deep smokiness of bacon, the rich sweetness of real maple syrup and the subtle spice of chili pepper for a nostalgic, comfort food combination. "

These obviously sounded like winners.  Who doesn't love maple and bacon?

Alas, like many other flavors, they really just tasted bbq-esq to me.  BBQ isn't a bad thing, but I really didn't taste anything maple nor bacon about these.  Really, just standard bbq-like kettle chips. ***.

Jalapeño.

"Jalapeño Kettle Brand® Potato Chips have a zesty, south of the border flavor. Striking a perfect balance between fresh, well-rounded flavor and the clean, spicy bite of jalapeño peppers, these all natural chips are easy to eat with a satisfying burn that sneaks up on you. " 

Again, standard kettle style chip with a decent kick from jalapeño.  Crispy, decent.  ***.

Update Review: Nice kick, good flavor.

New York Cheddar.

"When cheese grows up, where does it go? The big city, of course. Sophisticated, bold, confident, and brazen. Comfortable in the penthouse or the subway, this chip is going places. Sometimes we think we’ve gone just a little bit crazy over this chip thing, but big city flavor’ll do that."

I really did not care for these.  They weren't cheesy at all.  I honestly did not taste any cheddar at all.  They were very oily.

Update Review (2022): I've had these before, but it had been years.

I was really in the mood for something cheesy and crispy, and I had visions of the Ruffle's Cheddar & Sour Cream I used to love growing up.  I knew these wouldn't be that, but I did expect to taste some (fake) cheese.  The ingredients do list both cheese and sour cream.

I was very disappointed.

As always, I just don't really care for this style of very crispy, very fried, kettle chip.  I love the assorted chip sizes, and some bent over and some not, but, eh to the actual taste.

But I was in it for the cheese factor.  Except ... these had none.  Seriously, none.  I had far more of the bag than I wanted, hunting for cheese.  It was never found.

What was the flavor?  Uh ... grease and salt?  Really.  I tasted nothing remotely cheesy.

Did not like, and would not get again. *.

Korean Barbeque.

"Remember that time you tasted a sweet and savory mix of plum, garlic, and hoison on a potato chip? No, of course you don’t. Because Kettle Brand Korean Barbecue Chips are a one-of-a-kind flavor flex from the other side of the globe that you never saw coming."

Ok, I may be a bit "meh" on Kettle brand chips but ... how amazing did these sound?  BBQ chips are my favorite, and Korean BBQ sounded even better (and, unique!).

They let me down.  They actually were a fine chip, but, I certainly didn't get the Korean bbq aspect of them.  They had a slightly smoky taste actually, more like a mesquite bbq, and had a sweetness, like Lay's BBQ chips.  So, not bad, and in the bbq department, but, not really the "korean" flavor I was hoping for.

***.

Honey Dijon.

"Kettle Brand Honey Dijon is extra tangy and extra sweet, all at the same time. So extra, extra, read all about it, if you’re looking for thick-cut chips that layer flavor on flavor, these are all you."

Wow, what a fascinating flavor.  I am pretty sure I've never had a honey mustard flavored potato chip before.  It never occurred to me to seek out such a flavor.  But I do absolutely adore dipping french fries (particularly sweet potato fries) in honey mustard (or sweet and sour, or barbecue sauce), so, potatoes & honey mustard is a natural combo for me.  I've just not had it in chip form.

Anyway, I really liked the flavor.  It was tangy like mustard, but sweet (not that it tasted like honey, but, there was a sweetness for sure).  Almost like a barbecue-mustard.  Really a fairly complex and interesting flavor, and for some reason, these chips didn't seem quite as fried either.

Overall, definitely winners, and I'd get them again.

****.

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• Backyard BBQ: "Everyone loves the flavor of Backyard Barbeque® – smoky, spicy, tangy and sweet. ".  Tasting notes:  They were just a standard kettle style bbq chip.  Ok bbq flavor, good crunch, but nothing standout.  Good dipped in greek yogurt! [ Standard crispy bbq chip. Good crispness, but nothing remarkable here ] [ Standard, crispy, kettle chip.  Not special, but not bad. ] [ Not great bbq flavor, crispy, but I don't like them ]
• Salt & Vinegar: "The perfect balance of zesty sea salt, a hint of tongue-puckering vinegar and satisfying crunch". Tasting notes: These were quite flavorful chips.  I really appreciated both the saltiness and the strong vinegar.  But ... again, the thin style, oily kettle chips just weren't for me. [ Yup, great vinegar flavor, but thin and crispy, and meh ]
• Sea Salt (Europe Only):  "Sometimes less is more. Thick, full-flavoured slices of carefully selected potato are brought to life with just a sprinkling of sea salt - simple. ". Tasting notes: Just greasy standard kettle chips.  Meh.

Baked

"Kettle Brand Baked potato chips are made from REAL sliced potatoes, unlike many other baked chips you've tried. We take real potatoes. Slice them. Cook them to a crunchy perfection. Then season them with fresh, natural ingredients."

The baked chips also aren't bad.  They clearly don't go too far in the "healthy" direction, still keeping them satisfying.

Baked Chips.

Sea Salt: 

"Only three ingredients in this classic chip: potatoes, oil, and sea salt. Why mess with simplicity? The pureness of a whole potato, thinly sliced, cooked to golden perfection and seasoned with fresh sea salt delivers undeniable flavor and crunch."

Salty, nice flavor, but I got bored quickly.  Full slices of potato, skin on.  Good when craving salty.  **+.

Update review:  Pretty tasty, particularly given that they are so much healthier!  Very good dipped in yogurt, reminds me of a baked potato with sour cream.  ***.

Another update review:  I really like these, particularly when dipped in mac and cheese! So much potato flavor, crispy, good!  My favorite baked style, bar far.  ***+.

Salt & Vinegar:

"We've paired a splash of bold and tangy vinegar with a sprinkle of fresh sea salt to give these chips boatloads of flavor. Whole natural slices of our select spuds are cooked into crunchy, golden curves of pure potato, and then brought to life with a spectacular tart, salty finish. ". 

Nice and crispy, good potato flavor, tangy from vinegar, gladly would eat these. 

Update review: Really crispy, nice tang from vinegar.

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