Tag: Burger King

What is it?

Hooray, it’s a new Burger King menu item that ISN’T just a slight variation of its King burger formula! Alas, that doesn’t mean said product is anything radically unique, though. Instead, BK’s newfangled Pretzel Chicken Fries are more or less a minute redressing of its meaty side dish…complete with a snazzy cardboard container featuring plenty of puns about both poultry and pretzels.

How is it?

If you’ve tried the BK Chicken Fries before, you know what to expect here. The taste, text and general mouthfeel is the same, and to be perfectly honest with you fine people, I thought the pretzel flavor — while noticeable — was still a little underwhelming.

You might expect the fries to have a nuttier, saltier taste, but by and large you have to really focus to even absorb the pretzel taste while you’re chewing. And in case you’re wondering, using any of BK’s proprietary sauces pretty much negates any kind of pretzel flavoring you might detect in these suckers.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Long story short, if you’ve had the regular Chicken Fries, you’ve basically already tried these. Yes, there is a subtle pretzel flavor in there, but it’s so subdued that I’m not even sure I’d be able to distinguish it from the regular Chicken Fries in a blind taste test. That said, the 9-piece set is actually astonishingly filling — you may not think that less than 400 calories worth of side dish can put a dent in your stomach, but these things might just surprise you.

Conclusion:

Although the product is only nominally “new,” as a limited-time-only offering it’s not bad at all. The fries are warm, flavorful and chewy, and they go incredibly well with the in-house zesty sauce (which, I think we can all agree, should’ve become a retail item a LONG time ago.)

As an overall fast food item, I’d say it’s well above average, but as an “event” food, so to speak, it’s hardly anything worth going out of your way to experience. And if you’re a health-conscious consumer, don’t even think about going anywhere near these things: with a whopping 1,200 milligrams of sodium, the Pretzel Chicken Fries contain nearly 30 percent MORE salt than a regular old BK Whopper.

Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: 9-pieces
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 340 calories, 21 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 45 milligrams of cholesterol, 1,200 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, less than one gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 16 grams of protein.

What is it?

You kids remember a couple of weeks back when we reviewed BK’s Sourdough King? Well, this newfangled Sourdough Chicken Club is pretty much the same basic concept, except with a few obvious (and not so obvious) tweaks.

Essentially, it’s a big, crispy chicken patty (topped with melted cheddar) with mayo, lettuce, tomato, and bacon wedged between two pieces of sourdough toast … hence, the name “Sourdough Chicken Club,” I suppose.

How is it?

This is a MUCH better offering than the aforementioned beef Sourdough King, for several reasons. First things first, the sourdough toast set-up just seems to compliment chicken patties better than beef patties (as any Zaxby’s enthusiast, naturally, will be quick to tell you.)

Secondly, BK wisely eschewed the onions and “special sauce” for a more traditional BLT-and-mayonnaise assortment, which not only creates a less messy sandwich but a more harmonious-tasting one. This is a hearty, extremely filling fast food offering, and one that tastes surprisingly fresh, to boot.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Of course, this being a super-sized BK sandwich, the item is pretty salty, and although it’s nowhere near as sloppy as its all-beef predecessor, it is still fairly greasy. The shredded lettuce might be a deal breaker for some of the more finicky fast food aficionados out there, and for those of you on a budget, take note: at almost $6, this isn’t exactly a value-priced pick-up we’re talking about here.

Conclusion:

I went into the Sourdough Chicken Club with pretty low expectations and can safely say I was pleasantly surprised by the results. The chicken patty is juicy and crispy, the bacon is almost perfectly seasoned and all the ingredients gel incredibly well together.

It’s not a perfect pseudo-deli-style chicken sandwich, but for what it is it’s not too shabby. And like I said earlier, this thing WILL sate your appetite in a hurry — just something to think about before you order an Oreo pie and extra-large fries to accompany the meal.

Purchased Price: $5.79
Size: N/A
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 840 calories, 51 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 1 grams of trans fat, 95 milligrams of cholesterol, 1,760 milligrams of sodium, 62 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 7 grams of sugar, and 32 grams of protein.

What is it?

The Sourdough King is basically a slightly ritzier version of BK’s line of King sandwiches. The ingredients are all pretty much part and parcel of the usual Burger King sammich – you’ve got your flame-broiled patty, you’ve got some American cheese, and you’ve got a few strips of bacon – but the big variable is what’s holding all of it together: a toasted sourdough bun. Toss in some grilled onions and the King’s signature creamy sauce and that’s pretty much the gist of it.

How is it?

It’s a bit of a mixed bag. The onions are pretty juicy and crispy, so that’s a plus. The charbroiled beef is as good as ever and that proprietary secret sauce (I’m thinking it’s half honey mustard and half Catalina dressing) is downright delicious.

Unfortunately, the toasted sourdough bun seems to get soggy fast, and the bacon – at least at my local BK – felt a little too chewy and flavorless.

Is there anything else I need to know?

With a fairly steep price point (the double-patty version will cost you $5.99), the Sourdough King doesn’t do a whole lot to justify its cost – indeed, it seems to be smaller than the chain’s regular Bacon King offering.

Furthermore, the sodium content is also pretty high, so you’re definitely going to need a beverage to choke this thing down. And while very yummy, that “special sauce” is extremely greasy – better have the napkin dispenser nearby if you plan on tackling this sucker.

Conclusion:

The Sourdough King is tasty, but it’s hardly what I would consider a L-T-O worth going out of your way to experience. The sourdough bun doesn’t add anything to the tried-and-true formula, and you could easily replicate the overall taste and flavor of the sandwich by special-ordering a regular burger — thus saving yourself a dollar or two in the process.

Honestly, this is hardly anything more than a Bacon King with toast instead of a sesame seed bun; and if such an invitation has your mouth-watering and your free hand just itching to fork over your wallet…well, that makes one of us.

On the planet.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: Single patty
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Single Patty) 730 calories, 43 grams of fat, 16 grams of saturated fat, 1.5 grams of trans fat, 125 milligrams of cholesterol, 1570 milligrams of sodium, 52 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 12 grams of sugar, and 35 grams of protein.

It’s an almost universally acknowledged fact that fast food marketers are about four years behind the rest of civilization. How else can you explain the packaging on Burger King’s new Flamin’ Hot Mac N’ Cheetos, which describes the item as “lit?” Jeez, you might as well throw in a “#BAE,” a “these are CRUNK” and maybe a couple of “shizzles,” for good measure.

Regardless of the groan-inspiring “no, we’re hip and with it, for sure, dawg” artwork, I can assure you the recently revamped Mac N’ Cheetos are much better than the paper container they come in. For those of you who have never tried the regular BK Mac N’ Cheetos, I’d liken them to humongous, deep fried cheese sticks – which, as the name suggests, comes with a hearty smattering of Cheetos-flavored dust on the batter. Well, this variation ups the ante with a thick coating of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos spices, and it tastes pretty much identical to the puffed cornmeal snacks we all know and love.

The exterior shell of these Mac N’ Cheetos is pretty dry, and the overall chewiness varies from piece to piece. Some pieces are fairly crunchy, while others are so hard it’ll snap the prongs off your plastic fork (which is what actually happened when I gave the product a taste test.) In terms of spiciness, I’d give it a respectable four or five out of ten, so if you don’t have a high tolerance for the hot stuff, you should still be able to enjoy them without breaking out the Tums or Kleenex.

On the inside, the macaroni noodles are squishy but otherwise unremarkable. I’m almost 99.8 percent certain that’s Velveeta cheese spread on the inside, and that flavor is extremely powerful. So if you’re not a fan of gooey, buttery processed cheese, there’s your warning.

Overall, the snacks are tasty and surprisingly filling, with a spiciness that’s a tad more potent than you’d probably expect. Alas, they’re not without their demerits. First off, these things are EXTREMELY dry, with a sodium count the equivalent of swallowing half a teaspoon of table salt. And be prepared to dust red flakes off everything, because that Cheetos detritus flies like confetti every time you take a bite.

The big problem is that this five-count product desperately, direly needs a dipping sauce to accompany it. None of the usual Burger King sauces complement it all that well, and if you’re going to sell something containing half a day’s recommended daily allowance of salt, you at least owe us some on the house dressing to lubricate that stuff down our esophagi.

Which raises the question – what are you supposed to dip Cheetos in? Not that I’m trying to influence BK or anything, but Frito-Lay does already have a soy sauce-flavored Cheetos permutation in Japan.

(Nutrition Facts – 390 calories, 22 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 1170 milligrams of sodium, 40 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of sugar, and 9 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $2.69
Size: 5 pieces
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: The cheesy interior is really hearty and flavorful. The Cheetos dust is respectably spicy. They’re basically humongous fried macaroni sticks, and I won’t ever complain about that.
Cons: These things will dry your throat out fast. Not having a decent dipping sauce option afforded to you. Wondering why the packaging is all but devoid of Chester Cheetah iconography.