Costco. Every man’s paradise. Aaron Duran and myself took our talents to the beloved wholesale store, not to check out the smoking hot deals, but instead to dabble in the variety of foods served at the Costco food court.
Derek’s Items
Costco Pizza: The first thing I noticed off was the mere size of this bad boy. I mean, Costco did NOT play around when it came to the portion size of their pizza. Being a plain guy, I went with cheese pizza to strictly focus on the pizza itself, not any toppings that could take away from the task at hand. The coverage of cheese was solid, I felt like there was a little too much cheese which I am not the biggest fan of. The sauce, however, was fire. I am a saucy guy, so I am a tad biased when they add extra sauce, but it wasn’t necessarily the amount of sauce, rather the taste of it. It was tangy and hit the spot. The final boss and, in my opinion, the most vital part of the pizza, the crust. Let me tell you… this crust was straight bussin’. Thick crust combined with that sauce, wow! The crust really hit a home run and boosted the score of the pizza. My final score would have to be a 8.9. Costco doesn’t play when it comes to their pizza.
Double Chunk Chocolate Cookie: This majestic dessert was absolutely wonderful to dive into. Off the bat, the gooey appearance and thickness was appealing, but it was the taste that won me over. The firm outer part and the soft center made this cookie so enjoyable. The crispness combined very well with the texture and made this cookie unique to many other cookies I have tried in the past. There is really not much else to say about this great cookie. The final rating for the double chunk chocolate cookie is a 9.6. Absolute banger of a cookie!
Aaron’s Items
Chicken Bake: A personal favorite of mine, the chicken bake has had recent acclaim due to its online appearances in famous “Costco Guys’” videos. Is it all hype or is the chicken bake a standout? The chicken bake is filled with chopped chicken, bacon bit inclusions, and a three-cheese blend of mozzarella, provolone, and parmesan. Although the ingredients are simple the chicken bake is far from it. The chicken bake has levels of complexity unrivaled on the Costco menu, and the intricacy of the meat and cheese blend is a splendid experience on the palette. The size of the chicken bake is also nothing to scoff at coming in at nearly a foot long. Even with the recent size decrease, the chicken bake is a value meal for $3.99. For the actual taste though, the chicken bake is superb, the chicken and cheese synergize akin to peanut butter and jelly. The texture is also a high point with its crunchy breading on the outside with melted cheese on top, but that’s just the outside. Everyone knows the inside is what counts. The inside is a warm, proportional bite the entire way through, and I’d give the chicken bake overall a 9/10.
Hot Dog Weenie
Before I begin it is pertinent to preface my review with the fact that I am biased against the hot dog, and if it weren’t for the review I would not have ordered it myself. That being said, I was wowed. Beginning with the price, I was astounded by the $1.50 price tag for a quarter pound of meat nestled neatly between a plain wheat bun. If there were something to nag about it is the simplicity of the meal, but other than the bun the actual dog is highly customizable. For this review I indulged in a hotdog with ketchup and mustard. There is also the option for additional toppings like relish and the recent return of chopped onions. The first bite was a little bit lackluster to be frank, but the hotdog only improved exponentially, because the following bites had less bun, more toppings, and more meat. The Costco hot dog by no means revolutionizes the frankfurter game but it is good at what it does, and more importantly it is consistent, boasting its $1.50 price tag since its introduction in 1985. I would give the hotdog a 6/10 for its taste alone, but for its value I am awarding it a 7/10 overall.