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#i just tried a ''chicken patty'' that tasted like chicken but the texture felt completely undercooked
lakemichigans · 2 months
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why have meat replacements been getting worse somehow
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udo0stories · 28 days
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Fast-food menus have long been dominated by beef, chicken, and other options that cater to the carnivorous cohort of customers. But, as of this week, we've finally reached the time of year when seafood gets its time to shine in the world of fast food.   The product recommendations in this post are recommendations by the writer and/or expert(s) interviewed and do not contain affiliate links. Meaning: If you use these links to buy something, we will not earn a commission. Fast-food menus have long been dominated by beef, chicken, and other options that cater to the carnivorous cohort of customers. But, as of this week, we've finally reached the time of year when seafood gets its time to shine in the world of fast food. Lent just kicked off on Feb. 14, marking the start of the annual religious period when many people choose to abstain from meat. Fast-food chains love to cater to customers in need of convenient, meat-free meals during Lent by expanding their menus with seasonal seafood options, primarily fried fish sandwiches. Sure, some fast-food fish sandwiches are available year-round, like McDonald's famous Filet-O-Fish and Burger King's Big Fish. But at other major chains like Wendy's and Popeyes, you can only score fish sandwiches for a few fleeting weeks around February and March each year. In honor of the start of Lent this week, I set out to determine which fast-food chains serve the absolute best fish sandwiches by trying every option I could find in my area: McDonald's Filet-O-Fish, Wendy's seasonal Crispy Panko Fish Sandwich, Popeyes' seasonal Flounder Fish Sandwich, Popeyes' seasonal Spicy Flounder Fish Sandwich, Burger King's Big Fish sandwich, and Burger King's seasonal Fiery Big Fish sandwich (a new limited-time option that debuted for the first time in 2024). After snagging each option from my local fast-food eateries, I brought them home, tasted them, and judged them on flavor, texture, and appearance. Read on for my definitive ranking of all six sandwiches, starting with my least favorite and ending with my top pick! Popeyes' Spicy Flounder Fish Sandwich Zoe Strozewski: Eat this, not that! Per Sandwich: 730 calories, 40 g fat (9.4 g saturated fat, 0.7 g trans fat), 2351 mg sodium, 66 g carbs (2.8 g fiber, 8 g sugar), 26 g protein Popeyes' Spicy Flounder Fish Sandwich is made from premium flounder that's marinated in Louisiana-style herbs and spices, covered in a southern coating, fried to a crisp, and served on a brioche bun with barrel-cured pickles and spicy mayo. It cost me $5.99. The look: The Spicy Flounder Fish Sandwich was the biggest sandwich of the bunch, weighing in at 253 grams. It was also one of the only sandwiches in this taste test that featured a whole piece of fish rather than an unnaturally square fried fish patty. The breaded flounder developed a nice golden brown color during the cooking process, but the sandwich overall looked pretty plain, with just a couple of pickles and a very light layer of spicy mayo. The taste: I absolutely adore Popeyes' famous fried chicken sandwich, so I was truly expecting the chain to dominate this taste test. Unfortunately, I don't have anything good to say about this option. While the Louisiana herbs and spices Popeyes uses across its menu pair great with chicken, they completely overshadowed the delicate taste of the fish. There also wasn't nearly enough spicy mayo or pickles to give it a much-needed flavor boost. Additionally, the fish itself looked and felt like it would be beautifully crispy at first. But when I bit into it, the breading was so crazy thick that it completely negated any crispiness. The whole thing just felt really tough, bready, and one-note. RELATED: I Tried the Onion Rings at 6 Fast-Food Chains, & the Best Was Crispy and Spicy Popeyes' Flounder Fish Sandwich Zoe Strozewski: Eat this, not that! Per sandwich: 681 calories, 35 g fat (8.6 g saturated fat, 0.8 g trans fat), 2386 mg sodium, 66 g carbs (3 g fiber, 8 g sugar), 26 g protein
Popeyes' classic Flounder Fish Sandwich features all the same elements as the spicy version, aside from swapping out the spicy mayo for tartar sauce. It cost me $5.99. The appearance: I have already discussed everything there is to say about the Flounder Fish Sandwich's appearance in relation to its spicy counterpart. It was almost as big, weighing in at 228 grams, and looked pretty much identical. The portions of pickles and tartar sauce were similarly skimpy on this option. The taste: Every single issue that I encountered with the Spicy Flounder Fish Sandwich was present in the non-spicy version as well. The breading was way too thick, there was no fish flavor, and it was overall very boring and hard to eat. It was marginally better than the spicy version because I much prefer tartar sauce on a fish sandwich over mayo. However, there was so little of the tangy, creamy condiment that it didn't make much of a difference. Burger King's Big Fish Zoe Strozewski: Eat this, not that! Per sandwich: 570 cal, 30 g fat (5 g saturated fat, 0.3 g trans fat), 1,270 mg sodium, 58 g carbs (3.2 g fiber, 8.1 g sugar), 19.2 g protein Burger King's Big Fish sandwich features white Alaskan pollock in a crispy panko breading, sweet tartar sauce, lettuce, and pickles on a toasted potato bun. The sandwich cost me $6.49. The look: On the positive side, this sandwich boasted a glossy, soft-looking bun, plenty of toppings, and a beautifully golden brown fish patty. On the negative side, it was messily assembled, the lettuce appeared wilted, and there was a bit of an overload of tartar goop. The big fish was in the middle of the pack in terms of size, weighing in at 190 grams. The taste: Like both Popeyes options, there was pretty much no actual fish flavor in Burger King's signature seafood sandwich. However, the Big Fish was still a vast improvement over the two lower-ranking Popeyes sandwiches. Despite not really tasting or feeling like fish, the panko-breaded patty was pleasantly salty and super crispy. The pickles and lettuce both added a fresh, zingy note and a bit of texture that the Popeyes sandwiches lacked. And while I could have done with less tartar sauce, I'd rather have a little too much of it than too little. Burger King's version of the condiment wasn't the best I've ever had, but it was sweet, creamy, slightly tangy, and pretty serviceable. The Big Fish ranked lower, even though I really liked the textures and toppings overall. This is because I only tasted the toppings. When I order a fish sandwich, I want the dominant flavor to be fish. RELATED: The 5 Healthiest Fast-Food Fish Sandwiches—and 9 To Avoid Burger King's Fiery Big Fish Zoe Strozewski: Eat this, not that! Per sandwich: 730 cal, 46 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 1,530 mg sodium, 61 g carbs (3 g fiber, 11 g sugar), 19 g protein Burger King's limited-edition Fiery Big Fish sandwich is almost identical to the classic Big Fish, but the pollock patty is coated in a "triple pepper spicy glaze," according to the chain's website. The sandwich cost me $6.49. The look is like a zestier, more daring cousin to the original Big Fish. While the Fiery Big Fish was also somewhat messy, I could see and smell the reddish spicy glaze, which made me really excited to take a bite. This sandwich weighed in at 200 grams. The taste is nearly identical to the Big Fish, but with a slightly spicy upgrade. The glaze had a super peppery and slightly sweet flavor that made the sandwich even tastier than its non-spicy counterpart. It almost reminded me of a Nashville hot chicken, but not nearly as spicy or intense. Everything else about the sandwich was exactly the same as the Big Fish. Yet again, I didn't detect any actual fish flavors, but I enjoyed the textures and toppings.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e McDonald's Filet-O-Fish Zoe Strozewski: Eat this, not that! Per sandwich: 390 cal, 19 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 580 mg sodium, 39 g carbs (2 g fiber, 5 g sugar), 16 g protein McDonald's Filet-O-Fish
features a crispy fish filet patty, American cheese, and tartar sauce on a soft, steamed bun. It cost me $5.75. The look: I've never seen a fast-food item that looked so identical in real life to its marketing photos. This Filet-O-Fish, which happened to be my first ever, boasted a picture-perfect bun, melty cheese, a generous layer of tartar sauce, and a light golden brown fish patty. Despite its visual perfection, it was the smallest of the sandwiches by a landslide, weighing in at just 139 grams. I found it very notable that the Filet-O-Fish costs nearly as much as Popeyes' fish sandwiches, despite weighing so much less. The taste: Hallelujah! After trying several fish sandwiches that inexplicably lacked fish flavor, I'm happy to report that the Filet-O-Fish indeed tastes like fish. That in and of itself was enough to secure it the second-place spot in this ranking, but there were also a couple of other things I really liked about this sandwich. For starters, the steamed bun was delightfully soft and pillowy. Additionally, while I wish the tartar sauce had a more potent flavor, it still had a nice creamy texture and decent tang. My biggest critiques were that the fish wasn't as crispy as I would have liked and that the flavor was just a little boring. Some fresh lettuce and a couple of pickles would really upgrade the taste and texture of the Filet-O-Fish. RELATED: 8 Restaurant Chains That Serve the Best Fish Sandwiches Wendy's Crispy Panko Fish Sandwich Zoe Strozewski: Eat this, not that! Per sandwich: 520 cal, 25 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 1,240 mg sodium, 52 g carbs (2 g fiber, 6 g sugar), 21 g protein Wendy's Crispy Panko Fish Sandwich features a wild-caught Alaskan pollock fillet coated in crispy panko breading, lettuce, American cheese, pickles, and creamy dill tartar sauce on a premium Wendy's bun. It cost me $6.92, which was the most I paid for any sandwich in this taste test. The look: While McDonald's Filet-O-Fish looked identical to its marketing photos, Wendy's Crispy Panko Fish Sandwich somehow looked even more tantalizing in real life than what I've seen advertised. The fish was a deep golden brown color, hinting at a perfectly crispy texture. The lettuce looked super fresh, the cheese was melty, and it was loaded with the perfect amount of tartar sauce. It weighed in at 180 grams, making it the second-smallest sandwich of the bunch. The taste is practically perfect, from the textures to the balance of flavors. The bun was soft and pillowy, the pickles were tangy and crunchy, the lettuce was fresh and crisp, and the dill-y tartar sauce was the best in the whole taste test by a landslide. Better yet, the fish was not only audibly crispy, but it actually tasted like fish! One of my friends once described Wendy's to me as the "Rolls-Royce" of fast food, and I'm inclined to agree after tasting the Crispy Panko Fish Sandwich for the first time. I was hugely impressed by the quality and execution, and I hope that Wendy's continues to bring back this exemplary offering year after year. In fact, it's so good that Wendy's should seriously consider making this a permanent part of the menu. After all, if McDonald's and Burger King can do it, then why can't Wendy's?    
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rayadraws · 4 years
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A fun discussion with @iridium-light that I wanted to preserve to the afterworld, so posting here - consider: a fusion of Genos and Sonic. A monster’s doing, probably, a horrible curse - forced to share a body and mind with the person you dislike most, like the world’s worst get along-shirt. Let’s call the fusion Genic.
- We imagine that Genic is about 50 % cyborg; one arm is metal like Genos’, one has only metal internal structure but otherwise looks/behaves like a fleshy arm. Hair is similar in texture to Sonic’s, but a bit shorter and blond. Overall they look a little bit like Flash which pisses Sonic off to a degree Genos doesn’t quite understand, not knowing the ninjas’ past together
- Initially, after they get over the worst of the shock, naturally they start checking out this weird body. Genos in particular is weirded out by all this flesh, not to mention how much he can feel now. He keeps petting their hair and Sonic almost immediately gets pissy over it, until Genos tells him ”I haven’t felt like this in four years, I’ll stop in a second” which stops him in his tracks
- Genos also keeps squeezing their new ass
- They argue over what to wear, eventually landing on something like Sonic’s fuzzy cat hoodie with Genos’ skinny jeans (about the one thing they can agree on is the degree of suitable ripped clothing)
- Sonic hates the HUD, it’s so distracting, while Genos is upset that half the info on it is missing: Genos: “where the FUCK is my heart rate monitor” - Sonic: “you HAVE a heart rate monitor???”
- On the other hand, Sonic is having fun with the cybernetic hand with the blaster, though he keeps burning stuff, not to mention make annoying ’pew pew’ noises every time they use it. Genos eventually disables it, knowing Sonic won’t know how to manually activate it
- When they finally go to Saitama for help/comfort there is a lot of internal fighting between them - Sonic tries to stop it but for Genos, calling him ”sensei” is not optional, he WILL be respectful
- Initially, Genic pretends to be Genos in front of Saitama, saying upgrades went wrong or similar. It becomes obvious pretty quickly what’s up, though, and they have to explain the dilemma
- Sonic is weirded out by how normal and chill Saitama is. He does not like it. Saitama offers Genic oven mitts since he’ll actually need them and Sonic is internally just like at this weird guy D:<
- After a while the body needs to pee. Genos feels lost, kind of having forgotten what that feels like, and Sonic is zero help. Genos: ”what do I DO” - Sonic: ”I don’t know, what DO you do when you have to pee? It’s a mystery” - Sonic would let them wet themselves before helping Genos, though hopefully after jogging his memory a bit he figures it out
- Genos is struggling to get used to all this new body stuff - aches and cramps and feeling hungry, while Sonic is like ”how the fuck do you walk anywhere with this complete lack of foot traction”
- Genos complains about how easy it is to break this body, until Sonic points out his track record as a cyborg is much worse, Sonic has never lost a limb nevermind been cut in half (twice). Genos can’t argue with that
- They start arguing over who has had the worst past, until they realize that this is not a contest you want to win. They have learnt new things about each other, though. Genos starts being more careful with the fleshy parts of their body and Sonic says nothing as Genos explores these new sensations, is quiet as they fiddle with their hair for 25 min
- After a while, they get hungry, another new sensation for Genos. They decide to head out to buy something. In this scenario, we imagine that Genos while capable of eating more tends to lean towards tiny meals - his brain only needs so much and he hates to waste Sensei’s money. Sonic on the other hand needs lots of food due to his off-the-charts metabolism, but rarely has the money to get lots of meat etc. Now he insists Genos pays with his S-rank salary and they head to MobDonalds. Genos wants the equivalent of a Happy Meal while Sonic goes ”cute, cute ok so that burger with two patties, can I get that, and the grilled chicken thing, and some fries, and oh yeah also this little shit joy meal or whatever” and goes to town
- On their way back they stop by a store to get ingredients for steamed buns too, Genos promised Sensei before... all this. From the outside as you look into the store, it looks like a blond guy sweating as he stares down at the ingredients, but there is actually a deep internal struggle going on here - Genos wants the spicy pork but Sonic is absolutely refusing, he won’t eat pork after Ino
- Saitama gives Genic serious side eye for all the bags of MobBurger when he comes back, but at least he gets the ingredients to make the buns. Sonic is blown away that people actually make buns? It’s not just a convenience store thing?! Genos remarks with ”what, you’ve never lived in a house with people?” and then catches himself. Oh, right...
- For this scenario, we went with the hc that in his cyborg body, Genos has a poor sense of smell/taste. To Sonic’s despair, Genos whines about how spicy the steamed buns are. And the chicken. And the everything. It gets annoying fast
- As things calm down and day turns into evening, Saitama is getting cuddly, he misses Genos and can tell he’s worried and wants to ensure him things will be okay. He asks if the Sonic-part can’t like, tune out for a bit or something. Genos is totally ready to make out but Sonic won’t have any of it. They eventually settle on just sitting close to each other, after Saitama points out it’s kind of a mood killer when one of Genic’s hands keeps trying to strangle him every time he gets too close
- Saitama mentions that it’s cool to kinda see Genos with fleshy parts, but he misses his cool metal stuff. And the cute little noise he makes when he falls asleep. The Genos part is full on heart eyes shojo sparkles as he says ”you liked my sleep mode maintenance sound!” while the Sonic part is making barfing noises
- They finally break the curse when they realize maybe the other person is in fact not the most horrible person on the planet - they divide into their respective selves again not as friends, but with a bit more understanding for each other
- Sonic can eat much spicier food, he’ll always have that now. And he can use the bathroom without someone holding his hand. He did like the blaster, though
- Genos sometimes thinks about the Ass. That was cool.
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