NORFOLK- My best friend Kelsey Kelley and I decided to once again try and find the best of a food group in town. We choose to do mozzarella sticks and cheese curds. We stuck with our theme of sides because they are easier to compare and judge, it creates a level of playing field. Personally, mozzarella sticks are my favorite option when it comes to getting an extra savory treat.  

We judged each restaurant on the cheese, looking for flavorful, stretchy, with a good consistency. The breading, we wanted a soft but crunchy outside, not to hard but not too squishy. The size, we wanted a good ratio between the cheese and breading and something that could go well with an entrée. In the flavor we wanted a cheesy juicy flavor, nothing too bland and boring. In the presentation we wanted the items to fit nicely in its packaging and the overall first look at the cheese curds and mozzarella sticks.  

DAIRY QUEEN- This fast food chain recently released these cheese curds. This was the first time Kelley had tried them, “they were kind of what I was expecting, almost like classic fried fair food,” she said. The cheese curds also came with a sauce of our choice, which was ranch.  We agreed that the cheese was a weird consistency, but had a good taste. However, the wait was also a bit long for how little we got.  

THE CHEESE- 8 

THE BREADING-8 

THE SIZE- 7 

THE FLAVOR- 8.5 

PRESENTATION-7.5 

THE TOTAL-39 

SONIC-We weren’t expecting anything too great from Sonic because of past experiences with their food, but the mozzarella sticks were pretty decent. The cheese was stretchy, which is always a plus and it was very hot and fresh. 

THE CHEESE-8 

THE BREADING-8.5 

THE SIZE-8 

THE FLAVOR-9 

PRESENTATION-7.5 

TOTAL-41.6  

ARBYS- We had extremely high expectations for these mozzarella sticks because of past experiences, and they did not disappoint. The size was very good, the breading was crispy and had a good ratio to the cheese which was very cheesy as well. “When I think of a mozzarella stick, I think of these ones from Arby’s,” Kelley said. Unfortunately, the sticks did not come with any sauce. 

THE CHEESE-9.5 

THE BREADING-9.5 

THE SIZE-10 

THE FLAVOR-9.5 

PRESENTATION-9.5 

TOTAL-48 

BURGER KING- This was our first time trying these mozzarella sticks, we didn’t have the highest expectations for these, but they were way better than we thought they would be. They included a packet of marinara  sauce. We noticed an herb flavoring in the breading which we thought was a good touch and added a lot to the flavor. We were also impressed at how fast they were.  

THE CHEESE-9 

THE BREADING-9 

THE SIZE-8 

THE FLAVOR-9 

PRESENTATION-9.5 

TOTAL-44.5 

CULVERS- Culvers cheese curds are always a must have when going there. We appreciate their two types of Wisconsin cheese and the amount of cheese curds in every sack. 

THE CHEESE-9 

THE BREADING-9.5 

THE SIZE-9 

THE FLAVOR-9.5 

PRESENTATION-9.5 

TOTAL-46.5 

Arby’s came out to be the winner of the judging, which we predicted was going to be the result. Overall, all of the mozzarella sticks and cheese curds did not disappoint. These side pieces are always a good option when you are feeling like you want something extra and you are a fan of cheese. Every place we visited had something great to offer so you can’t go wrong no matter what. We didn’t have any issues with an order being wrong or receiving anything cold.