Fast-Food Fried Fish Sandwiches: Popeyes vs. Burger King vs. McDonald’s vs. Wendy’s

I will be a guy of small discipline as well as less faith, therefore it happens to be some time since I have’ve even pretended to provide anything up for Lent. But we respect other individuals’ spiritual nutritional limitations, therefore final week-end we undertook a four-store fried-fish bicycle crawl to look for the fast-food sandwich option that is best for anyone lowering in the walking proteins through the dark and solemn days that fall between Mardi Gras and chocolate bunnies.

McDonald’s introduced the Filet-O-Fish 50 years back, with regards to ended up being a whole lot more common for Roman Catholics to forgo meat on Fridays year-round; almost every other chains have actually followed with comparable fish that is token. I realize why you might purchase these things for spiritual or social reasons, but as being a fast-food agent that is free i have never been lured to stray from beef and chicken sandwiches.

We figured the seafood services and products were afterthoughts slapped together for captive audiences that did not have much option in the problem. No one who cares about such things is surprised to learn that these sandwiches are on the same fatlength as the burgers before the recent dawn of the nutrition-information age, I can picture my mom and her kind duping themselves into thinking the word “fish” conferred some sort of magical health properties that canceled out the “fried,” but these days.

But aside from why these specific things exist, they are doing, and thus it really is my responsibility to break the strengths down, weaknesses, and tartar sauces of this four leading national fast-fried fishwiches. I went along to McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, and Popeyes. (we additionally attempted KFC, however the surly counterwoman managed me I expected for the Fish Stacker promoted on the site: “We provide chicken. like I became the largest Moby-head within the ocean whenever” Yes, you are doing, rather than perfectly.)

Popeyes: ” Big Catfish that is easy Sandwich

What Is Brand Brand Brand New On Serious Consumes

My stop that is first was. I did not experience a seafood sandwich from the menu board, however the supervisor said that for $3.99 he could place a couple of items of fried Alaskan pollock on a po’boy roll with lettuce and tartar sauce. That sounded about right amorenlinea, but I happened to be uncomfortable aided by the indisputable fact that I happened to be benefiting from sort of unique personalized sandwich due to my fast-food celebrity status and/or the typical supervisor occurring be effective Saturday afternoons.

Well, the receipt said “Big Easy Catfish Sandwich,” perhaps perhaps not ” Secret Awesome Thing for Serious consumes Correspondent,” therefore whilst the catfish/pollock matter remains murky, this indicates any commoner will get fried seafood at Popeyes.

This sandwich ended up being shockingly good. A big area of the surprise originated from my low objectives, provided, but any objective eater would be impressed with exactly how well Popeyes fries a bit of white seafood. The batter had been extremely sharp. It had been mostly unseasoned (the flecks of black colored pepper had been simply for show), but that is right for effortlessly overrun fish; there clearly wasn’t much flavor to your soft, flaky catpollock inside.

However it nevertheless designed for a good sandwich with three distinct textural levels: The irrelevantly toasted bread supplied a spongy instance that provided option to a crunchy surface protecting the mushy seafood center. The shredded lettuce and tartar sauce provided the sandwich a curiously Big Macish odor once the top ended up being eliminated. maybe the trick to your Unique Sauce is lemon, because that had been the only flavor detectable in Popeyes’ tartar sauce beyond mayo and pickles.

Burger King: BK Big Fish

Then up had been the BK Big Fish. This might be a significant sandwich: $3.69 gets you 16 square ins of seafood for a circular bun with tartar sauce overslathered on minds and tails. The doughy, chewy bun ended up being toasted on both edges, also it ended up being the right size for the seafood patty. Once you eliminate the terrible squares of white and brown iceberg and employ them to clean away half the tartar sauce, you have got your self a fairly meal that is serious.

The fry work is not as effective as Popeye’s, but it is respectable, in addition to seafood is firmer and results in as more authentically ocean-going: you realize immediately that you are taking fish, seafood, and absolutely nothing but seafood (and pickled mayo). Then this is your sandwich if you really like fish on its own terms, rather than as a compromise. The batter had also less taste than Popeye’s, nevertheless the fish had been therefore assertive it mightnot have mattered if it absolutely was covered with bacon and Tabasco. The textural comparison ended up beingn’t since pronounced as Popeye’s, nonetheless it had been really evident and appreciated.

McDonald’s: Filet-O-Fish

My fish that is fried investigation went aground from the McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish (usually around $2.99; this McDonald’s had been operating a particular of just one FOF and medium fries for $3.33). Criminy! This is my least favorite of this fish’wiches.

It is constructed on a squishy bun which makes for a sandwich that is limp. The half-slice of orange cheese gluing the seafood into the base bun does not assist much, either. They normally use two times as much tartar sauce due to the fact competition, that I suppose provides some flavor to the rubbery disk of soggy seafood; that taste is mayonnaise. But certain, of program individuals love the FOF, particularly the folks at SEHQ. This is what AHT editor Robyn had to state:

“Admittedly, my affinity because of this mixture of fried, breaded seafood, prepared orange cheese, and gloppy, tangy, pickle-studded mayonnaise for a soft, squishy bun has a great deal to do with nostalgia.”

Wendy’s: North Pacific Cod Sandwich

Things completed strong within my stop that is last’s. Their North that is limited-time-only Pacific sandwich is another behemoth, nearly since whaled-out as the BK Big Fish but plenty adequate to justify $3.99.

The lettuce ended up being the Wendy’s standard, one giant leaf of bad but effortlessly excised iceberg, together with man utilizing the tartar sauce weapon had quite a itchy trigger hand, nevertheless the crux regarding the matter—the seafood and bread—showed fine type. The bun had been among the string’s brand brand new premium buttered-and-toasted figures, plus it had been the very best of the bunch. The panko that is fried ended up being almost because sharp as the Popeye’s batter, and also the seafood had been top-notch. It had beenn’t since pungent as BK’s, however it had been more discernibly piscine than Popeye’s or McDonald’s. The contrast that is textural bread to fried to seafood had been exemplary.

The fish’wich that is best in the Water?

The Popeye’s and Wendy’s sandwiches are both excellent. In addition such as the BK Big Fish; it really is well-prepared by any measure, though specific viewpoints will just vary based on exactly exactly exactly how fishy-tasting you love your fish.

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