Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Old Candy Critic Articles - Dinner Treats Part 2


I've decided to take down several old articles from the candycritic.org and re-post them here on the Candy Critic blog.  This week I'm posting Part 2 of an article I wrote about the candies you get after a dinner at a restaurant.  I posted so many treats in this article I've decided to break it up into several posts.

I never really thought about the industry that supplies candy to restaurants before. Often, when I go to a restaurant that doesn't require me to return a tray, I get a candy with my bill. The thing about this treat is when you get it with your bill, you never give it much thought. I mean there you are with your stomach full of mashed potatoes and a chicken dish with a really nice cream sauce, and someone hands you a candy. The last thing you're going to do is think about is the quality of this treat.

Well I decided to give it a little thought. I've decided that these treats need a little scrutiny, and maybe see if they're worth tipping over. So let's take a look at how I would tip if all I got was the treat at the end of the meal.  I should mention that each of these treats was collected after a real meal.

Trebor "Glitter"

When I see this treat I expect it to be all shinny and fun like a disco. I mean what else would you expect from a candy called Glitter? This minty treat goes a little up the sinuses, well maybe a little more than a little, but if you've eaten something really garlic filled then that can't be too bad. Having said that if it's a cold day you might want to skip it because the minute you step outside after eating it you'll know the meaning of the word cold.

Tip: 11%

Trebor "Glitter Red"

As you can tell from the candy above, we have two kinds of Glitter's to enjoy, best of all I believe I revived them at different establishments. Let us see how the red compares to its clear counterpart. I really can't taste anything, it's a little disturbing, but after a little chewing I can kind of taste something that either taste like cherry or maybe cough medicine. I really have to say this treat really needs some flavour.

Tip: 2%

Lollypops

My first idea was to try and eat both of these lollypops at the same time, but I realised that was pretty silly. So I've decided instead that I'll suck on each one for a little while and discuss.

Red - If you go to a restaurant and lollypops are handed out, I may be polite and let you pick first, but there's a good chance I'll just grab the red one first. Is red my favourite, no, but chances are it wont be something I don't like.

Yellow - This is always a fearful candy for me. I'm never sure if it's lemon (which I like) or banana (which I can't stand) today... Banana yuck.

I generally find that most places that give out lollypops, are also the places that make you stand on your chair and sing silly songs on your birthday.  Adults will eat them and kids love them too. Personally I find a lack in creativity but then again I am a candy snob.

Tip: 8%
MacTavish's

Nothing says tradition like the name MacTavish. It sounds like an old country estate in Scotland. If your meal is really garlic filled, this candy will do nothing for you at all, since it's not minty. I've reviewed these before and I still had the same problem. With the toffee type flavour I just want to crunch it to bits every time. It's virtually impossible to suck it all the way down to nothing.

Tip: 12%
Mike Mint

Now Mike didn't make these mints, they weren't made at the restaurant called “Mike's” either. This is a clever way for restaurants, mostly chains, to advertise. The thing that boggles my mind is that most people don't really save their mints; they either eat them on the spot or just skip it. If you're in the restaurant already paying for your meal, advertising for that restaurant really isn't worth it. Although here it is, on a "popular" web site a big shinny advertisement for Mikes restaurant. Do you think they had this planned from the start? Oh by the way, the mint was OK, nothing special but it did the trick.

Tip: 12% but 6% might have to go to the restaurant

CC

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