New Things Review #3

It's time again for my monthly new things review. Not only did my trip to California serve as a great vacation, but I was able to see a few new products there that I had yet to see here in Utah. I have since seen the mint crisp M&M's here, but the Snickers Adventure Bar has still to make its way to local shelves...

First up, let's get the crap out of the way.
Dooners. That's the crap.
Let me start off by first stating that I have always admired people who go out, and try to start a business on their own. I mean, it wasn't more than ten years ago when Cafe Rio was first started, and that place is now a huge restaurant chain, and one of my favorite places to eat.
Dooners is not one of those places. I mean, Marianne and I should have known from the beginning when we first walked into their sole location, at 2778 West 12600 South in Riverton. We were fooled by how many other suckers were trying the place out, undoubtedly their first and last visit. The menu was more difficult to read than trigonometry, and just about as difficult to communicate to the workers.
Here's a sample of the dialog... "Excuse me, I'd like one of your mega dooner chicken wham bam platter, with the slippity dupity splasm hip-hop anonymous horticulture fries." Ok, that is a little of an exaggeration... but it's still pretty bad.
The Mega dooner chicken wham bam platter is what I ordered, and it looked great on the picture. A pita, stuffed with chicken and vegetables. What I got was a sloppy hodge-podge of granulated chicken, with some purple vegetable... I'm not sure if it was beats or purple cabbage... Either way, it was the opposite of good.
Their slogan is "Have You Been Doonerized?" I'm not entirely sure what that means, but if it means feeling like you've been kicked in the &*%$, bent over a barrel, and had way too much money stolen right out of your hand, then yes... I've been "Doonerized."

Second, is the Snickers Adventure Bar.
This candy bar is one of many new promotional tie-ins with the new Indiana Jones movie coming out later this summer.
This candy bar is essentially just a snickers bar, with "added coconut and spices that will take you on an adventure", as the M&M/Mars corporation so eloquently put it. I actually liked this candy bar quite a bit, but I already enjoy a snickers from time to time. I thought the addition of the coconut was a great idea, but I couldn't really taste any spices. I wouldn't necessarily say that it took me on an adventure, since I had just had more of an adventure on the actual Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland. I would recommend this candy bar only if you like the taste of coconut.

Third, the new Strawberry Medley All-Bran cereal
In trying to watch what I eat a little more closely (it certainly seems that way, with all the reviews I do on candy and pizza products, right?), I have tried to eat cereal in the morning that has fewer calories, but more dietary fiber to keep me feeling full longer. I have eaten All-bran once before, and I was not a fan. It reminds me of something a... how do I say this... a person more apt to live in a care-free gated community, who has regular visits from hospice nurse, would enjoy. (How's that for a run-on sentence...)
This cereal however had a great strawberry flavor, regardless if you had an actual piece of freeze-dried strawberry on your spoon or not. I did feel quite full when I ate this cereal, and it only had 170 calories for each full cup you eat. That's a pretty good ratio, given it also gives you 9 grams of dietary fiber. It's a little expensive though, so try to watch for it to go on sale if you want to try it.

Next up, the Mint Crisp M&M's
This is another promotional tie-in the M&M/Mars corporation must have worked out with the folks at Paramount.
I was only able to find this candy in a very large bag, but I thought for the sake of all you readers that I ought to give it a try. I love the mint M&M's, but I can't stand the crispy ones, so this was dilemma... It took a few to get used to the crispy texture, but after that I was hooked. Natalie can also back me up on these... They are pretty good. They aren't very filling, probably because they are half rice crispies, so you can probably eat more of them than normal. I still don't like that they had to incorporate the minty flavor in with the crispy M&M's, but hey, I guess it will have to do until Christmas...

Fifth, the Wheat Thins Toasted Chips, Veggie variety
I haven't tried these before, and I realize that they actually came out last September, but we'll just call this a late review. If you are actually still reading all of this (my wife says I'm "long winded", to put it nicely), then you shouldn't care if it's a little old...
Anyway, these are a great little cracker. They are trying to call them "chips", but they are still made out of whole grain, they are wheat thins, and they are on the cracker isle. Why are they trying to fool?
These are very tasty, and a great alternative to some other crackers that may taste great, but are not really good for you...(Chicken in a Biskit - I'm looking at you...)
For only 120 calories, you can eat 14 of these tasty wonders, as opposed to the aforementioned blue-box fatty, which gives you 160 calories for only 7 crackers.

Last up, the Calpico Calpis imported beverage -
This is something definitely not new... It has been in Japan for several years, and was given to me by my dad to try after he had some during his mission in Kobe, Japan during the mid 70's. In fact, this product used to be endorsed by the Osmond Family in Japan, but I only know that because I did a report on this product for a marketing class at the U. Well, that and because I am a huge Donny Osmond fan... he has the cutest dimples.

Anyway, the brand of this product is Calpico, but the name of this type of beverage is Calpis, which is pronounced like you are saying "Cow Piss". Gross I know, and you will probably never try it now, but it is very good. It is actually a fermented milk beverage (I guess if the "cow piss" thing didn't do it, now you really won't try it), and comes in either a sweetened or a diet form. You can only buy it at Asian markets, and I can only say for certain that it is at the Asian market at approximately 666 S. and 700 E., by the Trolley Square.
I gave my whole marketing class a sample, and I would say that 60% of them really liked it, 20% of them thought it was OK, and the other 20% (after hearing what that it was a fermented milk drink) wouldn't even try it. What a bunch of sissies who can't get out of their comfy little nerf world. Ok Adam, let go of the aggression...

This stuff is pretty good, and comes in either a single serve bottle (as pictured), or in a concentrate (also pictured.) The single serve bottles are the only way you can try the diet version, but you also get a Peach flavor with the single serves.


Well, that wraps up another review of some new things that I have tried, and a couple that you all should try. Again, let me know if there is something you have tried in the past and would like my review, or if there is something that even you won't try, and you want to see me get kicked in the &*%$ again... Leave a comment. :-)
Oh yeah, and of course by "&*%$", I mean "teeth".