Just a quick review today - Whataburger’s lemon pie, available for a limited time only during summer months. It’s a refreshing treat this time of year, despite being deep fried and served hot. The 99 cent price and 230 calories make it almost guilt-free.

The crust is extremely crispy and flaky, with little chunks and pieces breaking away as you munch. If you’ve ever had the hot apple pies that McDonald’s used to serve (before switching from fried to baked) you will know exactly what I’m talking about.

The filling is smooth, thick and creamy, almost like eating warm pudding. There’s a strong zesty lemon flavor, just a bit of tartness and a mildly sweet quality. It makes a wonderful dessert after eating a burger and fries, or a terrific snack by itself.

The Lemon Pie from Whataburger is a tasty, affordable way to add a little summer sweetness to your next meal. Crunchy on the outside, rich and creamy on the inside, and ultimately quite satisfying. If you’re a lemon fan, your fast food pastry is here.

Price: $.99 / Website: Whataburger.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Whataburger Deep Fried Lemon Pie.

Calories - 230
Calories from Fat - 110
Total Fat - 12 grams
Carbs - 35 grams
Saturated Fat - 2.5 grams
Trans Fat - 1 grams
Cholesterol - 0 milligrams
Sodium - 280 milligrams
Protein - 3 grams

Sonic Drive-In is introducing the Fried Ice Cream Blast, a new version of the company’s popular frozen dairy treat. Soft serve ice cream, cinnamon crisps, caramel and whipped cream topping are combined to create the new sweet summer special. It’s scheduled to be available on August 1st, however you might find some locations already serving it. When I first heard the name, I thought it was actually a type of fried ice cream. I was ready to be shocked and amazed. As it turns out, “fried” is simply a reference to the cinnamon crisps, which are in fact deep-fried.

Apparently I’m not the only one confused by the title, as they’ve added the following disclaimer to their advertising and website — “Product consists of soft serve, rather than fried ice cream”. — Frankly I find this type of labeling to be silly and misleading, but they don’t consult me on these things. Visit SonicDriveIn.com to learn more.

On my visit to Arby’s today I discovered the Chocolate Turnover is back for a limited time. Unfortunately the store manager could not tell me how long it’s going to be around, and since it’s a holiday weekend I’m unable to reach my regular PR contact. So I cannot guarantee your local stores will have them, but if you plan on eating at Arby’s soon, definitely keep your eyes open because they’re delicious. They are made by Pepperidge Farm using Hershey’s cocoa. You can read my review here.

I will update that review with the new photo above, and others. It was one of my first reviews after starting the site, and those old images were taken with a cellphone.

By the way — Happy 4th of July to Everyone — God Bless America.

Sonic Drive-In is well known for their wide variety of flavored drinks and dessert treats. One of the frozen desserts is the Sonic Blast, a vanilla dairy creation, that’s mixed and topped with crumbled pieces of candy. You can choose from M&M’s, Oreo Cookies, Butterfinger, or Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups to get your chocolate groove on.

The blast is sugary sweet, with a soft vanilla flavor in the background. It’s smooth and creamy, and starts out thick enough to eat with a spoon, but it tends to melt quickly, and I’ve found it becomes a little soupy towards the bottom 1/4 of the cup. In a way, it reminds me of yogurt, and I’m not a big fan. That’s definitely a problem for me.

It’s thicker than your average malt or shake that you would enjoy slurping with a straw, but still thinner than something like a Frosty from Wendy’s. For me personally, this in-between zone is not a favorite territory. It doesn’t feel anything like ice cream. On the other hand you can’t drink it, at least not at first. This unusual weight and density leaves me feeling unsatisfied, but it doesn’t ruin the experience — just limits it.

There’s a nice sprinkling of crushed candy bits on top, with more mixed in. There’s normally a thin layer of candy at the very bottom of the cup. I suspect pieces are sinking over time, as I’m eating, and they settle down there. Or maybe they drop a small handful in the bottom of the cup before loading it up with frozen dairy. Either way, it’s a nice final burst of chocolate candy flavor to end the show.

The Sonic Blasts Frozen Treats are good, and they will not disappoint your basic desires for a cold, creamy sweet dessert. But I don’t find them to be anything special, and they aren’t Thick-OR-Thin enough for my taste. The candy helps.

Price: $2.49 — Website: SonicDriveIn.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B-

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Sonic, Blast Frozen Treat, Butterfinger, Regular Size.

Calories - 670
Calories from Fat - 280
Total Fat - 31 grams
Carbs - 89 grams
Saturated Fat - 19 grams
Trans Fat - 1.0 grams
Cholesterol - 60 milligrams
Sodium - 250 milligrams

Nutrition Facts - Sonic, Blast Frozen Treat, Reece’s Cups, Regular Size.

Calories - 620
Calories from Fat - 200
Total Fat - 22 grams
Carbs - 96 grams
Saturated Fat - 14 grams
Trans Fat - 0.5 grams
Cholesterol - 65 milligrams
Sodium - 270 milligrams

The folks at Wendy’s are introducing a new hand-spun version of their popular Frosty frozen treat. Here’s the details — After almost 39 years, Wendy’s is shaking up the Frosty. Wendy’s announced that it’s introducing a new line of hand-spun Frosty Shakes in three flavors: Vanilla Bean, Chocolate Fudge, and Strawberry, which is a first for the company. The rich and creamy new Frosty Shakes are topped with whipped cream and a cherry, are served with a straw. The traditional Frosty is thicker so it has to be eaten with a spoon.

In 1969, when Dave Thomas opened his first Wendy’s in Columbus, Ohio, the Frosty was one of five original items on the menu. One of the most familiar and enduring items on Wendy’s menu, the Frosty only came in one flavor - Chocolate - until 2006, when Vanilla was added. Since then, the Company has introduced Frosty Floats and Twisted Frostys with candy or cookie toppings mixed in. “This is another example of how we’re actively expanding our dessert and beverage portfolio by leveraging the power of our proprietary Frosty brand” said Wendy’s Interim Chief Marketing Officer Paul Kershisnik. Beginning in early June, national advertising support will emphasize the premium quality of the Frosty shakes, using five kinds of cocoa, real vanilla beans and sauce made from real strawberries.

In addition to shakes, Wendy’s is introducing a Nestle Toll House Cookie Dough Twisted Frosty this month. Annually, they serve more than 350 million Frostys.

After eating my delicious Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich and waffle fries, I found myself craving something sweet. I know they serve some great shakes but I was in the mood for a different dessert, like chocolate cake or cookies. It appeared I was out of luck.

Then I remembered – they have a Fudge Nut Brownie on the menu at Chick-Fil-A.

So I spent the extra $1.10 and grabbed one as I left. The drive home is short, but it was difficult because the little see-thru container was sitting next to me, with the brownie inside looking back asking to be eaten. I wanted to wait until getting home so I could capture some review photos. It’s hard to get a good close-up shot inside the car.

Taking the sharp corner by my house I heard the little container go sliding out of the seat and onto to floor, followed by a couple books and cd’s. I assumed my brownie was smashed, but it was just fine. At this moment I truly appreciated the hard-ish shell plastic container that protected my dessert. It would have been crushed, or at least rolling around bare on the dusty floorboard had it come in a paper bag or wrapping.

As I took my brownie out of the plastic package a walnut fell off the top, and I quickly grabbed it and popped it into my mouth with tasty nutty satisfaction. They used big chunks of whole walnuts instead of ‘crushed’ bits. The brownie is small to normal size (as brownies go) but it has some pretty hefty nuts on top. They tasted great, much better than lower grade walnuts you find on pre-packaged treats at the supermarket.

The fudge icing was thick and wonderfully sweet without being too overpowering, and the brownie was soft and moist inside. Despite being small, it was heavy and dense, more so than something like a Little Debbie snack. It gave me the feeling it was made by hand, as opposed to being mass produced by the millions in a factory. It wasn’t quite home-made quality, but it was better than I expected, and only cost a buck.

The Fudge Nut Brownie from Chick-Fil-A ended up being a pleasant surprise. It was large enough and rich enough to satisfy my sweet chocolate craving, but small and cheap enough that it didn’t hurt my wallet or waistline. The walnuts are excellent.

Price: $1.10 / Website: Chick-fil-A.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B+

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Chick-Fil-A, Fudge Nut Brownie.

Calories - 330
Calories from Fat - 140
Total Fat - 15 grams
Carbs - 45 grams
Saturated Fat - 3.5 grams
Trans Fat - 2.5 grams
Cholesterol - 20 milligrams
Sodium - 210 milligrams

As I drove away from Arby’s on Monday night, with my delicious Crispy Chicken Bacon and Swiss Sandwich, I noticed a sign advertising their Chocolate Turnover dessert. Chocolate? I knew they had Apple and Cherry, but this was NEW. It looked good in the picture, but most food usually does. This would require a hands-on test, so tonight I went back to sample this new dessert item for myself. In fact, I got two of them.

Chocolate lovers should be excited as soon as they see it. There’s chocolate icing dribbled all over the top, and more chocolate trying to burst out the seems of the crust. It’s a nice looking pastry — much nicer than I was expecting. It’s a decent size too.

The crust is flaky, layers break away with each bite. It’s very much like a croissant, and unlike typical fast food breads. As it turns out, this Chocolate Turnover is made by Pepperidge Farm exclusively for Arby’s. No mistaking it for pastry from a real street bakery, but it’s definitely better than average fast food dessert.

Here’s the story — Pepperidge Farm produces and ships the chocolate stuffed dough to Arby’s in a frozen state. Arby’s then bakes the turnovers on site, at each store. The icing is put on by-hand right before it’s served to you. The end result is a fresh tasting, warm and toasty treat. Almost like something you’d expect from a donut shop.

The chocolate is made from genuine Hershey’s cocoa. The icing is sweet and light, while the stuffing inside packs more of a pure chocolate punch. It’s very rich, with a strong cocoa taste. Some might even find it too-much, but chocolate fanatics will be loving it. I should warn you — Eat this immediately after it’s served if you want full enjoyment. I purchased two, and the cold one was much less satisfying.

The Chocolate Turnover from Arby’s is about the closest thing to a bakery fresh dessert pastry you’ll find at a fast food place. It’s made from top quality ingredients, and the $1.29 cost is cheap enough for anybody to add to their next order.

Price: $1.29 / Website: Arbys.com

Fast Food Critic Score: A

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Arby’s Chocolate Turnover.

Calories - 400
Calories from Fat - 225
Total Fat - 25 grams
Carbs - 37 grams
Saturated Fat - 7 grams
Trans Fat - 7 grams
Cholesterol - 0 milligrams
Sodium - 190 milligrams