Archive for the ‘Hall of Fame (Looks)’ Category

Punch Pizza Mimi

Friday, July 16th, 2010
Punch Mimi - Ad

Punch Mimi

A few days ago, Punch Pizza was giving away free Mimis – sauceless Neopolitan-style pizzas with basil, cherry tomatoes, and mozzarella. Did I get in on that action? Of course I did.

Looks: The pizza I got could very well have been photographed for the ad – except for the size of the basil leaves and normal variations in the char of the crust, it was exactly as advertised. 4.5 out of 5

Taste: When I first started eating it, I was skeptical – no sauce? What is this, Soviet Russia? Due to the lack of sauce or melted cheese to glue the toppings to the pizza, I resigned myself to eating it like a breadbowl salad – toppings, crust, toppings, crust. However, as I continue to work on it, I started to get the hang of grabbing tomato, mozzarella, and basil in each bite, and the more I ate, the better it tasted – something in the juice of the cherry tomatoes combined with the slightly salty crust to produce a delicious combination that was completely unexpected and completely awesome. (I think I would have appreciated smaller pieces of basil, but that could be because I have trouble cutting leafy food with my incisors – long story.)

While there are only six Punch Pizza locations (and they’re all in central Minnesota), their pizzas are the closest thing to authentic Neopolitan pizza I’ve had in the U.S. Definitely try them out if you have a chance. 4.5 out of 5

P.S. Punch regularly announces deals and promotions via their @PunchPizza Twitter account.

T.G.I. Friday’s Potato Skins

Monday, May 31st, 2010

T.G.I. Friday's Potato Skins - Ad

T.G.I. Friday's Potato Skins

Looks: Apart from the cheese not spreading as judiciously as it does across the potato skins on the box, these frozen recreations could be straight out of a TGI Friday’s kitchen. 4.5 out of 5

Taste: I’ll be honest with you – I didn’t eat these. My wife was making them for a snack and I grabbed them to photograph after they came out of the oven but before she realized they were done. Sort of a potato-napping, if you will. Based on her level of displeasure at finding that her skins were missing, I’d peg their potential taste at about a 3.5. 3.5 out of 5

Healthy Choice Grilled Vegetables Mediterranean Cafe Steamer

Friday, May 7th, 2010

Healthy Choice Grilled Vegetables Mediterranean Cage Steamer - Ad

Healthy Choice Grilled Vegetables Mediterranean Cage Steamer

Ah, lunchtime. Those thirty magical minutes when you can forget about the troubles of your job, the upcoming credit card bills, and your soul-crushing loneliness. All food brings comfort, but there’s nothing in the world that will lift your spirit like a bowl full of vegetables. Yes sirree, with their fresh taste unlocked by the magic of steam, this meal of “Grilled (but actually steamed) Mediterranean (but also found in America) Vegetables” is just what you need to turn that frown upside-down. (Note: Upside-down frown may not be experienced by all customers.)

The best part of this meal is the obvious lack of meat. You won’t have to waste time on tender marinated chicken or juicy slow-cooked beef just to get to the delicious vegetable side dishes, like in most meals. When you open this box, you’ll feel like you died and went to heaven… vegetable heaven, that is! The broccoli tastes like broccoli. The eggplant tastes like eggplant. And the snozzberries — don’t get me started on the snozzberries!

Who cares if you’ve been taking cold showers for a week because you’re late on the gas bill? So what if your wife left you and took your dog with her? You’ve still managed to keep the lights on, and that’s worth a reward. So set your microwave for two and a half minutes, and let your cares drift away – you’ve got some eating to do.

Looks: 5 out of 5 Taste: 3 out of 5

Lunchables Ham and American Cheese Sub Sandwich

Wednesday, April 28th, 2010

Lunchables Ham and American Cheese Sub Sandwich - Ad

Lunchables Ham and American Cheese Sub Sandwich

Looks: I bet you can’t even tell which picture is the box and which is the real thing. 5 out of 5

Taste: The succulence of the ham was matched only by the deep, earthy je ne sais quoi of the Kraft American cheddar. The mayonnaise lent a savory (yet somehow fat-free) lightness to the sandwich that, together with the humble heartland flavor of the whole-grain bun, made this truly a sandwich not to be missed.

Just kidding – it was ok. Four inches of average bread combined with four inches of average ham combined with four inches of average cheese topped with four inches of average mayo wins this sandwich an average score. 2.5 out of 5