Trees Organic Coffee & Roasting House

Restaurant: Trees Organic Coffee & Roasting House

Cuisine: Café/Coffee/Desserts/Cakes
Last visited: January 19, 2010
Area: Multiple - Vancouver, BC (Gastown/Downtown)
321 Water Street
Price Range: $10 or less

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 3
Service: 2.5

Ambiance: 3.5

Overall: 3

Additional comments:

• Local chain since 1996
• Clean/European style cafe
• Good for snacks/coffee breaks
• Relaxed, but upscale café feel
• Fair-trade 100% certified organic coffee
• Coffee roasted in small batches on site
• Award winning cheesecakes
• Vancouver’s Best Cheesecake by The Province newspaper
• By the slice or whole cheesecakes available
• Organic coffee, not organic food
• Breakfast/Lunch
• Sandwiches/Baked goods
• Display case/pre-made items
• Vegan options
• Eat in/Take-out
• Difficult to park

**Recommendation: The Sin Cheesecake, Coffee, Latte

I went to the grand opening of the 4^th location of Trees Organic Coffee & Roasting House in Gastown. I was really excited because 1) I was meeting a friend I hadn’t seen in years and 2) they advertised an “all day tasting party with free coffee and samples of cheesecake, muffins, scones and sandwiches!” It was supposed to be a big party and celebration so they got everyone all excited and anticipated – but for nothing. In the end we did sample one cheesecake (upon ordering and paying), but we also asked for it. I just don’t believe in false advertising and hyping your customers up for expectations you can’t deliver. I mean people went to support their business so I don’t think it’s unfair to ask that they should stay true to their words.

I support their 100% Organic & Fair Trade Coffee policy – and I actually think they should include this “organic” policy into everything they make. I mean it’s in the store name, and they stress it with their coffee, so why not in the food? All their baked goods and sandwiches are actually brought in from their flagship store on Granville Island, so if I were to choose a location I would go for that one.

Trees Organic Coffee & Roasting House in Gastown is good for a coffee break or a snack, but I wouldn’t go for lunch. It’s a very nice, clean, comfortable set-up but the selection is limited to a display case of premade sandwiches and cheesecakes…the cheesecakes are a local favourite and pretty good though. I’d only come back for coffee or cheesecake.

I’m going to review this like any other review because this “grand opening” was nothing different than a regular day…except with maybe some balloons.

On the table:

**Latte 5/6

• Size: Tall - about $3.50
• I really liked this and it’s quite creamy with a nice amount of froth. I still like Elysian or 49^th Parallel better I think. I need to do a comparison one of these days.
• It’s smooth and almost naturally sweet with a malted flavour.
• Very light roast.
• They need to work on the design though.

**Coffee 5/6

• 100% Organic & Fair Trade Coffee Size: Tall – about $2.50
• Very light roast, I like mine a bit stronger.
• Very smooth.

**The Sin Cheesecake 5.5/6

• They don’t have the description on the menu but it’s a chocolate marble cheesecake with cherries and a chocolate crust $5.99
• It was good and better than the blueberry cheesecake we ordered. This is their most popular cheesecake.
• This is the only sample we actually got, and that’s because we asked.It's hard to judge based on a sample but from a non-cheesecake lover (I really don’t like those heavy thick New York style cheesecakes) this was a good cheesecake.
• It’s very creamy, not dense at all and almost mousse like. It’s still very rich but not too cheesy in taste either. It was lighter than most cheesecakes but heavier than a tiramisu (which is the only cheesecake I like). A few bites would be enough for me, not becuase it's too sweet, but just extremely creamy.
  
• It had a nice balance of sweet chocolate, creamy light cheese, and tartness from these plump sour cherries. Great balance, flavour, and texture.
• I didn’t mind that the crust was a bit thin because since it’s a chocolate/Oreo crust it’s more flavourful than a graham cracker crust.
• Cherries weren’t red, but an orange yellow caramel in colour. I don’t remember what they were called, but they were tiny, round, plump and juicy. I’m pretty sure they’re preserved because they had that sticky syrup coating around them, but it wasn’t fake tasting like Maraschino cherries. They were almost like the sour cherries from the Amarena Cherry Crème Brulee I had at Cin Cin.

Blueberry Cheesecake 3.5/6

• Fresh blueberries mixed in the cheesecake burst in your mouth with juicy, sweet flavour $5.99 (Description from website)
• The cheesecake part was really good. Not too sweet and just as creamy and mousse-like as The Sin Cheesecake. It’s so soft and creamy you can’t even cut through it.
• This is lighter than The Sin Cheesecake but I still wouldn’t want a whole piece to myself – although light, the creaminess is too much.
• The crust was a graham cracker crust and I wish it was thicker. It was also very soggy and wet, perhaps because it was sitting in the display case for too long and then plated on top of unnecessary chocolate syrup.
• The chocolate syrup just tasted like bottled chocolate syrup and did nothing for me. That part was too sweet.
• The cheesecake is a baked cheesecake, which I liked. However it wasn’t baked evenly. The edges were stiffer and dense and almost dried out from being in the display case. However the centre was fluffy and creamy and melted in your mouth.
• Besides the crust, the other problem was the blueberries. The description says “fresh blueberries” but they didn’t taste fresh at all. They were extremely wrinkly and dry and tasted like dried blueberries or frozen blueberries. I highly doubt they were fresh. There were only blueberries on top too and they weren’t plump juicy or sweet.

Prosciutto & Brie Baguette Sandwich 2.5/6

• With lettuce & tomato $7.99
• For $7.99 I would much rather go to So.Cial at Le Magasin or Brioche around the corner. Those places have value and specialize in quality meats and sandwiches.
• This sandwich tasted good, but there were hardly any ingredients in it. One leaf of romaine, a very thin slice of tomato, one slice of prosciutto and one slice of brie. I couldn’t even taste the brie in every bite.
• We asked for the sandwich to be warmed up but that didn’t really help. The brie was so thin it turned into a brie spread. It was good and creamy, but almost turned saucy.
• The lack of ingredients usually means a lack in flavour, so to make up for the natural flavours they replaced it with heavy seasonings. It was mostly kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, but they used a lot.
• The best part is the bread; and thank goodness because it was quite thick and there was a lot. It’s baked in house in their Granville location and I really liked it! It was very crunchy and although it is thick, it also wasn’t too chewy, it worked. Great bread!

Cranberry Pecan Oat Muffin 1.5/6

• $2.50
• I had major issues with this muffin. It really bothers me when cranberry and pecan is used in the title of the muffin, but used only as décor. Very deceiving.
  
• There were no pecans or cranberries in the actual muffin. It would have given the muffin so much more flavour and was really disappointing.
• The muffin bottom was just plain vanilla muffin batter. Actually at first bite it almost has a candied orange taste and then later on you get a tiny bit of vanilla extract taste. I think there might be lemon zest in it or maybe some kind of orange liquor like Grand Marnier in it. It is very subtle and it would have gone great with the cranberries…if there had been actual cranberries IN it, no just on top of it.
• I actually didn’t find much oat in it either. A few odd flakes, and maybe used more on the top.
• That’s about the only thing this muffin had going – was the top. It had a huge muffin top (haha muffin top!)...which is great! That’s the best part because it was really crispy and flavourful. It’s the only part that had cranberries and pecans too.
• The muffin was moist, but baked a bit unevenly which is odd. Parts of it still tasted like batter.

Earls Restaurant – Langley

Restaurant: Earls Restaurant – Langley

Cuisine: American/West Coast
Last visited: January 5, 2010
Area: Langley, BC
600 - 6339 200th Street
Price Range: $10-20

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 3 (on this occasion, usually I'd give it a 4)
Service: 3

Ambiance: 4

Overall: 3.5

Additional comments:

• Canadian chain restaurant
• Recently renovated
• Excellent bar/lounge area
• Contemporary design, furniture, lighting
• Glass partition
• Lounge area features big screen TV’s
• Average $17/person (w/tax & tip, drinks excluded)
• Casual/relaxed
• Attracts 20’s crowd after 9pm
• Kid-friendly, fit for families, but generally attracts youthful crowd
• Daily drink specials
• Lounge and dining area
• Kid-friendly, but more fit for friends & couples
• Lunch and dinner
• Good for game/drinks

**Recommendation: I usually go for their special features, but on the regular menu, out of what I’ve tried, I like: Grilled Prawn Tacos, West Coast Prawn Salad, Grilled Chicken and Baked Brie Ciabatta

So yes, even foodies go to chain restaurants…on the rare occasion. I prefer to dine at independents or non-chain restaurants. I like things that are less available, and I want to taste and support the local talent. However I do like to see how chain restaurants such as Earls are changing. I’m always curious when there’s a new menu item, new location opening or if they’ve undergone renovations.

Earls has improved so much in the last 3 years, to the point where I am now a customer again. The menu and image has been upgraded and the prices are decent for the food they serve. It’s not family style like White Spot, more “classy” than Sammy J Peppers, but not as expensive or “high end” as Cactus Club. I would say it’s between Sammy J Peppers and Cactus Club – maybe more along the lines of Moxies.

I’ve been to Earls Restaurant maybe 7 times (different locations) in the last 6 months and I always find myself ordering something off their special features menu. They constantly keep their menus updated and there’s always something new to try. I like that about Earls, I just don’t know how they afford to do this.

Their menu has improved 10 fold and their image has also changed…to somewhat attracting a younger (19-25) crowd especially after 9pm. There’s a lot of West Coast influence in their American classics and everything is done quite well. The portions are decent for the most part and the prices are affordable.

The Earls Restaurant in Langley

The Earls Restaurant in Langley has recently been renovated so I decided to check it out. I don’t know what it looked like before, but I was impressed with what I saw.

It was very contemporary with a glass partition, stunning wine bar, angular mirrors, and mini clear globe like chandeliers. The one thing I really disliked is the height of the booths on the dining area. They come up to just below the shoulder blades when you sit back, so if someone sits behind you you’re pretty much touching heads. It’s very awkward and not intimate at all. The lounge is nice though, but even some of those booths are built with low frames.

I was more blown away by the ambiance, design and decor than I was by the new features menu (which I'll almost always order from). Everything was good, but the stuff on their previously special features menu featuring braised short ribs and I think it was a honey mustard glazed salmon was better.

On the table:

Los Cabos Chicken Tacos 2.5/6

• Two grilled soft corn tortillas, spicy tomato poached chicken, avocado corn salsa, melted cheddar and Monterey jalapeno jack, shredded lettuce, chopped cilantro, salsa picante $7.55 Add additional chicken tacos 3.80 each
• These were pretty good, but I prefer the grilled prawn tacos. Both versions are really small though, even as an appetizer…they’re 2 biters.
• There was a lot of shredded romaine and roughly chopped cilantro on top and I don’t know if that was to cover up the amount of chicken because there really wasn’t much. If it was for presentation it didn’t work because it would look better with a clean spoonful of poached chicken on top.
• The tortilla was a corn tortilla and I actually prefer a flour tortilla. The corn tortilla was grilled up and a little hard so I would prefer something softer with the nicely poached chicken.

  

• The chicken was moist and almost like pulled chicken it was so tender there just wasn't much. It tastes like it was poached in those mild salsa packets they serve at Taco Bell, with maybe some taco seasoning mixed in. However I actually don’t mind those packaged salsas...I just wasn’t expecting that flavour.
• They were not spicy at all, unless you used the hot sauce they served it with. The sauce tastes like Peri Peri sauce from Nando’s or Frank’s Red hot sauce.
• There was so much lettuce I really couldn’t pick out any other ingredients. The most distinct flavour was that mild salsa packet sauce. They were still good, but I also wouldn’t care to order them again.

  

Cedar Planked Salmon with Panang Curry Sauce 2.5/6

• Authentic spicy Thai red curry, brown basmati rice and seasonal vegetables $21
• I almost always order their salmon special feature because it hasn’t disappointed me and there’s always a new version.
• The risk with salmon is that it's almost always overcooked. 3/3 times I've ordered salmon from different Earls locations I’ve never had an overcooked or dry one yet, so I hope that continues.
• This was the biggest piece of salmon I’ve been served at Earls. It was pretty huge and thick too. It was seasoned with salt and pepper and fully cooked, but still juicy. I usually like mine undercooked, but I didn’t request it and its fine the way they do it.
• I’m about 99% sure they use pre-made red curry paste here. I’m not liking the “authentic” in the description. Earls making “authentic” Thai food…?
• The curry sauce is a bit spicy and quite aromatic with a pretty strong lemongrass flavour. I missed the fresh basil and the flavour of fish sauce as the salt rather than actual salt.
• Alright so even if I accept the pre-made red curry paste, my biggest issue was there was no ginger or garlic. Most, if not all, Asian recipes start with ginger and garlic. I had none so for me it was not “authentic” at all. Not that I was expecting it to be, cause it is Earls, but at the same time a little ginger and garlic is not hard to incorporate into a recipe.
• The basmati rice was better here than when I had it at the Strawberry Hill location in Surrey. It was too mushy when I had it at the Surrey location.
• The seasonal veggies were roasted yams, butternut squash and red beets. These were delicious. Tender, simple and very flavourful. 6/6 on these!

  

Oven Roasted Chicken with White Wine Cream Sauce 3/6

• Tender boneless chicken breast, mushrooms, shallots and white wine with fresh cream in a rich demi glace, roast potatoes and seasonal fresh vegetables $19
• I was quite impressed with how much chicken they gave. It was 2 big pieces of chicken breast with a nicely roasted skin and for the price, I think it’s worth it. It was also tender, moist and quite juicy.
• The sauce could have been a lot more flavourful and well -rounded, but it wasn’t reduced enough. It looks more reduced in the photo than it actually was. It wasn’t really a demi glace either because demi glace is supposed to be brown and beef based.. The sauce was a very simple shallot and white wine sauce and the white wine was the flavour that stood out most. It was thickened with cream, some butter, and some whole grain mustard (which was more sweet than spicy ).
  

  

• The seasonal veggies were the same ones served with the salmon except this one has roasted potatoes. Again – perfection!

Brownie with Toblerone Chocolate 3.5/6

• Individual chewy chocolate brownie, melted milk chocolate TOBLERONE centre, crème fraiche gelato $3.50
• This was pretty good, but also pretty small. But who cares because at $3.50 can you really complain? It’s about the size of 3 two-bite brownies put together.
• This chocolate brownie is basically a chocolate lava cake, but instead of lava there’s a piece of Toblerone in the middle. The brownie is pretty much half cooked and the Toblerone completely melted. The chocolate was 1 piece and I would have preferred smaller pieces all throughout. I could barely taste the Toblerone and it was only in one bite.

  

• I totally thought the gelato was just vanilla…which means the crème fraiche was overwhelmed by the chocolate or just not that tangy in flavour. I also ran out of ice cream before I did brownie.
• The brownie was good though; rich, chocolaty and moist…it was like a giant Two Bite Brownie served warm, so overall I was still happy with this dessert.
• The feature S'mores dessert they offered in the summer is still the best feature dessert I've had there. This Toblerone brownie was better than the gingerbread cake they had on their last menu though. The gingerbread cake was festive and different and served with sauteed apples, but the cake was a bit dry.
  

Applewood Country Gifts, Tea Room & Bakery - Review 2

Restaurant: Applewood Country Gifts, Tea Room & Bakery - Review 2

Cuisine: Brunch/Lunch/Teatime/Bakery
Last visited: December 26, 09
Area: Delta, BC
#112-6345 120^th Street
Price Range: $10-20

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: Sweet: 4 Savoury: 1.5
Service: 2

Ambiance: 6

Overall: 3

Additional comments:

• New owners, a couple new items eg: Sticky Toffee Bread Pudding
• Very quaint, very cute, traditional country style tearoom
• Child-like tea party feel
• Atmosphere is unreal – literally, and figuratively
• Offers high tea - $20/person (Reservations required)
• Everything is homemade, but also pre-made and sits there until ordered
• Really "just like Grandma's..." kind of place
• Popular to locals, females, and seniors
• Local/hidden gem (tucked away location)
• Baked goods really good, savoury items - pretty bad
• Baked goods are $1-2 more if you eat in
• Homemade fudge
• Savoury and sweet items available to go
• Part restaurant, part gift shop selling stationary, aprons, tea sets etc.
• Reservations recommended for high tea - gets busy
• Accepts Debit/Visa/MC

**Recommendation: Scones with “the works” devonshire cream and homemade jam, Cloverleaf buns, Rhubarb upside down cake, chocolate brownies

This is almost the only place I will keep returning back too even though I’m not impressed with their food, except for the baked goods I recommend. The atmosphere is what draws me back, that, and the lack of options in the area.

I’ve been here on several occasions and it’s always the same stuff (for the last like 7 years…talk about traditional right?!) so I always try something new. The last time I came to Applewood Bakery I was really disappointed. Since then they have changed owners and not much has changed except for a couple new menu items. The new owner saw me taking pictures of the tearoom and kindly asked what they were for. I told her that it was for a blog, and to my surprise she had already read it and seen my review. I was a bit caught off guard because 1) it wasn’t a good review and 2) it was the 1^st time I’ve experienced this situation – but nonetheless, with her permission, she was kind enough to continue letting me do my thing – photos and all. I appreciate that.

I’ll be totally honest and say that I’m still not impressed with their savoury foods. Pretty much every time I’ve gone the savoury food is always a miss; except for their quiche which is decent and cloverleaf rolls which are fantastic. Other than those items, they just do nothing for me. The baked goods on the other hand are usually quite solid. They’re very grandma’s homemade country-style baked goods that suit the atmosphere perfectly. However even some of the baked goods I find just good…they could easily be better.

The atmosphere is insanely cute! It’s girly, delicate and you feel like Alice in Wonderland. From the tearoom, kitchen, to the bathroom – you just can’t help but to feel like you’re in a life size playhouse. You really won’t find anything else like it.

I spoke briefly with the new owner and she told me that she will be keeping some old traditions and slowly bringing in some the ones. It’s the kind of place that has a niche market and local clientele so I can see how it would be risky to change around too much. She’s going to be improving some recipes…and thank goodness for this because their savoury foods seriously need some attention. I’ve tried all of them and they’re pretty much all bland and dry.

I really can’t justify the price I’m paying for that quality of food, because it’s surprisingly pricey here (I can easily spend $20 + tea for brunch) and the portions are quite small (although they should be for a dainty place like this). The owner could see where I and others who feel the same way are coming from, so she plans to change this too. Therefore I can’t wait to see what she has in store, I’m excited.

My 1st review: Applewood Country Gifts, Tea Room & Bakery

On the table:

Quiche Meal 3/6

• Quiche of the day (almost always ham and cheese), side s alad with you choice of raspberry vinaigrette or lemon poppy seed dressing, and cloverleaf roll $9.99
• The quiche is a bigger than this but we shared a quiche and cup of soup so they split it for us in the back before serving it.
• If I’m going to order a savoury food here it will probably be th e quiche. Nothing else impresses me, and the quiche doesn’t really either, but at least it’s good.

  

• Cloverleaf roll 6/6
• This meal starts off with their famous homemade Cloverleaf roll.
• I reviewed the Cloverleaf roll last time and it’s still a 6/6.
• The cloverleaf roll is 3 types of buns combined to make one bun. The bun has 3 flavours - 1/3 multigrain, 1/3 cheese, 1/3 plain. They come warm with butter. The texture is amazing. Really good bread! The texture is really soft and fluffy; my favourite side is the multigrain side.
• Ham and Broccoli Quiche 3/6
• I’ve already done a review on it last time, but again it’s the safest savoury item you can order. I thought it was better this time, hence the +1, but there was more ingredients last time.
• The quiche isn’t a French-style quiche but more of a country-style quiche. It has chunky pieces of ham, diced broccoli (not much), bell peppers and green onions. It’s quite rustic with lots of roughly chopped ingredients and a layer of cheese on top before they bake it.
• It’s pre-made and warmed up so it has that “been sitting there” look and taste. The cheese layer just lifts right up rather than melting into the quiche. The quiche part is flavourful and moist though, and the veggies are tender.
• The crust is homemade crust and it’s perfect. It’s not too thick with nice crisp edges. I wonder if it’s the same crust for their pies. It wasn’t really flaky but still tender in texture and buttery in flavour.
• Green Salad with Homemade dressing 4/6
• The salad is romaine, a couple slices of cucumber, tomatoes, and sunflower seeds. Very simple.
• They should really just buy pre-washed lettuce. W e were biting into sand and it was not the poppy seeds from the dressing. We had to spit it out…very non-lady like, but it was really gross. We let the server know, but the reply was “really?...interesting…”…and nothing else. Yes until now I am as confused as you are.
• I usually go for the lemon poppy seed dressing over the raspberry vinaigrette. It’s quite sweet more than it is tart, more honey-like than lemon tasting but I like it. It could use the fresh zest of a lemon though. Too bad I couldn’t enjoy it with the salad.

• Lentil Soup 1/6

• Soup of the day: lentil soup Cup: $4.50 Bowl: $5.50
• The soup is made in house and from scratch but it was not good at all. I almost want to give it a 0, but it’s not on my scale.
• It tasted like an experimental soup and it was the most basic recipe with poor execution.
• There was no flavour at all. It was so bland and even adding salt and pepper wouldn’t and wasn’t helping.
• It had onions, carrots and celery, but it was all pureed in a food processor not until smooth but just little bits. It was a tomato based soup but it was very watery. All the ingredients were at the bottom and it reminded me of either baby food or senior food .
• I had 2 spoons and left the rest.

**Cranberry Scone with “The Works” 6/6

• Seasonal fruit and cheese scones available $2 to go $4.25 w/butter & jam $5.50 w/"the works"
• They offer around 3-4 flavours that change often: raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, cheese, rhubarb pecan (rare), raisin, strawberry etc.
• I’ve reviewed the Raspberry scone last time, and this time I tried the cranberry scone.
• I like the raspberry scone better because I found the cranberries too tart, although I liked the option for the holiday season.
• These are still the best scones I’ve had. Nice and big, thick and fluffy. They’re not flaky or crumbly, but almost cakey. They have a slightly crispy and perfectly browned outside, soft inside, buttery flavour and loaded with real fruit. It’s not really sweet either, it’s a perfect recipe.

  

• This one has whole plump cranberries throughout and extra on top for presentation. It’s served with a light dusting of icing sugar.
• It’s a pretty expensive scone and it’s definitely best enjoyed if you order it with “the works”. This will bring you to $5.50, but it’s a must if you come.
• “The Works”
• “The Works” just means with Devonshire cream and homemade jam. I reviewed it last time too, but I want to correct it because I think it’s actually better than I thought.

• Devonshire cream: I still doubt it’s real clotted cream (heated up unpasteurized milk), but it’s still really good. I was looking for the cheese taste this time and I found it, but it was hard. It was thick, but still not as thick as the real clotted cream and it wasn’t pale yellow like the real thing is. I’m pretty sure it’s whipped cream mixed with mascarpone, but it still tastes great. It’s lightly sweetened, has a mild cheesy taste, and very slight tang. It could use more mascarpone, if that’s what they’re using.
• Homemade jam: I reviewed this last time. Still great!

**Rhubarb Upside Down Cake 4.5/6

• You can order this with “the works” so we did and it came to $4.95. It’s $4.25 as is and if you get a piece to go it’s $2.95. I don’t think an extra $2 is very reasonable for eating in, an extra $1 is ok.
• I wouldn’t recommend “the works” totally unnecessary because it’s just whipped cream from a can. I thought it was going to be their homemade Devonshire cream so you could imagine my disappointment.
• It’s a pretty big slice of cake and it’s very moist. That’s what I love about it.

  

• The cake part is so moist and perfectly baked. It has a cinnamon flavour and it’s a simple coffee cake recipe. There are a few chunks of rhubarb throughout the cake batter which I really enjoyed. It was almost like apples, but tart and nice and stringy from the baking process.
• There’s not much of a rhubarb layer though. The rhubarb is very tender and slightly tart, but also sweet. It’s a perfect balance of sweet and tart for me. I just wanted more rhubarb in the top layer.
• This has nothing to do with the rating I gave, because colour doesn’t affect flavour of rhubarb…but I wish the rhubarb they used was redder in colour. It would simply look nicer.

Tea

• Small pot $2.50
• Large pot $4.50
• They have an extensive tea list, but the teas aren’t house blends. They’re brought in from another company.
• The table sugar is coloured - mix of regular sugar with some pastel pink, blue, and yellow sugar crystals. Really cute touch!

  

The Fudge

• Complimentary sample that comes with your bill and you can buy it to go as well.
• This time we got chocolate peppermint and candy cane.
• I still feel like they’re too sweet, not chewy enough and too artificial tasting.