First of all lets talk about breakfast!
IHOP - Healthy and Not So Healthy
Healthy: Simple and Fit Vegetable Omelette
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I was pleased to see that IHOP offers some excellent healthy choices on their Simple and Fit menu. This Simple and Fit Vegetable Omelette is filled with spinach, mushrooms, onions and swiss cheese and then topped with diced tomatoes. It also comes with a side of fresh fruit and is just 330 calories. Delicious and filling!
Not So Healthy: Bananas Foster Brioche French Toast
French toast made from ridiculously thick slices of Brioche, completely smothered in New Orleans Foster's sauce (made from caramelised bananas and brown sugar), with slices of banana and squirty cream. It was very tasty but unsurprisingly sat heavy in my stomach and I was hungry again after a couple of hours. I just looked up the calorie content and it was a whopping 980!! I am so glad I only ate 2 of the 3 slices!
Denny's - Healthy and Not So Healthy
Healthy: Fit Fare Loaded Veggie Omelette
Denny's also offers healthier breakfast options on their Fit Fare menu. I ordered the Fit Fare Loaded Veggie Omelette a few times on my trip and for some reason the staff in the various Denny's diners that I visited seem to have an issue with item as a different dish to the menu description arrived each time. I pictured the most accurate version that I received. It is supposed to be egg whites with Swiss cheese, sautéed mushrooms, spinach, sautéed zucchini and squash and topped with diced tomatoes. It is served with seasonal fruit and an English muffin. This version for some reason had some kind of tortillas inside. The other 2 versions came with other items instead (bacon with one, hash browns and toast with the other) and the omelettes had different fillings. It was quite a frustrating experience as I actually visited 3 separate diners and all 3 got it wrong. 2 of them actually argued with me and tried to say I had ordered the wrong thing despite me pointing to the picture as I ordered. When done correctly the Fit Fare Loaded Veggie Omelette contains 420 calories. Based on the version in my photo it was a reasonably good and filling breakfast but the tortillas didn't really go.
Not So Healthy: Pancake Puppies
Pancake Puppies are classed as a breakfast side. They contains 490 calories for 6 pieces. Puppies are basically deep-fried pancake batter and they come with a syrup dip. Very tasty!
Five Guys
I ate a fair few burgers whilst away and I have to say that Five Guys was my favourite! I know that one has recently opened in London but this was the first time I have tried one of their burgers and it was awesome! I am delighted that Five Guys has also opened in Reading, it could be dangerous for me as I can easily get there in my lunch break!
The Cheesecake Factory - The Original
I have visited The Cheesecake Factory a few times over the years and felt that it was about time that I tried their Original Cheesecake. It is a deliciously creamy vanilla cheesecake with a graham cracker crust and sour cream topping. The best vanilla cheesecake I have ever had but not as good as their Chris' Outrageous Cheesecake that I reviewed last trip. Excuse the poor photo, this place is really dark for some reason!
Haagen-Dazs - Brownies A La Mode
Haagen-Dazs Brownies A La Mode is quite simply the best ice cream I have ever tasted. I have never seen it in the UK and I believe it is only available in their shops. It is a vanilla ice cream with lots of gooey brownie chunks and caramel sauce.
Dairy Queen: Choco Covered Cheesecake Blizzard
The Choco Covered Cheesecake Blizzard was Blizzard of the month and I found out about this via The Ice Cream Informant. I made it my mission to find one of these bad boys and luckily for me there was a Dairy Queen just down the road from our hotel. A Blizzard is a bit like a McFlurry I suppose, only nicer and this one was particularly good as it was packed with cheesecake pieces, cocoa fudge and choco chunks. This thing contains a very hefty 690 calories! Good job I didn't go for a large at 1220, I mean seriously, I love ice cream but who eats a large Blizzard?
Battle of the Peanut Butter Pies: Ruby Tuesday Vs T.G.I. Fridays
Ruby Tuesday Peanut Butter Pie
Ruby Tuesday's version is a chocolate crust with a peanut butter mousse. It is finished with caramel fudge, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and chocolate sauce.
T.G.I Fridays Peanut Butter Pie
The T.G.I's version is a chocolate ganache layered with peanut butter mousse in a peanut butter graham cracker crust, topped with whipped cream and a peanut butter cup.Both were good but Ruby Tuesday's version wins because the mousse was so much thicker, almost like cheesecake and there were lots of mini peanut butter cups rather than 1 larger one which made it easier for sharing. Their version was also much more chocolatey and the base was more like a brownie.
T.G.I Fridays
Ruby Tuesday
Bud Light Lime Straw-Ber-Rita
I reviewed the Lime-A-Rita on my last trip (here) and loved it so when I heard about the Straw-Ber-Rita on The Impulsive Buy I was pretty excited. It's a strange one and basically a hybrid of strawberry margarita and Bud Light Lime. It probably sounds rank and from reading reviews a lot of people think it tastes rank too but you know what, I loved it. It is super sweet and now that we FINALLY have Bud Light Lime in the UK, I hope this comes across the pond too!
Sadly I didn't find the Taco Bell Chocolate Taco Dessert Kit but if you haven't already seen it, check out this review by Junk Food Guy. I did however manage to bring back plenty of other snacks so look out for those reviews coming soon!
