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Jack in the Box Expands Breakfast Menu

partysugar — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:15:46 -0700

Jack in the Box has announced its plan to jump on the fast-food breakfast bandwagon with its new Breakfast Bowl, an entire, portable meal. A mix of eggs, hash browns, cheese, peppers, and meat, the dish is a "Sunday brunchworthy meal" to be "enjoyed on a weekday schedule." Jack in the Box hopes to satisfy consumers' need for a hearty breakfast on the go.

Of the fast-food giants, currently McDonald's has the highest amount of breakfast sales. Only time will tell if Jack in the Box's Breakfast Bowls will become as popular as the Egg McMuffin. In other breakfast news, Denny's will compete with the Breakfast Bowls with its new to-go meal that involves a two-tier takeout container filled with bacon, eggs, and pancakes.

Do you eat breakfast at fast-food restaurants? Will you try Jack in the Box's Breakfast Bowl?

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Denny's Strives to Hit the Late-Night Sweet Spot

YumSugar — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:00:36 -0700

2009 has been a rough year for casual dining, with many restaurant chains struggling to stay afloat. The solution proposed at Denny's? Become friends with the cool kids. Denny's, a 24-hour eating establishment with a reputation as a family road trip pit stop, is attempting to transform itself into an all-night hotspot for young adults.

With the onset of its Allnighter program last year, Denny's began its metamorphosis into a night-owl oasis, blasting rock and country from the hours of 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The company also started offering a Rockstar menu at night, hawking dishes like burritos designed by Good Charlotte and a country-fried steak combo created by Rascal Flatts.

The payoff has been meager with late night traffic increasing by only 5 percent. Still, the chain continues to promote its newly-minted image to college campuses, in hopes that schools will consider changing the names of existing locations to "Allnighter" and offer the restaurant's Rockstar menu. I haven't hit up a Denny's since my last road trip, but I'm curious to know if any of you have checked it out. Does the new late-night Denny's lounge seem to have an edge on the competition?

Photo by sun dazed

Free Coffee from Denny's

YumSugar — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 07:51:39 -0700

Looks like Denny's is joining the fancy coffee train. They've recently introduced their new Special Blend Coffee that is "now bolder and richer." In fact, the beans are custom roasted to reach a rich, smooth flavor.

"Coffee preferences have been impacted by the popularity of coffee shops and the availability of premium roasts," said Peter Gibbons, Denny's vice president of product development. "Our new special blend has a rich coffeehouse taste that our guests enjoy in the comfortable atmosphere of our restaurants."

Wonder how it tastes? Well on April 17th (tax day), you can head into your local participating Denny's and receive a free cup. If, however, you can't make it into a restaurant (and you happen to live in LA, Chicago, Dallas, Miami or Pittsburgh) you may be greeted with a cup at post offices (standing in line filing those taxes) and specially chosen high-traffic areas.

Source: PR Newswire

Yummy Links: From Free Denny's to Disliking Top Chef

partysugar — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 07:45:32 -0800

From 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. today you can get a free Grand Slam breakfast at Denny's . - Fast Food News
Take a trip to the original McDonald's in San Bernardino, CA. - A Hamburger Today
Fifty easy ways to eat and cook green. - Bon Appétit
Empty tea tins make adorable flower vases. - The Kitchn
Use fresh lemon juice to remove tough food stains. - Chow
Why one journalist can't get into this season's Top Chef. - The Epi-Log

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Adventures in Expensive Sandwiches: The Sentinel Salmon

YumSugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:00:43 -0700

I am willing to pay a pretty penny for a good sandwich. But considering that one of my favorites is less than $3, I have very high standards for any sandwich that costs more than $8. I'll pay 10 bucks, but it better be good. Or huge. Or both.On that note, I'm introducing an occasional feature within 'Wich of the Week called Adventures in Expensive Sandwiches. First up: the smoked salmon with horseradish cream cheese, cucumbers, and fennel at The Sentinel. This tiny shop, located just a few blocks from Sugar HQ, was recently opened by Canteen's Dennis Leary. Since I love his fine-dining fare, I decided to give Sentinel a shot. To see what I thought, read more.

The menu changes seasonally and features daily specials, but I went with a Summer fixture. At $8.50, this wasn't the most overpriced sandwich ever, but it also wasn't very big. However, what this and other Sentinel sandwiches really have going for them are the soft, incredibly fresh (like, just out of the oven) white buns they're served on. Like an upscale version of buttery homemade dinner rolls, the bread elevates this salmon sammie.I'll also give credit to the full flavor of the sandwich; mixing horseradish with cream cheese is a yummy idea that comes across well with the cucumber. The salmon was just your standard smoked salmon - nothing mind-blowing - and I couldn't find the fennel mentioned on the menu.

My biggest gripe about Sentinel was the fact that my sandwich was shoddily assembled. The ingredients were sort of thrown together rather than carefully laid out, so I had to rearrange everything before eating. If you're going to the trouble of baking bread from scratch and filling it with high-quality ingredients, is it too much to ask that the sandwich be put together with care? That said, I'm willing to give Sentinel another chance, but it's going to have to try a bit harder next time.

Guess Who?

YumSugar — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 14:55:39 -0700

Guess who was hanging out with Tim Roth and Dennis Hopper? To find out, read more

You probably already figured it out, but the answer is: Mario Batali. He was hosting a cocktail party at Enoteca San Marco at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas.

Personally, I love the way this photo is awkwardly posed, as if Roth and Hopper were big fans who needed to have their picture taken with Batali, or maybe they're a happy family on vacation?

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What's Your Favorite Road Food Restaurant?

YumSugar — Fri, 22 May 2009 11:45:40 -0700

With Memorial Day weekend upon us, the travel season has officially kicked into full gear. But times like these mean Americans will be favoring road trips over tours abroad. For those of you who enjoy hitting the highway, do share with me: what's your favorite road food pit stop?

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What's Cooking at Slashfood

YumSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 04:30:13 -0700

We love Slashfood so much that every Thursday we round up their most delicious stories. Here are this week's finds:

Florida's beekeepers want a new law prohibiting blended honey products.
Quinoa adds texture - and protein - to ordinary breadcrumbs.
Denny's is sued for having too much sodium in its food.
Look to Washington and Australia for Rieslings that are of great value.
The search is on for the manliest restaurant in America.
Vermouth, when served in a French Kiss, is surprisingly seductive.

'Wich of the Week: Pork Loin With Figs and Manchego

YumSugar — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:30:06 -0700

"The Sentinel has a sandwich with figs on it today!" a coworker alerted me on Tuesday morning. I love figs, and I love sandwiches, so I hightailed it over to the SF sandwich shop founded by local chef Dennis Leary.
This was my third time trying The Sentinel's expensive sandwiches, and though this was my favorite so far, I was still somewhat disappointed. Why? Because I expect a place whose menu changes seasonally to use seasonal ingredients, like figs, but this sandwich was sweetened with fig spread. The menu promised fresh figs! But now for the good news.

McDonald's and Wendy's Move Toward Cage-Free Eggs

YumSugar — Wed, 27 May 2009 09:00:13 -0700

It's still debatable whether America's in the midst of a food revolution, but a growing number of the country's biggest corporations are focused on promoting natural and local ingredients.

Late last week, McDonald's announced it will take part in a study in conjunction with animal welfare groups, academics, and egg suppliers that compares battery cage-dwelling hens to free-range hens. The following day, Wendy's proclaimed that two percent of its egg purchases will now come from cage-free hens. The response from the animal rights community has been mixed. Although the Humane Society called Wendy's decision "a modest but meaningful step in the right direction," it also maintains McDonald's is only conducting the study to delay reforms in its farming practices.

Both Wendy's and McDonald's have been under fire for failing to change their practices after many other competing chains, such as Burger King, Quizno's, Hardee's, and Denny's, have already converted to using eggs from non-caged hens.

I'm happy to hear that both chains are making a concerted effort to look into free-range eggs - although it's disappointing that only five percent of eggs in North America come from free-range hens. Do you find yourself hopeful or skeptical about the chains' efforts to go cage-free?

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