Kotas Reviews the Most American Thickburger

Oh my goodness, it is almost time for the most patriotic holiday of the year! That's right, the Fourth of July is right around the corner, and in celebration of all things American, I will be tackling some of the most...oh, let's be kind and say "innovative" food items to be developed in the good old U. S. of A. That's right folks, it's 'MURICA WEEK!

For generations, Americans have celebrated the birth of our fair nation by devouring hot dogs, hamburgers, and potato chips with great abandon in pursuit of gustatory patriotism. Well, Hardee's (or Carl Jrs. as it's known out West) has finally figured out a way to have all of them at once! Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the Most American Thickburger! 

Picture courtesy of CBS Detroit...and MURICA!
https://cbsdetroit.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/most-american.jpg?w=620&h=349&crop=1

Throughout this blog, you will find the phrase "Monument to Man's Hubris" used a few times, but I can think of no other circumstance where this phrase is more appropriate. Just look at this thing. A 1/3rd pound cheeseburger topped with ketchup, mustard, a HOT DOG, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise, pickles, and POTATO CHIPS. While the title of Most American food might be up for dispute, this certainly is the Most American Thickburger I have ever seen. Then again, promotional pictures can be deceiving. What does it actually look like?

I expected it to be taller for some reason.

Considering the usual disconnect between fast food burger pictures and the burgers themselves, this one mostly resembles it's idealized promotional self. At least some effort was made by my local eatery to make it look nice. Let's get it out of that wrapper.

 

Definitely American.

I've been a fan of the Thickburger back when it was called the Six Dollar Burger. I'm not sure what they put in them, but they are, for me, one of the better tasting fast food hamburgers. Still, odd toppings usually result in a downgraded burger experience, so I was skeptical this would be any different.

Well folks, I'm pleased to say that in this case, I rather enjoyed the experience. For whatever reason the hot dog and hamburger portions compliment rather than clash, for a meaty, American style tastesplosion. The potato chips add little actual flavor, but from a texture standpoint they provide some much needed contrast to the meat, along with a satisfying crunch as one bites into the sandwich. The lettuce and tomato make things a bit messy, but MURICA does not abide by being too dignified. 

On the FACE Rating System, I give this a very pleasing 2 Smiley Patriotic Faces. If you are a lover of hamburgers in general, you owe it to yourself to see what combining a full meal into a single sandwich can do. If you do not like regular Hardee's/Carl Jrs. Thickburgers though, this will not change your mind. 

Kotas Reviews the BBQ Pulled Pork Cheeseburger

Well, they've finally done it. Taco Bell started doing breakfast in the most ridiculous fashion possible. Now other chains are starting to increase the strangeness quotient in their products, usually by taking things that are usually separate and combining them in terrifying and unique ways. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present today's wonder: The BBQ Pulled Pork Cheeseburger, from Wendy's. 

The glorious Fantasy of the Advertisement.

I can't say it is a bad idea. I mean, it is kind of like putting bacon on a burger, right? Of course, it is not like Wendy's is known for the quality, or even the previous existence of, its pulled pork products. Also, they make a bold choice in topping a hamburger with not only pulled pork but with cole slaw, especially given the reputation of fast food cole slaw. I admit I was somewhat dubious of this meal. Still, this was a request from a reader and I feel it is a worthy topic. Besides, wouldn't you rather I eat this first? Onward!

Wendy's was my go to fast food burger joint for a long time. Over the years my love for them has waned, mostly due to their switch to a different type of french fry. Some of their innovations in the fast food burger world have been pretty good, such as the Pretzel Bun, but I still can't get over that fry switch so I'm a bit soured on the chain. They do have pretty advertisements though. Let's order one of these bad boys and see if Reality matches Fantasy.

Eh, kinda sorta maybe?

I'll give them credit, it actually somewhat resembles the fancy picture, which is a rarity in fast food since forever. The bun is a bit different from their standard one, a little stiffer and chewier. It does a good job of holding the burger together, which is great since Wendy's burgers are often the messiest of the bunch if you get it with all the standard toppings. The first bite is heavy on the cheeseburger, as I chose to start with that left side up there, but after that each bite had roughly equal measures of cheeseburger, pulled pork, bun, and cole slaw. The cole slaw isn't as sweet as most fast food cole slaws. It is a more vinegar-y take on it, and I believe they are using broccoli slaw at this particular franchise. 

I gotta admit, the flavors are pretty good. The BBQ sauce is one of three choices: Sweet, Smokey, and Spicy. I went with Smokey, and it's got a nice taste, generally better than standard fast food BBQ sauce. The cole slaw, rather than detracting from the experience, adds some crunch and veggie flavor that helps the pulled pork stand out from the beef and cheese better. The pulled pork itself is essentially decent. Nothing special, but far above what I thought I would be getting at a Wendy's. I rather liked this burger.

On the FACE Rating System, I'll give this one 2 smiley faces. The flavors, while seemingly contrasting, worked pretty well together and the barbecue sauce added the right amount of tanginess. It was a little messy, but that's a Wendy's Burger for you. I would totally get this again. If you like pulled pork and you like cheeseburgers, but you just don't have time to make it yourself, give it a whirl. The cole slaw is probably more hit or miss, but I thought it complimented the sandwich well.

Oh, and don't worry. There was the OTHER part of this meal that I will be reviewing later. Stay tuned!