This is a bar I've meant to review for a while now, but haven't got around to writing about, is Terry's Caramel Bite. This, as we all know, is a Kraft brand, and they did not endear themselves to anyone by closing down Terry's York factory a few years ago and moving production to other European factories. I won't mark the bar down for that, but considering it still leaves a bitter taste in the mouth (and considering also what's happened to Cadbury) I feel that I might almost be justified in doing so.

The Caramel Bite does not seem to be all that easy to find. It comes and goes a bit: a couple of years ago it seemed to be appearing in a few more shops, but now it's almost disappeared again; I really don't know why. I picked up mine in a local discount shop for 49p, and I wouldn't expect it to cost too much more than that anywhere else. It's a fairly hefty bar by modern standards, tipping the scales at 56 grams, so you're getting a reasonable chunk of choc for your money.

Actually, you're getting two chunks. As the picture on the wrapper suggests, the chocolate inside is divided into two short and chunky bars held in a cardboard tray. I've never really forgiven Mars for ceasing to package Bounty bars like this (though the Americans still seem to be keen on their trays) so it was almost nostalgic to see how the Caramel Bite had done it. As far as nutrition information goes, this is not a veggie-friendly bar, and its 282 kcal per two-chunk pack is not particularly lightweight. 30% cocoa solids is high for a small high street bar, though 18% milk solids is ordinary.

The wrapper design itself isn't one of my favourites: somehow it looks a bit old-fashioned, like something from the 1980s. Of course, as I've just mentioned with regard to the Bounty, old-fashioned isn't always bad, but here it looks as though Terry's haven't really bothered very much; let's face it, how many people could name one of their products other than the Chocolate Orange and - perhaps - All Gold? I do wonder whether the immense success of the Orange in particular has left Terry's other bars a bit neglected.

Anyway, back to the Caramel Bite itself, and actually it's not bad at all. If anyone remembers the short-lived Cadbury Fuse (I still rather miss that) or the similar and also defunct Nestlé Maverick, it's a bit like those bars used to be, though not as interesting. I would certainly suggest that the Caramel Bite would have benefited from the inclusion of raisins. The texture is very good, though, and it does feel pretty satisfying to sink your teeth into the bar, especially given the aforementioned chunky feel.

The chocolate itself felt rather secondary to the texture - rather as tends to be the case with Nestlé bars such as Kit Kats, Terry's seem to be less interested in that than in the chewiness, and the chocolate layer was noticeably thin and frankly not all that impressive in terms of taste. The cereal was a bit perfunctory as well, actually. However, that excellent chewiness does lift the Caramel Bite enough to earn it a three-star rating. Not my favourite chocolate bar by any means, and not one I mind too much not being able to find often, but it's quite nice. Damning with faint praise there...