Tag: Burger King

If only you could’ve seen my face when I rolled my eyes after hearing about Burger King’s Candied Bacon Whopper. Candied bacon? Bacon jam? Oooh, fancy, Burger King. Are you providing cloth napkins now, too? But after eating it, I need to put my foot in my mouth, and I will gladly do so, as long as there’s a Candied Bacon Whopper attached to it because I’m surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

The newest Whopper variation features a flame-grilled beef patty, tomatoes, lettuce, crispy fried onions, garlic aioli, sweet bacon jam, and brown sugar candied bacon on a sesame seed bun.

I will skip writing about the beef patty, tomatoes, lettuce, and sesame seed bun because if you’ve had a Whopper, you know what those bring to the table. So, let’s start with the bacon jam with chewy bacon bits. It’s sweet, smoky, and a little peppery, and I could be cliche here and say it’s my jam, but I can’t because, on its own, I can taste why it needs the other toppings to make this Whopper special. Its flavor doesn’t have a strong punch.

The brown sugar candied bacon doesn’t look like the shriveled-up pork pieces that are Burger King’s regular bacon. The sugary coating makes the bacon look better but doesn’t help give it a crispy texture. It’s not as sweet as the bacon jam, which allows its salty and porky goodness to come through. When combined with the sweet and savory jam, they give the burger a tasty barbecue-like vibe. Also, at times, I tasted something that reminded me of teriyaki sauce, so that might be the garlic aioli making itself known among the other toppings.

As for the crispy fried onion pieces, their flavor helps complete the barbecue vibe I’m tasting. They also give the burger some crispy texture, which I wish was from the bacon and lettuce, but I will take it any way I can get it.

Sure, Burger King’s Candied Bacon Whopper has almost the same amount of sugar as a 20-ounce bottle of Mountain Dew, but that helps make this Whopper sweet and sahweet (Am I using that properly, kids?). I can understand how that sweetness might turn off a few taste buds, but mine appreciated every bite. I’m sorry, Burger King. I thought you couldn’t pull off something like this, but I was wrong.

Purchased Price: $15.29 (meal)
Size: Small meal
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 850 calories, 49 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 1.4 grams of trans fat, 103 milligrams of cholesterol, 1090 milligrams of sodium, 71 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 72 grams of sugar, and 41 grams of protein.

From now on, every mushroom and Swiss burger should be called “Shroom n’ Swiss” because it’s so satisfying to say. Go ahead and repeat after me. Shroom n’ Swiss. Don’t forget to shape your lips like you’re going to kiss someone when saying “oo” in shroom and “sw” in Swiss. See. Fun.

Burger King’s latest addition to the limited time only BK Melts line is the fun-to-pronounce Shroom n’ Swiss Melt. (Don’t forget to shape your lips.) It features two flame-grilled beef patties, two Swiss cheese slices, roasted mushrooms, and Royal Sauce between two toasted bread rounds. This was my first time dining on a BK Melt, so I was a little disappointed to learn it uses Whopper Jr. patties. But there are two of them, so it’s still quite meaty.

Yes, it looks like a hot mess. But it’s a tasty hot mess. Although, it’s not that messy because none of those usually slippery mushrooms fell out of my burger. I guess I should thank the Swiss cheese. It may have holes, but it won’t let anything get past them when melted. However, when it comes to flavor, the Swiss is a miss. But thank goodness for BK’s Royal Sauce, which I’ve praised in the past and does a lot of the heavy lifting in this burger to make it taste good. Its cheesy and savory taste makes up for what the white cheese lacks, and could be confused for the cheese.

As for the roasted shrooms, their savory, earthy flavor comes through with every bite, and they provide that familiar chew they’re known for. Finally, the toasted bread rounds held everything together without falling apart, but they added nothing flavor-wise.

Burger King’s Shroom n’ Swiss Melt (Don’t forget to shape your lips.) is an enjoyable continuation of the BK Melts line, but it doesn’t reinvent the mushroom and Swiss burger. It looks a little different, thanks to the flat toast pieces, but the flavors are mostly the same as those that have come before it.

Purchased Price: $11.99 (meal)
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 860 calories, 57 grams of fat, 25 grams of saturated fat, 0.3 grams of trans fat, 170 milligrams of cholesterol, 1060 milligrams of sodium, 38.3 grams of carbohydrates, 4.2 grams of fiber, 8.1 grams of sugar, and 48 grams of protein.

Last year, I reviewed Burger King’s Ghost Pepper Whopper, which was one of the most memorable burgers I’ve ever had, especially with its beautiful orange and black bun.

BK brought that Whopper back this year but also introduced something new: the Ghost Pepper Chicken Fries.

These are fry-shaped chicken (and if you’re a reader of this site, you probably already know about chicken fries) with a spicy ghost pepper breading. They’re not as pretty as the Ghost Pepper Whopper’s bun, but they still are (subtly) orange and black.

I’ve never had an actual ghost pepper since I’m not a masochist, but I can guarantee that the Ghost Pepper Chicken Fries are nowhere close to the heat of the real pepper.

With that said, they are still spicy. I was on the verge of hiccupping as I made it through all twelve, but I didn’t. There was a steady burn as I munched, and I was glad to have the BBQ dipping sauce to cut through the heat. (I don’t think it did, but I told myself it was helping.)

But this item is not any spicier than many other fast food offerings. I didn’t think it was as hot as the Wendy’s Spicy Chicken Sandwich, a jalapeño burger, or the Ghost Pepper Whopper.

The chicken itself is just what I hoped it would be: moist, tender, not dried out or gristly.

I enjoyed eating these. They were a great vessel for the BBQ sauce, and they were spicy enough to keep it interesting without making me miserable. Spice-loving people will probably want them to be hotter, but they’re a good match for the general population.

I must return to BK to get the Ghost Pepper Whopper this year. I don’t like the Chicken Fries as much as the Whopper, but they’re a good option if you don’t want to commit to the calories of a full sandwich.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: 12-piece
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (12 pieces) 410 calories, 26 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 45 milligrams of cholesterol, 1,160 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 19 grams of protein.

I paid $11.49 for this Burger King Honey Mustard BK Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich.

Yes, just the sandwich.

Granted, I purchased it in a somewhat remote town 40 miles away from another Burger King location and any Walmart. Was it worth $11.49? Well, paying double digits for a fast food sandwich that’s three to four dollars cheaper at most other locations will leave a bad taste in anyone’s mouth. But I would buy it again if I could purchase it in a range closer to its advertised price because I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The limited time offering features a crispy white meat breast fillet topped with honey mustard, Swiss cheese, bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes on a toasted potato bun.

Much like the crispy chicken fillet in the BK Royal Crispy Wrap, the crispiness was mainly on the breading’s edges. And with the wrap, I was okay with the fillet’s lack of thickness since it was in a thin tortilla blanket. However, in the sandwich, it’s much more noticeable since it sits between several layers of topping, condiments, and the fluffy bun. Its thickness makes it look like it should be in a value chicken sandwich. That said, the poultry was tender and had some flavor from the breading that was noticeable with all the other ingredients.

But what made this tasty was the combination of the honey mustard’s sweetness and bacon’s smoky and porky flavors, giving the menu item a nice sweet and savory punch. Thankfully, there were generous portions of both. There were several half-slices of bacon, and honey mustard was slathered on the top and bottom buns.

Speaking of the potato bun, much like the condiment, it also provides some sweetness, and despite all the sauce and liquid from the tomatoes, it didn’t fall apart while I ate it. I’m not sure the Swiss cheese did anything to help with flavor, but it was the glue that prevented the bacon from falling out. As for the vegetables, the lettuce provided a little crunch, and the tomato gave a pleasant acidic kick.

Burger King’s Honey Mustard BK Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich is a tasty addition to the chain’s premium chicken sandwich line. While it may not be worth it if you pay double digit dollars, it is if you can get it at a significantly lower selling price.

Purchased Price: $11.49*
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 570 calories, 27 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 1330 milligrams of sodium, 61 grams of carbohydrates, 9 grams of fiber, 14 grams of sugar, and 31 grams of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

Yes! More wraps! Offer us your wraps, fast food chains! Wraps are in!

I’m only saying all that because I hope it causes McDonald’s to bring back its beloved Snack Wrap, and I’m just advocating for those who believe the Golden Arches should bring back the menu item that’s been discontinued since 2016. I mean, I’m not one of those folks. My energy has been focused on getting McDonald’s to rerelease the Southwest Salad and Big N’ Tasty.

Well, if you miss McDonald’s Snack Wraps, there are Burger King’s BK Royal Crispy Wraps. They feature a crispy white meat breast fillet, tomato, lettuce, and one of three sauces — Royal Sauce, Spicy Glaze, and Honey Mustard — in a soft, warm tortilla. I picked up the Classic version with Royal Sauce, and it’s basically a Burger King BK Royal Crispy Chicken Sandwich in wrap form.

This is my first time experiencing BK’s Royal Sauce, and I’m a fan. It has a savory and cheesy flavor that pairs well with the chicken fillet. And that chicken is the Crispy Chicken filet that BK uses for its sandwiches, but chopped in half. I’m not sure if I got the half that was freshly chopped or the one that was sitting around waiting to be bestowed the honor of being in a BK Royal Crispy Wrap, but the edges of mine were crispy and the meat was tender.

The lettuce and tomato did their job of being stereotypical wrap ingredients, providing roughage, a little crunch, and some substance to what’s under the tortilla. Speaking of substance, even though the chicken was half of a fillet meant for a sandwich, it was still more substantial than the chicken strip that came in the Jack in the Box wraps I had several weeks ago.

This Burger King Classic BK Royal Crispy Wrap surprised me. The Royal Sauce was delicious, and the chicken had a decent crispiness and flavor. If you miss McDonald’s Snack Wraps, this offering from Burger King might be a worthy replacement.

Purchased Price: $3.99*
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 310 calories, 17 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 790 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 15 grams of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.