Oh, man. Has anyone else tried this new Acapulco Chicken salad? It's REALLY good -- it's not beating out Southwest Chicken, but it p0wns the other two.
Uh, for those of you who don't know, Jack In The Box is the second-best fast food chain in the country. (The first is In-N-Out.) They started selling these amazing salads about two, three years ago, which quickly became my favorite food. They're huge, they're delicious, and they don't exist on the East Coast, where I go to college. So for two years I've been California dreaming in the wintry cold of the desolate Northeast, choking down moose jerky and whatever else the hardened natives of that land could find alive in the dead land, until I could finally return to the land of sunshine, smiles, and happy children. Delicious, happy children...
Anyway, I'm gonna finish this sucker off. Just thought I'd spread the good news, and inspire bitter jealousy in all those not lucky enough to live in California. But I expect they feel that way on a regular basis anyway.
Posted by MyrddinFyre (Member # 2576) on :
Boo. I'm perfectly happy with Crazy Burger, mmmmm.
Actually, moose jerky sounds awesome.
Posted by signal (Member # 6828) on :
You spelled "pwns" wrong.
I'm with you on In N Out being the best fast food burger place. Wish I coud have a double double animal style about now.
edit: spelling. doh!
[ July 12, 2006, 07:58 AM: Message edited by: signal ]
Posted by CaySedai (Member # 6459) on :
THE best fast food place? What about Culver's? We just got one and it's great. Or El Pollo Loco - I haven't eaten at that place in years (well, I don't live in California anymore). I kind of like Sonic, but our Sonic did something really stupid and I'm still not going there. I also like Long John Silver's and Quiznos.
I was already hungry - now I'm just hungrier. Grrr.
Posted by Primal Curve (Member # 3587) on :
Culver's isn't bad (they originated in Wisconsin, so I gotta give 'em mad props). They used to have the best chicken tenders you could buy (well, they still do, but they changed my favourite): The Buffallo Chicken Tenders. The breading used to have the flavor, but then they drowned them in buffalo sauce which, while good, makes them less portable and removes the joys of dipping.
Best national fast food place? Wendy's if just for the simple fact that you get so much more selection there. I mean, I can get a kid's meal with just a sandwich, mandarin oranges and some milk. While not the healthiest meal on the face of the earth, it's better than the crap other large fast-food chains offer.
Posted by Amilia (Member # 8912) on :
I love Jack in the Box's ciabatta burgers. Good bread makes such a difference.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Culver's is awful. They take the two merits of a fast food place -- cheap prices and speed -- and remove them. They're an expensive, slow fast food place. *shudder*
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
"They take the two merits of a fast food place -- cheap prices and speed -- and remove them."
This made me giggle. Dunkin Donuts is not fast food, for sure, but I am still addicted, and it has nothing to do with the donuts. It is all about the coffee. It is a crap-shoot each time to see if the coffee comes out the way you asked, but darn it, it's good enough when it does that I am Eternally Hooked.
Posted by Chanie (Member # 9544) on :
I am in Indiana for the summer, and there is not a Dunkin Donuts within 50 miles of me. This and Fluff I miss desperately.
Posted by Stephan (Member # 7549) on :
I would like to see Jack in the Box back in my area. They used to be here, until a weird case of food poisoning hit a bunch of restaurants. They then mysterisously disappeared.
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
Jack in the Box is a scary place. While I agree that the salads are good (I like the Southwest Chicken), I can't seem to muster the will-power not to order a Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger with a side of 6 tacos and stuffed jalepenos for an appetizer. So, for the sake of my ever expanding belly, I have made it a rule never to temp myself with a trip to JitB again. *sigh*
But! As far as the best fast food available, I will cast my vote unequivically for Checkers. I have only seen them in Louisiana, but I assume they have them elsewhere (not Texas though, dag-blastit). They have, bar none, the best seasoned fries I have ever tasted in my life. Mmmm, golly. Almost worth a 4 hour drive to get them.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
There's a Dunkin Donuts in Circle Center, Chanie. Or there was two years ago when I went to the statehouse.
Where in IN are you?
Checkers is the same as Rallys, Vonk.
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
quote:Originally posted by Elizabeth: Dunkin Donuts is not fast food, for sure, but I am still addicted, and it has nothing to do with the donuts. It is all about the coffee. It is a crap-shoot each time to see if the coffee comes out the way you asked, but darn it, it's good enough when it does that I am Eternally Hooked.
Maybe I'm just spoiled from living in Seattle for four years, but dude...gross! Posted by Chanie (Member # 9544) on :
I'm in Indy. The Dunkin Donuts website said there wasn't one within 50 miles. Hm...maybe I should do some investigation.
Posted by A Rat Named Dog (Member # 699) on :
The Bruschetta Chicken Ciabatta is the best breakfast EVER.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
It could have closed, they had several food places change in there, but I know it was there in 04.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
quote:Originally posted by Chanie: I am in Indiana for the summer, and there is not a Dunkin Donuts within 50 miles of me. This and Fluff I miss desperately.
Chanie, I can relate. I was in West Virginia last summer, driving home in an unariconditioned van, and jonesin' for an iced coffee. When I hit Connecticut, and saw the highways signs with Dunkin Donuts advertised at every exit, a sense of calm drifted over me.
Erosomniac, you are not allowed to bash people's inner truths on this forum. While disagreement is expected, such tearing-down of my Personal Code of Coffee is taboo.
Posted by MyrddinFyre (Member # 2576) on :
Rhode Island has the highest per-capita of Dunkin Donuts in the country. There honestly, literally, is one on every street corner. And we love it. My friends and I have a tradition of meeting there and chilling out with our iced coffees (even in winter)... kinda like that tv show Friends.... and it has left us all with horrible addictions to Dunkin Donuts coffee Posted by Chanie (Member # 9544) on :
I have a friend who gives directions such as, "Drive to the Dunkin Donuts, take a left. Straight at the next DD. Then you are going to see a light with two DDs (one in a T station), take right there. Then you should see my house."
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Even here in the semi-country, you can't go more than three miles without a Dunkin Donuts. Thank goodness.
My favorite story was when friend from out west went in to order coffee.
The lady, with a thick Southie accent:
"Whaddya want in ya medium?"
"Um, coffee?"
Heavy, annoyed sigh. "No, whaddya want in ya medium?"
They look at each other fearfully: "Coffee. please?"
"No, whaddya want in ya medium, cream and sugah???"
They had never had anyone put the cream and sugar in the coffee for them. Imagine!
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Am I imagining things? My Yahoo page has been advertising this disgusting big toe with fungal growth. I have even had toes popping up like flowers at the top of the screen.
Now, in the past few minutes, a lovely Dunkin Donuts iced coffee keeps refilling itself on the screen. I prefer seeing the coffee, but darn it, it makes me want one. (duh) The giant, disgusting toe does not make me want anyhting but to get as far from it as possible.
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
quote:Originally posted by Elizabeth: Even here in the semi-country, you can't go more than three miles without a Dunkin Donuts. Thank goodness.
My favorite story was when friend from out west went in to order coffee.
The lady, with a thick Southie accent:
"Whaddya want in ya medium?"
"Um, coffee?"
Heavy, annoyed sigh. "No, whaddya want in ya medium?"
They look at each other fearfully: "Coffee. please?"
"No, whaddya want in ya medium, cream and sugah???"
They had never had anyone put the cream and sugar in the coffee for them. Imagine!
I can't even imagine how a Southie barista would react to a Seattle indie hipster walking in requesting a "Triple twelve soy emerald latte, one and a half foam."
Probably stop, stare, consider, then kick his ass.
Well, okay, maybe that's just what I would do.
Posted by MyrddinFyre (Member # 2576) on :
Gasp! That's just not coffee anymore!
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
quote:Originally posted by MyrddinFyre: Gasp! That's just not coffee anymore!
I'm of the same opinion; I drink my coffee drip, black, medium roast, no crap in it.
If it has to be espresso, 2% iced mocha.
If it has to be Starbucks, mocha frappucino, no whip, because the only way I can stand their coffee is layered in chocolate, cream and sugar.
Posted by Sterling (Member # 8096) on :
I'm partial to Taco Del Mar, myself.
But I do agree on the JitB Southwest salad. Pity I don't live near one anymore.
Posted by MyrddinFyre (Member # 2576) on :
Ohh, for me if it has to be Starbucks, I'm all about their Green Tazo Tea concoctions. Mmmm...
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
I don't like JitB's salads (always wilted when I get them) or their ciabatta burgers (bread always overcooked and impossible to chew.)
Maybe we just have a sub-par JitB.
But yes, In 'N' Out and El Pollo Loco are wonderful (although EPL is not as great as it used to be.)
Unfortunately, I think they're the reason I gained 25 unnecessary pounds this last pregnancy. Posted by MyrddinFyre (Member # 2576) on :
Is El Pollo Loco like KFC? I've seen a million of them whenever I'm out west, but I've never actually eaten in one.
Posted by MyrddinFyre (Member # 2576) on :
Hmm... I love how when there's a thread about food I tend to average about every third post Posted by Chanie (Member # 9544) on :
quote:Originally posted by Elizabeth: They had never had anyone put the cream and sugar in the coffee for them. Imagine!
The other great thing that DD does is if you order sugar in your iced coffee, they put in the sugar then some hot coffee, mix it up so it dissolves, and then pour in the iced coffee. I have never got this service elsewhere .
I have been with an unitiated who didn't know how to answer the "What do you want in your coffee?" question and just said "Regular." He ended up with about half cream and sugar.
I volunteered for two years at a public school in Malden, and they drink DD there like it's a religion.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
quote:Is El Pollo Loco like KFC? I've seen a million of them whenever I'm out west, but I've never actually eaten in one.
NO!!!
The chicken is grilled with a wonderful marinade; it comes with tortillas and your choice of sides (including Mexican pinto beans, Spanish rice, corn on the cob, coleslaw, etc. I always get beans and coleslaw, then make tacos with the tortilla, the chicken, and the sides. Mmmm...)
Heh. I've never had any coffee, for religious reasons. But even if it were suddenly okay for me, I don't think I could start drinking it now ... I'd be too confused and intimidated by the ordering process.
Although those iced frappucino chocolatey-mocha things look really tempting....
Posted by maui babe (Member # 1894) on :
I just recently tried the ciabatta burgers and LOVE them! I wasn't crazy about the chicken ciabattas though. I bought a CB combo and ate it on the beach Monday evening... that was nice.
********
It was also after I'd spent the day reading the fat thread, so I felt GUILTY for the rest of the night. But I enjoyed it while it lasted, and I did go home and work out on my stair-stepper.
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
quote:Yaki's. [Big Grin]
Reh?
Given that we were talking about chicken, I'm going to assume it's a Japanese chain of some kind.
Posted by Chanie (Member # 9544) on :
Jenna, come to New England. We have kosher Dunkin Donuts!
Edited to say that I now realize that Jenna wasn't talking about kashros. Sorry, knee-jerk reaction.
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
quote:Originally posted by JennaDean: Heh. I've never had any coffee, for religious reasons. But even if it were suddenly okay for me, I don't think I could start drinking it now ... I'd be too confused and intimidated by the ordering process.
Although those iced frappucino chocolatey-mocha things look really tempting....
Most major coffee chains have a version of the frappucino, and most of those have a version that does not have coffee in it - not even decaf.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Oh, and for donuts, it's gotta be Foster's for me. It's an L.A.-area chain, and they're soooo good. They taste dense and doughy and full of real flavors, not too sweet but just right.
See, this is why I've gotta live in L.A. I need In 'N' Out, Foster's Donuts, Yaki's, El Pollo Loco, Tortas Mexico, and Versailles!
Posted by MyrddinFyre (Member # 2576) on :
ketchupqueen, that sounds awesome. I should stop in one next time I get a chance, yum!
JennaDean, Starbucks has coffee-less frozen drinks that are awesome. I think they're also called frappacinos, but I'm not sure... I remember they had a strawberry one for summer. Being a coffee addict, I don't know much about them, except that they do have awesome (and oh so unhealthy, mmm) coffeeless drinks
edit: holy wow, four posts appeared while I wrote this!
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
quote:Given that we were talking about chicken, I'm going to assume it's a Japanese chain of some kind.
It's the original teriyaki bowl chain. You can get a huge bowl of meat and veggies over rice for fast-food prices; you can pay $1.25 more and make it a box, which also has potato salad (their potato salad is TO DIE FOR.)
They also invented the avocado bacon burger. That's what my husband gets when we go there. And my two-year-old likes Bulldogs-- a big fat hot dog wrapped in a wonton wrapper with cheese and fried, and only 99 cents. Posted by JennaDean (Member # 8816) on :
Mmm.
And Mmm.
I'm loving this thread now.
Posted by Lalo (Member # 3772) on :
Has anyone in LA ever been to Dino's? It's amazing, they pretty much boil a chicken in fat and serve it to you only if you speak Spanish.
...I need to get summa that.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Mmm, I just realized I have two gift certificates to See's that I got for my birthday and never used... I love going in and choosing my lb. of chocolate, and they give you free samples, too. Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I want Sees! Now. I have a friend in Palo Alto that gets me Sees (either darks or truffles) for Christmas most years. I love her.
Posted by ketchupqueen (Member # 6877) on :
Well, you could have it tomorrow (or maybe the day after, it is getting rather late) if you were willing to pay for overnight shipping...
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Darn you all! After participating in this thread, and after the coffee ad came up on Yahoo, off I went to Dunkins and bought not only coffee but DONUTS.
Thanks a lot.
Posted by erosomniac (Member # 6834) on :
You know...I've actually never had a Dunkin Donut. I've had the coffee, but never the donuts. Are they any good?
Posted by MyrddinFyre (Member # 2576) on :
Yay! I hope you got a chocolate glazed. Those and the old fashioned are the ones I like!
edit: jeez, my internet is slow today, I think our servers got hit by lightning. Anyway, their donuts are good if you get the right ones, they're certainly not sickly sweet like Krispy Kreme. They can be pretty greasy though. Come to think of it, I can't really compare them because I've had donuts from only two other places, Krispy Kreme and a local shop which tastes just like Dunkin Donuts, so they're pretty much what I associate with What Donuts Taste Like.
The munchkins are worth it, everyone likes munchkins!
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
quote:Originally posted by Chanie: Jenna, come to New England. We have kosher Dunkin Donuts!
Edited to say that I now realize that Jenna wasn't talking about kashros. Sorry, knee-jerk reaction.
Which brings up a relevant point. Even if there is a Dunkin' Donuts near you, it's unlikely to be kosher.
I still miss the one we had out here. *sniff* Krispy Kreme is just not the same. And Cafe Elite is too far to walk, and their parking sucks.
Posted by JennaDean (Member # 8816) on :
I LOVE the donuts at our local Donut Shoppe, which isn't a chain - I think they started out as a business project from the university across the street. They're better than any chain donuts I've had, but it makes me a donut snob - I don't like eating donuts out of town.
Of course, I'm trying to be healthier, so it's been years since I've had a donut ... and since I don't drink coffee, there's not much reason to go in a donut shop.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
I bought a bunch of different ones and cut them up "for the kids."
Ahem.
And yes, Myr, one was a chocolate frosted. My favorite is blueberry cake, or olf fashioned.
But the best donuts in the world, to me, are made on the stoves of elderly ladies. (or on the stoves of youg ladies who learned how to make them from their elders)
Posted by Chanie (Member # 9544) on :
quote:Originally posted by rivka: [QUOTE]Originally posted by Chanie: [qb] Jenna, come to New England. We have kosher Dunkin Donuts! Even if there is a Dunkin' Donuts near you, it's unlikely to be kosher.
A girl can dream, no? Actually, at this point, I would settle just standing in the DD and inhaling deeply. I am sick and tired of my stupid French press.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Blueberry cake Dunkin' Donuts == the bomb.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
Oh, you're a coffee snob? Sorry, I can't relate. My favorite way to prepare coffee is to combine two cups of microwaved milk with a couple of scoops of one of GF's International coffee (or similar products).
Posted by Chanie (Member # 9544) on :
No, not a coffee snob (halvah is a different story). Just so sick of making all of my food for myself or eating pre-packaged. I would be willing to drive 50 miles to get pizza.
Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :
*blink* I live in walking distance from a dozen kosher restaurants, and almost all my food is home-cooked or prepackaged. Including pizza, for that matter.
But I can understand missing having options.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
Off topic, but at the beer store I just saw some Hebrew beers with names that made me smile. Can I remember a single on of those names? I cannot.
Posted by Chanie (Member # 9544) on :
Is it He'Brew?
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
I think it was that brand, Chanie, but there were a whole bunch of names.
As a matter of fact, I was walking up and down the aisles giggling. Anyone who needed a name for their band has only to peruse the shelves of a fancy beer store. There are some awesome names!
Posted by MandyM (Member # 8375) on :
There IS a Checkers in Texas. It is in Beaumont on 11th Street.
Oh, and I am a JitB fan as well. Well, any fast food will do it for me really... Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
The shipping costs more than the chocolate. I think I'll just wait till it's cold out.
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