Double Homicide at Burger King

Actually, I walked into Burger King with the opposite of a "negative attitude", RCTripleFresh5.

I am a huge fan of the McDonalds Double Cheeseburger. I fall into the category of folks that pay extra for the "original" (the product with two slices of cheese) and I avoid the "McDouble" at all costs.

So naturally, I was looking forward to BK's $1 double with two slices of cheese and perceived awesomeness from the "flame broiling".

I order my McD's doubles with no ketchup, no pickles and extra mustard. And almost every time, they are assembled well, and perfectly delicious for $1.19 (sometimes higher if I'm in a major city). I had honestly really hoped that BK was giving McD's a run for their money to spur competition and possibly get McD's to lower their prices. But when the product over at BK is so inferior, why would they bother?

kkachurak in Chains

Double Homicide at Burger King

It had been quite some time since I had set foot (or tire) in (or through) a local Burger King. Recent reading through Chow Boards and grubgrade.com had left with me with the knowledge that the double cheeseburgers were now just a buck, and a new product called a "cupcake milkshake" existed.

So I figured I'd pop in and kill two birds with one stone.

The double cheeseburger was, in a word, insulting. I'm fully aware that fast food products never come out looking like their pictures, but this was just criminal. There was a good half inch of bun hanging excessively past the meat around the entire circumference of the burger. The pictures show it with two slices of cheese - I received only one. The ketchup and mustard was haphazardly "spat" on, while the pickles were piled one on top of the other so that they were all, unfortunately, delivered into my mouth during one unsatisfying bite. The bread was stale, the "meat" was dry, the condiments were sparse, and I didn't have the stomach to go beyond four bites. I didn't even disrespect my dog enough to bring the leftovers home to her.

Moved on to the "cupcake shake" and was driven to dry heaves. The entire concoction was served up with a giant straw, implying super thickness, or chunks of something (cake perhaps?)
Instead, the overly sweetened, viscous, yellow liquid reminded me of the bile my aforementioned dog coughs up on an empty stomach when she's protested her healthy kibble for days. I couldn't tolerate more than one mouthful.

Both items headed for the trash, as I ran for my car, and the window clings of the pale vampire and the hispanic werewolf stared at me coldly from the storefront.

kkachurak in Chains

Has anyone tried the chicken parmesan sandwich at Carl's Jr.?

I don't mean to be "that guy", but your source?

kkachurak in Chains

A Whole New World - McDonalds

***Disclaimer: I realize McDonalds can be frowned upon as a true "foodie" joint, but in the spirit of coming up with creative menu items from flexible franchises, I wanted to give this thread a shot.

So a part of this is a little dumb, considering that swiss cheese and bacon have been around at McD's since the premium chicken sandwiches have been out.

But it occurred to me that the addition of the Angus burgers results in some addition of interesting new ingredients:

1. Bacon
2. Swiss
3. Crinkle cut pickles
4. Awesome tomatoes
5. Mushrooms.

Well - I'm not a mushroom fan. So I'm avoiding those at all costs. That being said, I came up with some simple alterations to some classics and I'll give a quick review. The McD's I patronized had no trouble throwing this together.

1. Double cheeseburger. Swiss instead of regular cheese. I typically don't add pickles to a double cheeseburger and foolishly forgot about asking for the awesome pickles. They went super light on the ketchup and mustard. So I got my hands dirty and added mayo on the bottom and more mustard on the top from packets. The swiss has a very swiss-y flavor when it's the majority ingredient in your mouth, but really blends into the background when consumed with the beef, condiments and bun. Overall, nothing special.

2. McChicken w/ Mayo and lettuce, add swiss cheese and mustard. This was pretty good. The swiss didn't dominate but it made for an interesting twist. Coolest part of this? Apparently the McD's POS's aren't prepared to charge customers for adding swiss. So if you ask for it as extra, you may not end up paying for it.

***Humorous side story: When my total for the McChicken add swiss was rung up, I asked, "Shouldn't I have to pay for the cheese?" and the supervisor was standing nearby. He squinted at the screen briefly and said "I guess not! Looks like you found a loophole" to which I asked again, "So your 'POS' isn't programmed to charge for swiss yet, huh?" He glared at me and asked, "Where do you work?" as if to imply that I work for McDonalds. I told him where I worked and he said, "That's funny, I thought 'POS' was a McDonalds term. I walked away and laughed to myself. Had he really never heard the term POS outside of McDonalds?

Quick side story summary: Ask for extra swiss and you might not have to pay for it? Hmm. Reply here if you find this to be the case at your local McD's.

So what I'm wondering is, what other twists on regular menu items will folks come up with if their local McD's is flexible? I'm betting that some interesting alterations will surface here.

P.S. If you haven't already seen it, the Chicago Tribune had a glowing article over the new McD's Angus Burgers (I think it may have been mentioned in an Angus Burger thread somewhere in the chains board).

kkachurak in Chains

Moe's Southwest...how the heck did this place become a chain?

I'm not a vegetarian, but I'll typically get the "Art Vandalay", which is their veggie burrito with the following: Two helpings of rice, queso (mucho queso), sour cream, guacamole, cheese, diced tomatoes, pico, lettuce, diced onion (both sauteed and fresh), jalapeños (both fresh and pickled) and a drizzle of their chipotle ranch dressing.

This thing is magical. And overflowing. I don't even bother with chips or salsa. It is quite satisfying and a fair price, too, considering what I'm used to being charged at Chipotle.

kkachurak in Chains

Chain items that are addictive as crack

Tuscan Chicken Melt from Subway. Not toasted. Hot Chicken. American cheese. Lettuce, tomato, TONS of black olives, spices, and ranch dressing. Damn. Might have to get one right now.

kkachurak in Chains

Krystal $5 Value Meal - I Do Not Advise

I didn't have a ton of time for lunch today, so I stopped by Krystal Burger to try out this new $5 value meal they've been pushing.

FIrst of all. Their marketing team is genius. I'm not positive about the use of mustard on Krystal burgers (as I don't eat here very often at all), but the pictures showing this "value meal" sure made the mustard look like cheese. So in actuality, this is a $6.50 value meal once you add the cheese (because, really, who eats a burger without cheese? Blasphemous!)

After grimacing over the cheese trickery, I digged in. The mini burgers (you get two) are standard fair. They're edible, but nothing incredible like White Castle (I'm sure that's been debated a time or two on these boards, so I'll end this topic right here). The B.A. burger, was more like a L.A. burger (you do the math). Almost as tiny in diameter as a McD's Dbl Cheeseburger, with a surprising amount of toppings, but nothing very fresh or satisfying. At least they covered both sides of the patty with cheese - its only saving grace.

The fries were the most pathetic fries I've ever consumed. I belong to a community of believers that say, "If you have to dip your fries in ketchup (et al.) to make them edible, you're eating the wrong fries". And oh man, did I have to dip these suckers in ketchup. I had to drown these fries. Suffocate them, really. And it still was difficult to finish. Needless to say, I threw a majority of them away.

So the next time you're looking for absolutely tasteless fries, an uninspiring burger, and two white castle knock offs, I highly recommend this deal!

kkachurak in Chains

McDonald's - A paean on the filet-o-fish (FOF)

What kind of marathon is that?!

kkachurak in Chains

Domino's Pasta bowls

I gave the Marinara and Sausage one a try. It was pretty awful. Basically a ton of their standard tomato-based sauce over soggy penne, and minimal meat. In a bread bowl that was fairly tasteless. I will not repeat.

However, I remain impressed with their chicken/bacon sandwich: it consistently is very tasty and filling, albeit horrible for me.

kkachurak in Chains

McDonald's - A paean on the filet-o-fish (FOF)

This inspired me and the lady friend to go out and get some FOF's just now. Along with some Hi-C Orange drink. Damn - it was worth the calories.

kkachurak in Chains

Why Is Einstein Bros. Bagel So Magically Delicious?

I should've added a disclaimer: I was born in Northern California, grew up in Southern California, and attended college in Central Florida. I have never had the pleasure of being introduced to the "real deal" in NYC, so this has to make do.

kkachurak in Chains

Why Is Einstein Bros. Bagel So Magically Delicious?

I've yet to try the coffee. I'll have to give it a whirl.

kkachurak in Chains

Why Is Einstein Bros. Bagel So Magically Delicious?

Seriously. It's 9:45pm at night, and all I can think about is waking up tomorrow to a warm, toasted, Asiago Cheese bagel with a schmear. Holy Morning Hunger, Batman: their bagels and cream cheese are so good.

Stopping by on my way to work has become something of a routine. Any other Einstein fans that recommend anything else?

kkachurak in Chains

I'm Ashamed (Addicted to Panda Express)

My initial reaction to your first sentence was disgust, but you have thoroughly justified your claim. I'll give this a shot next time.

kkachurak in Chains

I'm Ashamed (Addicted to Panda Express)

Sometimes, depending on the severity of the craving coupled with the urgency of my hunger (not to mention, the flexibility of my free time at work), I'll wait or ask for a fresh batch. Only takes a few minutes and they're typically pretty nice about it. The manager knows me by name now - that's how often I go.

kkachurak in Chains

I'm Ashamed (Addicted to Panda Express)

I know it's cliché, but I could swear they put crack in their food. They opened one where I work part time about two months ago. And now, I can't stop eating there. Orange Chicken and Chow Mein. That spicy (but not really spicy) Beijing Beef. Mandarin Chicken. I can't stop.

Please help.

kkachurak in Chains

Haven't been to a McDonald's in awhile and I won't ever again.

Get a load of this! I just went yesterday to order a filet-o-fish and double cheeseburger, no pickles for me, as well as a double cheeseburger, no pickles for the lady. I like to add a small fry, to put some on the fish sandwich. And also ordered a large diet coke to split.

They ended up giving me:
A double hamburger, no cheese no pickles. An old, soggy and lukewarm double cheeseburger no pickles. A fish sandwich that was barely assembled. A large diet coke that had the exact same amount of liquid as a medium, just with more ice. The small fry I ordered. And three additional medium fries.

WTF?!

kkachurak in Chains

whole foods customer service - rant

I've recently started shopping more often at the WF in Orlando, FL and have noticed this "attitude" amongst almost all the employees. I feel like they silently judge me and assume I'm not "good enough" to shop there. It's disconcerting.

Also disconcerting, is the $100 I paid for an assortment of vegetables, 4 meatless Chik'n patties, 3 meatless burger patties, and some buns. Crazy.

kkachurak in Chains

Staying in Orlando at the Doubletree on Major Blvd

I was going to say: hit up Tu Tu Tangos. It can accommodate large groups well and the tapas style service makes it fun and interesting. You get to taste lots of different dishes if your group is up for sharing. And the food? It won't blow your mind, but it gets the job done with some fresh and seemingly new combinations.

If they still have it, try the banana pizza for dessert.

kkachurak in Florida

Sanaa at the new Animal Kingdom Lodge

It's not "connected", but a 10 minute walk will bring you right to it. Busses may also be an option, though I can't confirm that. The restaurant itself is below the lobby of the "Kidani" section. The actual hotel, that was built and opened around 2001, is now referred to as "Jambo".

Reservations for any Disney sit-down service restaurant are always encouraged: 407-WDW-DINE to make a reservation up to 90 days in advance, I believe.

kkachurak in Florida

Sanaa at the new Animal Kingdom Lodge

Disney recently opened a new section of their Animal Kingdom Lodge resort specifically designed for timeshare. Within that new area is a new African-Indian restaurant called "Sanaa", which I attended for dinner last night.

The menu focuses on Indian style service with African background flavors. We started with the bread service. We ordered the Naan, Paratha and the Paneer Paratha, the last of which our waitress called the "mack daddy" of the breads. And it certainly was. It had a layer of cheese and spices on the inside that gave it a creamy kick. We mixed these breads with Coriander Chutney, Cucumber Raita and Mango Chutney. We enjoyed the combination of heat, cool and sweet, respectively, that we had picked out. There are indeed more options for the more adventurous.

Then we moved to the appetizer sampler, which contained samosas, pulled duck, and cauliflower. I found both the samosas and duck to be monotonous and nothing special, while the roasted cauliflower over tomato sauce was simple and delicious.

Simultaneously, we had the salad sampler, which, like the bread, is your choice of three. We had the chick peas, carrot and orange, and roasted potato. The chick peas was downright awesome: a delicious salad with loving amounts of tomato and onion. I loved it. I sampled the other two, but stayed mostly with the chick peas.

Our entree was a "combo" dish featuring tandoori chicken in red curry sauce and beef short ribs. It came with a side of rice. We initially ordered five grain rice based on our waitresses suggestion, but they had an issue in the kitchen and would have to bring out white rice instead. Later, she brought out five grain and I actually ended up preferring the white rice, anyhow. It was fantastic to dump the chicken and curry over the white rice and dig in.

We passed on dessert, but did enjoy a glass of "chakalaka" over our meal. This spicy red wine paired with anything on the table with heat, which was awesome for me. I also had an agave margarita, which I nursed throughout.

Overall, I was surprised at how well put together everything was. For a new restaurant that only began operation 72 hours ago, everyone, from the bar team, to the wait staff and kitchen staff, seemed to have a great grasp on getting the job done correctly.

I will return for lunch and post again.

kkachurak in Florida

Angry Whopper

Don't make fun.

I eat spicy food on a steady occasion. I add tapa tio and texas pete to just about every dish I make at home. I just don't like jalapeños.

And for the record, I was born in Sacramento, CA - raised in Los Angeles - and currently living in Orlando, FL.

kkachurak in Chains

Quizno's Torpedos

Really? I know tough enough bread exists to do that (as I've had it happen to me, countless time when I get a sub from Publix) but I've never had that happen to me at Quizno's.

I've always found their bread to be quite soft. Especially the wheat bread, which is what I alway get. The toast adds a decent crunch, but nothing too tough.

As for the torpedo bread, it has a semi-tough exterior, but by no means is it that tough.

kkachurak in Chains

Quizno's Torpedos

All right, so I had my first torpedo. I was pleasantly surprised. I ordered the Italian version, but with mayo instead of red wine vinaigrette. I'm not sure if the Quizno's I went to was just dumb, but they used about the same amount of meat on this torpedo as they do on a large Italian on their regular bread.

The bread had a nice crunch on the outside, and was warm and fluffy inside. But overall, a very narrow sandwich (albeit long). I like their italian meats with mayo, mozzarella and black olives so I wasn't let down at all.

So yes, it was a tasty experience that I was not expecting at a seemingly fair price.

kkachurak in Chains

Quizno's Torpedos

So I've been to a Quizno's three times since these were released and have still not tried one.

It honestly just looks like a thin, long baguette that they put minimal toppings and meat on. And that depresses me. Because, when made right, Quizno's can be a true indulgence.

Anyone had one yet?

kkachurak in Chains

Whopper Bar now open

Just ate here for the second time. I enjoy it. It really is just a standard BK, with a limited menu. The only difference being, the team actually seems excited to work there and to make your Whopper your way. This, in my opinion, ought to be how all their stores should be run.

The boxes that they serve your burger in, as opposed to wrapped paper, help keep it tidy. Unfortunately, the weak and sloppy fast food buns, don't do a great job of holding it all in and together.

If you appreciate the Whopper, and always wished you could find a BK that would make it exactly to your specifications, then your dream has come true. I at least enjoy this more than the rip-off that is known as Five Guys.

kkachurak in Chains

New, from Jack In The Box!

I also had these and wasn't impressed. It wasn't a travesty or anything, but I wouldn't ever bother with it again.

kkachurak in Chains

Burger King is selling Burger Shots

Nay, nay. I've had White Castle sliders. They are truly incredible. Steamed over that bed of onions... delicious cheese. White Castle is superior in every way to the shots. The shots are shameless.

kkachurak in Chains

Burger King is selling Burger Shots

I have to admit. I have an unnatural love for fast food items, and I found these to be completely inedible, unappetizing and unfulfilling. I ordered six and gave up at number 4 (*not* because I wasn't hungry any longer). Add this to a recent disastrous trip through a Burger King in Texas and it is enough to turn me off this chain for quite some time.

kkachurak in Chains