Snack Bars by Two Degrees

It has been a while since I've reviewed snack bars, but that doesn't mean I've stopped trying them.  As I'm frequently on the go, snack bars play an important role in my life.

I'm always glad to discover a new brand, particularly one with good sounding flavors. Two Degrees not only has bar that sound tasty, they are a good company.

"2 Degrees is a small food company with a big mission. They want to end childhood hunger around the world.  How does it work? For every bar you buy, they feed a hungry child. That’s it. Simple concept, simple business model."

I didn't dig into the details besides seeing that they do truly donate 1-for-1 to feed a malnourished child in Malawi, Somalia, India, or Haiti. I was happy to purchase a few bars in support of this mission.

"2 Degrees bars are just as simple too. They took a handful of healthy, gluten free and vegan ingredients, mixed them in a bowl, and shaped them using magic into delicious, nutritious snack bars."

Two Degrees makes exclusively vegan, gluten-free bars, and they aren't filled with protein isolates and chemicals.  All feature a base of millet, chia seeds and quinoa flake.

Chocolate Banana.

“This bar boasts un-sulphured dried bananas, vegan bittersweet chocolate chips, crisped rice and ground sunflower seeds. Bright banana tones compliment a balanced chocolate presence against a delectable cocoa background.” 

The first bar I tried was chocolate banana.

This had a subtle banana flavor (which was nice, as I didn't want too strong banana), but not nearly enough chocolate flavor.  It had a fairly healthy taste to it due to the sunflower seeds/chia/quinoa/millet.

It was fine, but not great.  I did like the textures and crunch.

***.

Apple Pecan.

“Slightly tart from the dried apples and lightly spiced with cinnamon, this bar was crafted to be like a chewy and crunchy apple pie. We added dried figs and plums along with sesame and sunflower seeds to compliment the toasted pecan pieces.” 

Next up, apple pecan.

This one was actually really good.  It had big chunks of dried apple which gave it a ton of flavor, and plenty of pecans.  I love pecans and the apple + pecan combo was a good one.  This one really did channel dessert vibes.

Definitely my favorite, and I enjoyed it several times, always thinking it was better than I expected.

****.

Chocolate Peanut.

“Filled with crunchy peanuts and bittersweet vegan chocolate chips that are blended with chunky peanut butter. Juicy raisins and the added touch of sea salt make it seductively sweet and savory.” 

Next, the one I thought I'd like the most, chocolate peanut.

It ... was just standard granola bar.  A nice chewy granola bar, but not much chocolate or peanut flavor.  It had lots of crunchy bits from the assorted grains, large peanuts so there was some peanut flavor, but the raisins were too prominent for me, since I don't like raisins in my bars.  Soft and sweet, but not my thing. 

**+.

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Cherry Almond.

“Teeming with dried tart cherries, this bar is replete with crunchy almonds and almond butter. Dried plums and plum butter give an added robust flavor that only stone fruits can provide. Our signature crunchy texture shines with the addition of nutrient-dense sunflower seeds.” 

Last I tried cherry almond.  It was pretty good - nice flavor from the cherries, and like the others, a great crunch to it.  The cherries made it a sticky style, and they were quite tart, so it had a bit of punch to it.  My second favorite bar.

***.

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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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