Review- McDonald's UK NEW Bacon Clubhouse Double

Oh hi Bacon Clubhouse! It's nice to see you again.. Oh, you've found your long lost beef patty twin? That's beautiful, I am so pleased for you! ..Christ, I'm talking to a burger. A picture of a burger, at that. This is what happens when you don't have a McDonald's for a good while.. It's a slippery slope, my friends!

Perhaps the extent of my "in the beyond-ness" can be attributed to the fact I had to drive all around my bloomin' county to acquire the bloomin' thing! - Unbeknownst to me, my local Fast Food store is under renovation. Until the 21st March. I am yet to figure out how I will cope. So, a major detour was taken and finally, at long last we were reunited. 

Two 100% British and Irish beef patties, Big Mac sauce, two rashers of Beechwood Smoked Bacon, a slice of Cheddar Cheese, Grilled Onions, a slice of Tomato and Lettuce, all in a brioche style bun.

Despite the miles it travelled, the burger looked most inviting indeed.. Smaller than I remembered but pretty much picture perfect with some sneaky lettuce and onion on show - Not the usual slipey-slidey, sloppy-moppy mess, that I am all too often presented with!

Cutting the Burger in half, things seemed fairly soft and squidgy with a good amount of "added extras" on show. Starting with the bun, it appeared plenty fresh, tasted pleasantly bread-y and was surprisingly robust enough to withstand all that it held despite, the light, airy texture. The Big Mac sauce packed that signature gherkin-esque flavour which paired up nicely with the grilled to perfection onions, a long with a burst of freshness from the salad. As expected, the melted cheese and slightly smoked bacon were a match made in heaven, providing both mellow and smokey tones.. Unfortunately however, this was where the positives came to a grinding halt. Cooked seemingly well and being plenty juicy themselves, the beef patties did deliver on being meaty.. But without a shadow of a doubt, were far too "bitty" and difficult to get down, regardless of the quantity of sauce above, making the burger overall about as dry as a dog! Disappointing. 

Ah McDonald's.. I fear it is a case of "so close and yet so far"! - This NEW Bacon Clubhouse Double isn't anywhere near as good as it could be (Or it's predecessor!).. But so easily rectified! An extra slice of cheese and a squirt of the Big Mac sauce between the two patties, to break up the texture and I reckon, the entire dry aspect would be avoided. To be honest, I can't fathom why McDonald's didn't consider this to begin with.. Surely during taste testing, they realised that the lower half of the bun and bottom beef was essentially redundant without having something to hold it together? I mean, I ended up chucking that part away as it had no place or purpose! Such a pity - It's a Fast Food forlorn, 2 out of 5 from me. 

Snackmas Day 10- KFC UK Colonel's Christmas Burger

Anyone up for a second sleigh ride to a Fast Food joint? I'm down for whatever.. But mostly for this, first of its kind, Christmas Burger from everyones* favourite clucky shop, KFC! 

Yes, he may be late to the party but The Colonel is finally whitening his beard, rosying his cheeks and adorning his Christmas hat by venturing into a festive addition to the chains menu! Posing the age old question "Because who really likes turkey anyway?", the burger comes as part of a Fully Loaded Box Meal with a drink and side of your choice along with fries and a piece of original recipe chicken, all for £5.99.. You can always buy one individually however if for some crazy reason, you're not in the mood for the full works. 

Original recipe fillet, hash brown, cranberry sauce and sage and onion stuffing mayo - It's christmas in a bun. 

A festive twist on the classic Fillet Tower, the burger certainly looked the part with some sneaky cheese on show and the obligatory overkill of lettuce.. 

And the cranberry sauce actually oozed! - Always a good sign that a generous amount is waiting for one! Working from the outside in, the bun itself was super fresh and a decent enough "holder" to the fillings despite being extremely soft and light. Contrasting to this was a crunch from the cooked to perfection, crisp hash brown before hitting the melted cheese upon succulent, signature coated chicken combo beneath. This all made for a solid start even before hitting the pleasantly herby and very much stuffing-esque flavour of the creamy mayo - I would have liked a smidgen more but no matter. Sweet yet tart enough to identify as being cranberry, the sticky sauce brought everything together, went surprisingly well with the chicken and really reinforced the overall feel of a Christmas dinner.. Even with the abundance of healthy, lettuce on the side! Marvellous!

Ah, old Colonel Sanders has been a right secret Santa here in keeping this Christmas Burger from us for so long.. It may be fairly simple but it's been executed well with loads of different textures and most importantly, all the festive flavours one could want, going on! Because who really likes turkey anyway? Me, I do ..But it has no place here! It's a 4 out of 5 from me. 

*Has anyone ever gone to KFC to find that they are sold out of chicken? My friend Nikki has.. And she made the papers for it! Hi Nikki, hi! 

Snackmas Day 2- McDonald's UK Festive Selection

They say the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear. Usually I would concur.. But other sorts of spreads work too. Festive Fast Food ones from McDonald's for example - It's time, as promised, for The FFF! 

And what a selection the chain has put out for Christmas 2016 - There's the NEW Festive Cheese Feast Burger and Cheese Melt Dippers on the savoury side and a Terry's Chocolate Orange McFlurry and Chocolatey Banoffee Pie for those who want something a bit sweeter. Naturally, I wanted it all so got it all. 

Festive Cheese Feast

A 100% British and Irish beef burger with cheese, Beechwood smoked bacon, a cheese sauce, seasoned grilled onions, tomato ketchup and lettuce, all in a toasted bun. 

The McDonald's elves must have been in good spirits the day I purchased my burger for £4.49 as it looked like it had been put together with love.. And by someone who really likes lettuce - I've never seen so much of the green stuff on one thing, ever. 

I am not sure this picture really reflects the reality of the size of the Burger but believe you, me, it was massive! Starting with the bun itself, it was wonderful - Soft, fresh and plenty robust enough for the plethora of fillings. Munching my way through, the first flavour to come across was beef from the ridiculously moist and juicy patty. As expected, this went well with the double hit of creamy cheese which was relatively mellow and not likely to offend anyone. The onions were cooked to perfection and of just the right quantity with an injection of smokiness as well as a bit of a salty edge from the porky bacon rashers. Finishing things off nicely was a squirt of ketchup which I didn't think added much taste wise but did enhance the squidgy factor even further, and of course, an entire lettuce making for a fresh crunch. A 4.5 out of 5 from me! 

Cheese Melt Dippers

Four breaded cheese dippers, made with camembert and served with a Festive Tomato dip. 

Moving onto the modestly priced, £1.59 Dippers which felt mighty toasty in the bag! Cooked to a golden perfect, the decently sized circles were crisp and crunchy on the outside with a contrasting, satisfyingly soft interior of just set Camembert - Nothing runny or sloppy here! Similarly to above, the potency of cheese wasn't too strong but instead creamy and went well with the Tomato dip.. Even if it was a tad on the sweet and borderline, artificial side. It's a 4 out of 5! 

Terry's Chocolate Orange McFlurry

Soft dairy ice cream swirled with Terry's Chocolate Orange pieces and chocolate orange sauce. 

So I can't say this one looked anything like the promo picture.. Granted, I did have to get it home but even when it was passed through the drive-thru window, it didn't look much more attractive. It's a good job that it's all in the taste as this one was a beaut! An abundance of chocolate orange pieces were distributed throughout the signature soft and sweet McDonald's ice cream which combined with the splodge of runny sauce, made for a chocolate orange lovers dream! My only real qualm was that the difference in quality between the aforementioned and Terry's nibs was only to apparent.. But overall, didn't ruin things - Another 4 out of 5 from me and £1.39 well spent! 

Chocolatey Banoffee Pie

A hot crispy pie filled with a thick Banoffee and Chocolatey sauce.  

Last up and the one I expect many Folk are excited for.. The Chocolatey Banoffee Pie, priced at £1.19. I like to think I saved this little fella from a sad Christmas fate - It was due to be disposed of at 12.33pm and I gave it a home in my belly at 12.15pm! For something so close to the mark, I have to say it was pretty darn good! The pie was hot, plenty crisp with the usual almost, greasy fritter feel. A generous strip of both Banoffee filling and ooey-gooey chocolate ran up the inside, packing a bit of a flavour sensation - Nothing but sweet banana paired with not exactly the highest quality but plausible cocoa tones. Almost Banoffee as I tasted no actual toffee but still yummy - A final 4 out of 5. 

Well, well, well, McDonald's you merry old bunch of mistletoe - This little lot is a complete winner and there is absolutely nothing here to let down anyone looking for a festive fix. I highly recommend you get yourself down to your local chain, order everything and embrace your rotund, Christmas pudding, post Fast Food state.. I won't be far behind! 

Spicy Chicken Winter Melt

Aaaaaand then MSW and the Spicy Chicken Winter Melt happened - A return from last year but a new one for us.

Succulent chicken breast fillet in a crispy coating with an Emmental cheese slice, fire roasted pepper sauce, slivered onions, a cool mayo and lettuce. 

Good god. Seriously, who is manning the lettuce station at my McDonald's and why the heck are they so heavy handed? I realise the likes of these Burgers aren't exactly healthy but I hardly think forcing that amount of leaf upon us is going to counteract the "bad".. Someone have a word. 

MSW did well in not losing the whole lot when taking a big bite - As you can see, it was really quite loaded! The bun was up to par with that of the Festive Cheese Feast in being just as bouncy, fresh and containing a generously sized piece of chicken. As succulent as suggested with a satisfying crisp coating, the fillet was second to none and tasted delicious with the warmth from the pepper sauce and abundance of raw onion. The cheese once again added some creamy and mellow tones with the squirt of mayo cooling things even further. Seasonally spicy - A 4 out of 5! 

Review- McDonald's UK NEW Great Tastes of the World: The Swiss Stack ft. Spicy Nacho Cheese Wedges

So long South African Stack, MSW may have enjoyed you and your heat but it is my time.. My time to fall into a cheesy bliss.. My time to enjoy this fortnights Great Tastes of the World Burger at McDonald's - The Swiss!

Thankfully, I had no nasty surprises when it came to the description of this double patty offering - No sneaky spice but double the dairy and crispy onions instead.. Yes please! I picked myself up a meal for the usual £5.99 along with some very daring Spicy Nacho Cheese Wedges* as I was feeling carefree and bold.

Two 100% British and Irish beef patties, Emmental cheese sauce, Beechwood smoked bacon, cheese, crispy onions and lettuce, in a toasted lattice bun. 

Finally! A burger that doesn't look like it's been used as a football or slung across the room - Towered surprisingly high and everything in its place, well done McDonald's workers, I salute you!

Given that the Stack really was a stack, I figured cutting the beast in half would be the best solution for getting a decent interior shot - Just look at those layers! Taking a bite, the bun was plenty soft and made for remarkable stability considering all that it held. The beef patties were cooked to perfection in being juicy and full of meaty flavour. As expected this paired up well with both the cheese slice and sauce which came with plenty of rich creamy flavour along with a pleasant acidic sort of tang. A kick of smoky pork came from the abundant bacon rashers with the standard salty edge, delivering the Beechwood promise and again, went well with the aforementioned. Freshness from the mound of crunchy lettuce and pure hit of onion finished things off beautifully.. Even if the latter wasn't all that crispy thanks to being drenched in sauce! Scrumptious! 

Overall, The Swiss Stack was very much worth the wait.. So much so, I can find very little fault in it! There may be a lot going on but each element is executed well to produce one mighty fine, not to mention massive Burger that I think would struggle to offend anyone. Get yourself down to McDonald's ASAP - It's a 4.5 out of 5 from me. 

*Spicy Nacho Cheese Wedges

Behold! The Spicy Nacho Cheese Wedges costing a very reasonable £1.59 and coming with a generous size pot of Sour Cream & Chive dip to dunk in, to your heart's content. 

Four cheese wedges filled with spicy jalapeño slices, served with sour cream & chive dip. 

Deep fried to perfection, the wedges were munchy on the outside with a soft and gooey, studded Jalapeño orange cheese centre. The crisp Nachos in the coating delivered the authentic flavour along with a blast of heat from the pepper - It really wasn't all to dissimilar in taste to the actual Tex-Mex dish especially when combined with the creamy and cooling Sour Cream dip. A bit hot for me but for normal folk, a treat - It's a 4 out of 5. 

Last up and weeks 5 & 6 of this years Great Tastes of the World campaign is The Mexican Stack which is set to rock the fast food joint from the 9th November. As this is once again a spicy number the post lays in MSW's hands so if no review actually happens, blame her not me.. Okay? Okay! 

Review- KFC UK NEW The Original Recipe Stacker

As I ended up not having the McDonald's South African Stack I was so looking forward to on Wednesday, I had to come up with plan B.. Going all the way next door to KFC and getting their NEW Original Recipe Stacker. There was no way I was going without my junk fix.. Heck, if there had been a Burger King too, I wouldn't have hesitated in doing a proper fast food crawl!

Crikey, the box to this thing was a beast! ..As was the price tag which I think was £4.99 on its own or £5.99 as part of a meal. Either way, I was charged £6.69 for it - Is there a surcharge for having a bottle of water as the drink in a regular meal? Someone find out for me. 

Two fillets of our classic original recipe chicken, sandwiched between cheese, barbecue and all-new baconnaise sauces. 

So I didn't bother to rectify the state of today's sandwich.. Why are the employees in these places so incapable of stacking competently? It's even in the bloody name this time, folks! Also, the box turned out to be an overkill with the burger I felt, being dwarfed in comparison.  

What an absolute mess. I do apologise for the fairly grotesque shot but given that everything was all slipey-slidey sloppy and prepped abysmally, there was not a lot I could do about it! Starting with the bun, it was the usual sort that KFC have to offer with not much in terms of doughy texture and hardly a substantial enough carrier for the packed "stack" within.. AKA 2 very solid, watery, chewy chicken fillets - Not what you expect but they did taste alright with their semi crisp coating and the glue like cheese slices coming through. Moving onto the sauces and the generous blob of barbecue certainly delivered in terms of smokiness and wasn't artificial in the slightest. As for the Baconnaise.. My taste buds decided it was somewhat reminiscent of Big Mac sauce with an almost gherkin-esque flavour mixed in with creamy bacon tones, making for something pretty darn delicious! The different flavours   compliment each other remarkably well with the addition of lettuce providing a fresh hit along with a bit of crunch - Tasty but messy!

So.. I am very much torn by this NEW Original Recipe Stacker. I shall not punish it for the poor chicken as my KFC can be quite hit or miss when it comes to the quality pieces the push out but they fact the bun isn't anywhere near robust enough for the sheer volume of fillings, along with feeling that 2 fillets aren't really necessary, just puts me off. Keep the delightful sauces, swap one of the chicken for a hash brown, fire and rehire your kitchen staff and do away with the OTT box and you'll be onto an all round better burger, KFC - It's a 3.5 out of 5 from me. 

Review- McDonald's UK NEW Great Tastes of the World: The South African Stack

Today is the day I have been waiting weeks, like a loser for.. Great Tastes of the World is back at McDonald's! - Yay, delicious fast food! As seen with the American trio back in the Spring, the burgers are once again of the double patty format with each being around for 2 weeks. 

  

This fortnights offering is The South African Stack and what I thought was going to be a smoky BBQ lovers, dream.. Until my bubble was promptly burst last night that is, when receiving a peppy newsletter stating exactly what the burger was to entail - Pepper Cheese? Ugh. Hot & Spicy Mayo? Eurgh. Paprika Bun? Ugh Eurgh. Safe to say, I was out but MSW was still very much in as an eager beaver and I picked her up a medium meal for £5.99. 

Two 100% British and Irish beef patties, Smoky BBQ sauce, Beechwood smoked bacon, Pepper Jack cheese, Hot & Spicy mayo, lettuce and a slice of tomato, in a glazed paprika topped bun. 

So I am pretty sure a McDonald's monkey had literally thrown the thing into the box and just hoped for the best - The bottom bun was practically hanging over the edge with the patties themselves being on bare cardboard and a real splodge of oozing sauce all over the show. Thankfully with a bit of a budge and twist, the Burger looked somewhat presentable.. Even if a little sloppy and dented from a rogue thumb. 

MSW took a big old bite for us to reveal the smorgasbord of fillings with the mayo still intent on going everywhere. Starting with the soft bun which was a tad burnt in places, the paprika aspect was relatively mild but definitely an original concept. Both beef patties which naturally went well with the melted cheese, were full of juicy meaty flavour with not an ounce of dryness or much grease at the opposite end of the spectrum. As for the BBQ sauce.. It was pretty elusive with MSW left wondering if there was any in there to begin with - You certainly wouldn't associate it as being a BBQ Burger.. Perhaps down to the fact that the mayo delivered a real kick of heat and was undeniably the most prominent flavour and star of the show! Despite this, all the elements paired nicely together with the bacon adding both texture and porky tones and freshness from the salad - Delish. 

Overall, it sounds as though The South African Stack is a winning start to Mcdonald's Great Tastes of the World series.. Even if the BBQ sauce has gone amiss here! If you like a bit of warmth to your Burgers, this could be the one for you - It's a 4 out of 5 from MSW and two thumbs up! The Swiss Stack.. Be ready for me on the 26th, I'm coming for ya! 

Review- McDonald's UK NEW Great Tastes of America: The New York Stack

Move aside Tennessee Stack, there's a NEW Burger in town.. Well technically, the City as for Mcdonald's Great Tastes of America Weeks 3 & 4, we've headed to New York with a second double patty delight! 

Behold! Another mysterious box which could entail literally anything.. Would it be really pernickety to have wished that each Burger had its own box rather than the same for all 3? I get the marketing perspective but one could quite easily find themselves at Weeks 5-6 and be revelling in the fact that they had missed out on prior Burgers and it now being rubbed in their face thanks to the not so snazzy, same-y box, illustrating all 3. Packaging rant over and moving on! 

Two 100% British and Irish beef burger with bacon, cheese, chunky coleslaw, tomato ketchup, mustard, lettuce and pickles in a sesame & poppy topped bagel. 

Yes, that is a bagel you see before your peepers - A first for McDonald's here in the UK! I'll admit that said bready ring hasn't ever been up my street but with something that looks so gleamingly good and packed with cheese, bacon, slaw and lettuce.. Well, who would ever refuse!? 

I decided on cutting this fortnights, packed Burger in half after the landslide shot of the Tennessee Stack.. Although todays seemed surprisingly robust considering the soft, crunchy topped bagel. Could the lack of ketchup and mustard be the reason why? I am going to assume so as the aforementioned ingredients were totally MIA, much to my disappointment! Thankfully this little oversight didn't ruin things entirely with the juicy beef patties at the forefront, delivering a decent meaty flavour along with hits of slightly salted bacon. The cheese and coleslaw went a long way in preventing things from becoming dry with the latter being particularly enjoyable and almost tasting like a creamy homemade version - Although generally pleasant and crunchy, I did stumble across a few hard bits of cabbage which weren't so nice! As for the pickles, they were removed pretty swiftly but from what I could tell, the flavour given overall was reminiscent of a Cheeseburger.. And I'd imagine would have been even more potent if the sauces had been included!

Overall and once again, The New York Stack is a cracking inclusion to Great Tastes of America.. And that is coming from someone who isn't mad for bagels or gherkin/pickles! I did miss the sauce, but the use of coleslaw did compensate and fortunately didn't end up being make or break.. I would of course like to try it with the ketchup and mustard though before the Tex Mex Stack is upon us! It's a 4 out of 5 from me.

Review- McDonald's UK NEW Great Tastes of America: The Tennessee Stack

Bye bye, never ending McDonald's Monopoly - Great Tastes of America is back in the UK and boy, have things been stepped up a gear! Gone are the days of 5 different Burgers over 5 weeks.. This year we've got 3 Stacks, each available for 2 weeks with the Tennessee number up first and kicking things off today!

Of course, it was Burger Lad who was the first to bring this exciting Fast Food news to the forefront.. Although he did cut things slightly fine on this occasion and I took great pleasure in pestering him, there is nothing about Burgers the man doesn't know (He's even been to McDonald's HQ! 4 times!) so go say "Howdy do" and give him a follow - He's a good egg. 

Two 100% British and Irish beef burgers with bacon, smokey cheese, a Tennessee style BBQ sauce, grilled onions and lettuce in a flour topped bun. 

So what is The Tennessee Snack, I hear you ask. Well, it is just that of its description and potentially full of greatness - A double patty, double cheese, double smokey, BBQ, bacon, grilled onion, Burger.. With some lettuce thrown in for good measure. Mine certainly looked the part even if a little wonky and slightly smaller in size than I envisaged.

Obtaining a decent picture of the very slippy, slidey Burger was almost impossible to achieve so please excuse the above shot.. At least there are some sneaky onion showing, right? Starting with the bun itself, there was no question about its freshness - The inside was soft and fluffy yet robust enough to withstand the weight of the beef patty duo which also delivered in terms of meaty flavour as well as being perfectly cooked without a hint of grease or being overly dry. As expected, this went well with the melted cheese which I suspect was just the American variety as I couldn't identify any smoke even when tasted alone! Thankfully, the BBQ sauce pepped things up although once again, wasn't as potent as I expected nor in abundance.. The bacon however were in large rashers and very pleasant! Sweet, mellow tones came from the soft cooked onion rounding things off nicely, with a hint of crunch from the lettuce - I do like it when both feature in a Burger! Yum!

What a way to start Great Tastes of American 2016! - The Tennessee Stack is delicious and certainly far more gourmet than any McDonald's Burger (Minus the Bacon Clubhouse), I've ever had.. It's all in the double patty and grilled onions! Yes, I am a little disappointed at the lack of smokiness but I expect on any other day, the blob of BBQ sauce would be more significant.. Hopefully at least! I will definitely be getting another either way before the Stack switch over to the New York number which just so happens to come on a Bagel! Exciting times are ahead but for now, it's a 4 out of 5 from me. 

Review- McDonald's UK NEW Bacon Clubhouse Burger

Fast Food doesn't feature much here on R4R.. Despite the KFC Med Bites of last summer being a very popular post and not to mention the fact I, like so many others, am addicted. Legitimately addicted! I've been good recently but broke all that today for the NEW Burger on the block.. The Bacon Clubhouse! 

Of course, Burger Lad was the first to announce that this most sought after, McDonald's item was finally coming to the UK - His little Principle Burger Critic, Admiral Burgerbar (Go follow him - He's brilliantly barmy, enjoys a sing song and usually three sheets to the wind) actually reviewed the Belgium version in 2014 and was so impressed, it ended up being the number 1 pick on BL McDonald's Wish List.

100% British and Irish beef burger with Big Mac sauce, cheddar cheese, Beechwood smoked bacon, Batavia lettuce, tomato and grilled onions in a toasted Brioche-style bun. 

So what is so exciting about the Bacon Clubhouse? Well, it is the only Burger on the menu to contain Big Mac Sauce other than.. You've guessed it, the Big Mac itself! Now, I hate to go and burst the bubble but said Burger has never really done it for me and I think throughout the years, they have gradually tasted worse and worse.. I know that many of you will now be revolting and wishing me harm but personal preference and all that - Lets all stay friends here.  

In classic Mcdonald's fashion and as you can see in the second picture, my Burger did look a bit thrown together but that was ok - The melted cheese looked very appealing and it only took a little budge to put things semi straight before taking a big old bite. Starting from the outside, the Brioche bun had been slightly toasted as promised with a super soft and fluffy interior - A most welcome change to the usual offerings which can sometimes be a bit cardboardy, dare I say. A hell of a lot was crammed in between the halves - The beef patty, which I am sure is the same one used in the Big Tasty, was most enjoyable, tasted of actual meat and as expected, was wonderful with the mild cheese. A slight smokiness was apparent from the rashers of bacon which was all that was needed as anything stronger probably would have ruined the lot! Lettuce was in abundance and thankfully, not limp or looked like leftovers and as for the tomato, it tasted fresh and was very soft in texture - Something I always appreciate! Now, all that was smashing but the real star of the show was of course, the Big Mac Sauce! Although I wish there had been a little more, it packed a punch with its distinct flavour and was a wonderful accompaniment to all the other elements but especially with the smooth, mellow taste of the soft onions - I have to say having them grilled was so much better than the usual hard and sometimes, really quite potent chunks you can find. Bloody delightful! 

Overall, I am pretty much blown away by the Bacon Clubhouse - Why on earth has it taken so long to make it to the UK? It's amazing! I can see it being extremely popular with both Big Mac fans and those who just want something a bit more gourmet! I hope McDonald's actually sit up and listen when it comes to making this Burger a regular on their Menu as it is definitely something special and definitely one I will be cramming in whilst I can - A 4.5 out of 5 from me!