Now that we’re in the second week of September, most menus have completely flipped the page to fall. With cooler weather here or coming soon, restaurants are leaning toward comfort foods. But football specials and pumpkin continue to trend, as those seasonal entries are just getting under way.
The Loaded Italian Sandwich returns to Arby’s and it brings the meats. The sandwich layers ham, pepperoni and salami, Swiss cheese, banana peppers, red onions, tomatoes, lettuce and a new garlic aioli on a toasted sub roll. Jersey Shore stars Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi and Jenni “JWoww” Farley hunt for the “loaded Italian” in a digital campaign to promote the sandwich—a takeoff on one of the show’s episodes.
Mellow Rollz are ready for dipping. | Photo courtesy of Mellow Mushroom.
Mellow Mushroom reshapes pizza into a portable, dippable snack with its new Mellow Rollz. They’re made with the chain’s spring water dough that’s stuffed with mozzarella, sprinkled with Parmesan and baked until warm, golden and ready to dip into Mellow Mushroom’s choice of sauces. That includes two dip additions: Vodka Sauce and Creamy Pesto Sauce.
Southern comfort food with a better-for-you spin is True Food’s nod to fall. The New Orleans-inspired lineup includes Hot Honey Shrimp & Grits, Jambalaya, Grilled Shrimp Po’ Boys, Caramelized Onion & Andouille Sausage, Blackened Redfish and Smoky Red Beans & Rice. Ingredients are sourced from local farmers and fishermen and prepared in the NOLA culinary tradition.
Cider Herb Chicken Plate and Spiced Pork Tenderloin, both enhanced with house-made cider onion jam, and Spiced Farro with candied orange and roasted veggies are three of the new fall dishes at Dig Inn. There are also comforting vegetarian choices, such as Sweet Chili Tofu Plate and a Sweet Chili Sandwich made with either crispy tofu or a crispy chicken thigh. Plus, Homestyle Mashed Potatoes and roasted Chili Lime Brussels Sprouts are back, both fan favorites.
Spiced pork tenderloin and roasted Brussels sprouts at Dig Inn. | Photo courtesy of Dig Inn.
Guests at Taffer’s Tavern are invited to sip and savor seasonal menu additions. On the food side, there’s a Harvest Bleu Salad with apples, dried fruit, candied walnuts, bleu cheese and honey mustard vinaigrette, and Tomato Bisque served with cheesy garlic bread, while a Harvest Margarita flavored with cranberry, apple butter and cinnamon and a caramel-apple Fireside Mule join the drinks menu.
Healthy comfort is the theme at Freshii, where three new bowls debuted across Canada. Chicken Pesto Parmesan combines chicken with spicy broccoli, grape tomatoes, Parmesan, lemon-herbed quinoa, spinach, Mediterranean crunch, pesto vinaigrette and a touch of hot sauce; Cajun-inspired Hot Honey Mustard Chicken is made with blackened chicken, sweet potatoes, red cabbage, crispy fried onions, lemon-herbed quinoa, hot honey mustard and green onions; and the coastal-inspired Shrimp Taco Bowl is a toss of shrimp, lemon-herb quinoa, avocado, red cabbage, field greens, wonton crisps, pickled red onions, cilantro lime vinaigrette, cilantro, and hot sauce.
Freshii's new fall bowls. | Photo courtesy of Freshii.
With the kickoff of the NFL season Thursday, football fare is making news this week too. Wingstop introduced Smoky Chipotle Rub as the latest way to flavor its wings and tenders. The limited-edition dry rub blends smoky barbecue and fire-roasted peppers with a bit of honey and paprika for balance.
The Double SONIC Smasher is Sonic’s lure for football fans. There’s a BOGO Deal on the burger when customers order through the Sonic app, good for the entire month of September. The burger features two Angus beef patties stacked with melted cheese, Smasher sauce, crinkle-cut pickles and diced onions on a soft potato bun.
Buffalo Chicken is Honeygrow’s contribution to football game eats. The fast casual is offering a Buffalo Chicken Stir-Fry made with whole wheat noodles, roast chicken, cauliflower, carrots and celery tossed in Buffalo sauce and topped with bleu cheese crumbles, crispy jalapeños and ranch, along with a Buffalo Chicken Salad, which replaces the noodles with a romaine lettuce base. Both are on the menu through Sept. 22 only.
Ninety Nine Restaurant & Pub is all in on game-day chicken, too. Every Sunday, Football Frenzy specials for dine-in at the bar include Bone-In Wing 6-Packs ($5.99) with a choice of sauces, a Big Bar Bavarian-style Soft Pretzel with queso sauce dip ($12.49), a Buffalo Chicken Dip with tortilla chips ($6.99), and several full-size appetizers ($6.99). The latter covers potato skins, flatbreads, crispy cauliflower, spinach-artichoke dip and more.
Football fare at Hurricane Grill & Wings. | Photo courtesy of Hurricane Grill & Wings.
Now through Dec. 21, Hurricane Grill & Wings is offering an array of appetizers geared to armchair athletes. There’s a Slider trio with options of Cheeseburger, BBQ Pork or Crispy Chicken; Typhoon Tender Pile featuring fries topped with Buffalo chicken tenders, a blend of cheeses, bacon bits, queso and green onions; and a Buffalo Chicken Dip with kettle chips.
Sweets are in abundance this week too, starting with Baskin-Robbins’ Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice Cream as the Flavor of the Month. It’s joined by the new Pumpkin Spice Cappy, a frozen coffee beverage that’s a blend of Pumpkin Cheesecake ice cream with coffee and ice, topped with whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon.
Also in the ice cream category is Haagen Dazs with a Pumpkin Spice Shake made with dulce de leche ice cream and real pumpkin. Along with the shake are a Pumpkin Spice Dazzler sundae layered with caramel, cookies and warm spices, and a Pumpkin Spice Dipped Waffle Cone rolled in cinnamon cookies and pumpkin spice.
The pumpkin collection at Haagen-Dazs. | Photo courtesy of Haagen-Dazs.
Wayback Burgers detours from pumpkin with its ice cream LTO—an Oreo Cookie Sundae. The parfait-style dessert layers vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and Oreo cookie crumbles, topped with whipped cream.
And CicisPizza is pushing pumpkin in a baked treat. The limited-time Pumpkin Spice Cinnamon Rolls return to the buffet and to-go menu. Baked in house, the finished cinnamon rolls are drizzled with pumpkin-spice icing flavored with hints of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.
Going in a healthy pumpkin direction is Nekter Juice Bar with its launch of a Pumpkin Spice Smoothie blended with nut milk, pumpkin, banana, dates and agave. Also on the Fall menu is Pumpkin Spice Chia Pudding layered with pumpkin mousse and topped with hemp granola, red apples and a sprinkle of pumpkin spice. Pumpkin Spice Protein Waffles compete the seasonal trio.
And the pumpkin coffee drinks keep on coming. At 7-Eleven, Speedway and Stripes stores the Pumpkin Apple Crisp Cold Brew and Latte debuted this week, joining the 7-Select Pumpkin Spice Iced Cappuccino. And The Human Bean rolled out an Iced Shaken Pumpkin with Oat Milk. It runs through Nov. 4, along with a Butter Pecan Cold Foam Cold Brew and a Bright Energy Pink Lemon-aid. The latter is a mix of lime and raspberry with a hint of toasted almonds and was created to commemorate 20 years of Coffee for a Cure in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.
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