The roast beef icon also serves good chicken sandwiches.

If you remember my review of the Crispy Chicken Bacon and Swiss Sandwich from Arby’s, you know it made a great impression on me. The chicken filet is tender, juicy and well seasoned, topped with delicious thick-cut peppered bacon, Swiss cheese and honey mustard. On a good day, with everything fresh and cooked just right… it’s one of the few chicken sandwiches that can approach the same level of satisfaction as my beloved Chick-fil-A. If you have an Arby’s close to you, drop by and try it.

And, if you like the Crispy Chicken Bacon and Swiss, you’re probably also going to like this Chicken Cordon Bleu. There’s two differences: the bacon is replaced by slices of ham, and the honey mustard is replaced by mayonnaise. The chicken filet, Swiss cheese and bun remain the same. Although the two items share the same base ingredients, the different ’secondary’ meats and sauces do a good job of creating fairly distinct sandwiches. In the end, the chicken breast filet is juicy and delicious on both, and I think ‘total’ satisfaction depends on your preference of bacon or ham.

I would say the taste and texture of Arby’s ham puts it in the same ‘class’ of meat as their roast beef. You won’t mistake it for a top quality freshly baked honey ham, but it’s on par with many packaged processed meats at the supermarket. The Swiss cheese has a smooth subtle flavor and provides a healthy amount of real cheese goodness. The chicken breast is moist and flavorful inside, with a light crunchy breading outside. A hunk of real breast meat with natural layers that tear away with each bite.

I rate the Ham/Swiss combination slightly lower than the Bacon/Swiss, because I feel Arby’s peppered bacon makes a bigger, better impact than their ham. That being said, the ham tastes fine. It has a decent flavor, slightly sweet, it’s tender and sliced very thin. The classic combination of Ham and Swiss is usually a winner, and it doesn’t disappoint here. The mayonnaise is certainly not a problem, but after several times eating the Cordon Bleu I decided to try ordering it with honey mustard instead, and they were happy to oblige. It was excellent — an improvement in my opinion.

On the whole, from store to store, I’ve found Arby’s quality control and consistency to be above average compared to industry competition, but you’re still more likely to get a bad sandwich there than a place like Chick-fil-A. Of course Arby’s has a bigger menu to maintain, including over 20 different sandwiches. Chick-fil-A has only 3 sandwiches. Considering the exceptional success and high quality of CFA, it makes a person wonder if some fast-food menus are too crowded, with the focus and resources of the companies spread too thin. Oh well, that’s another topic for another time.

The Chicken Cordon Bleu from Arby’s is a very good sandwich. Arby’s is best known for their Roast Beef sandwiches, but their current line of chicken products are worthy of sharing space alongside offerings from traditional chicken kings like Chick-fil-A, KFC, Popeyes and Church’s. Depending on what part of the country you’re located, Arby’s may also offer a “Grilled” version of this sandwich with less fat and calories.

Price: $3.19 / Website: Arbys.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B+

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Arby’s, Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwich (Crispy).

Calories - 590
Calories from Fat - 232
Total Fat - 25 grams
Carbs - 48 grams
Saturated Fat - 5 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 76 milligrams
Sodium - 1986 milligrams
Protein - 37 grams

This softer, more stylish McDonald’s aims for new standard.

A few weeks ago, the owners of a McDonald’s franchise in Maryland had a complete makeover done on their restaurant located in the city of Pikesville. Leading the way on the fast-food facelift was an interior design firm called Whitehead and Appel. The new “sophisticated” look includes a warmer, more contemporary style that focuses on natural textures and materials. Custom furniture, stone floors, limestone counters, limited edition art, extra-high ceilings, custom lighting, wi-fi and multiple flat screen televisions are among the many new features in this freshly decorated MickeyD’s. Franchise owners Bob and Barbara Houck have stated their store may be considered as a “model” for other McDonald’s restaurants nationwide in the future.

That got my attention, so I visited the store myself. I took several photos of the new design and details for FFC readers. You won’t be overloaded with flashy colors and cheap looking plastic decorations in this store. The sleek modern look is a welcome change from most McDonald’s. Overall it’s a stylish, modern and inviting environment that I’m sure people will respond to in a positive way. Even the bathrooms were nicely upgraded, and super clean. Now we’ll just have to wait and see if this new look really does create a chain reaction for this fast food icon. I hope you enjoy the photos.

Fresh baked bread and great cheddar cheese are the stars.

Walk into a Panera Bread these days and you will probably see it occupied by the typical “Starbucks” type crowd, sipping on a drink, working on a laptop. It seems to have taken over as the cool meeting hub for students and telecommuters (free wi-fi). The aroma of freshly baked breads fills the air and the sounds of light classical music can be heard from the background. Panera makes a variety of quality bagels, pastries, muffins and breads daily. I’m sure most people know them for the baked goods, but they’re also serving sandwiches for breakfast (breakfast was introduced nationwide in April 2008), lunch and dinner. Currently they offer three breakfast sandwich choices. Sausage-Egg-Cheese, Bacon-Egg-Cheese and Egg-Cheese with no meat.

Each sandwich starts with freshly baked Ciabatta bread. It’s a tasty, chewy bread with a medium crust and light coating of olive oil. Inside you’ll find the breakfast sandwich staple, the egg. Panera uses all-natural eggs that are cracked fresh, and you can tell they have just been cooked rather than sitting under a heat lamp. There are two meat options, all-natural sausage or Applewood-smoked bacon. But the ingredient that really makes these sandwiches stand out is Vermont white cheddar cheese.

Sausage-Egg-Cheese Sandwich — The ciabatta bread is grilled on the outside, soft where it needs to be, with a little crunch on the edges. Aside from a few crumbs, it’s not a messy sandwich to eat. The egg is fried into a circular shape that fits the bread perfectly. The sausage patty has good flavor and decent size. As I mentioned before, the best ingredient is the cheese. The Vermont white cheddar really gives these sandwiches a unique taste not typical with fast-food breakfasts. It’s a sharp distinct flavor with immediate impact, and a nice change from milder cheeses. [ B ]

Bacon-Egg-Cheese Sandwich — As you can see, the bread and egg are the same from the sausage sandwich. Only the meat is different. The bacon version wins my vote for overall satisfaction. The bacon is usually done just right, cooked evenly, not too crunchy, or too soft. They’re generous with the amount of bacon, and I’ve counted 5-6 slices. Considering it’s not a big sandwich, that’s a lot of pork. The cheese tastes even better (stronger) than with the sausage, most likely due to the patty’s thickness and heavier weight. The bacon version has the best balance of flavors. [ B+ ]

Of course, if you want a meatless sandwich you can order it with just egg and cheese. Surprisingly, even the simple egg and cheese sandwich works well. It’s a little plain, but it doesn’t leave me feeling like I’m missing something or desperate for meat. It’s all about the delicious cheese. That said, if you’re not a fan of Vermont white cheddar, or you find sharp cheese to be a turnoff… these sandwiches are not for you.

At a price of $2.99-$3.49, and a relatively small size, they’re a bit on the expensive side. I still feel hungry after a single sandwich, but it’s more quality over quantity when eating at Panera Bread. In general, they’re a step above typical fast food and definitely worth trying if you haven’t already. If you’re not on-the-run and in a big hurry, stop by and smell the bakery. Come for breakfast and try these sandwiches. Bring your laptop and say you’re working. We’ll know you’re really there for the food.

Price: $2.99-$3.49 / Website: Panera.com

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Panera Bread, Sausage-Egg-Cheese Sandwich.

Calories - 540
Calories from Fat - 250
Total Fat - 27 grams
Carbs - 44 grams
Saturated Fat - 11 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 220 milligrams
Sodium - 980 milligrams
Protein - 26 grams

Nutrition Facts - Panera Bread, Bacon-Egg-Cheese Sandwich.

Calories - 510
Calories from Fat - 220
Total Fat - 24 grams
Carbs - 44 grams
Saturated Fat - 10 grams
Trans Fat - 0.5 grams
Cholesterol - 215 milligrams
Sodium - 1060 milligrams
Protein - 28 grams

“Behold the scent of seduction, with a hint of flame-broiled meat.”

The King has released his own body spray called “Flame”. Nothing sets the mood better than having your lover smell like a hamburger. To help the romance further, BK designed an interactive website at FireMeetsDesire.com where you’re treated to an assortment of relaxing tunes and images by hitting the spray button. There’s also a few seductively silly scenes with the King laying on a rug by a roaring fireplace.

You can purchase “Flame” at Ricky’s NYC for $3.99. (Thanks to our man John)

A fast-food milkshake that demands my attention.

It’s funny, but most of the time I can hardly remember what I drink when I eat a good meal. And frankly, I could hardly care. I suppose I’m so focused on the food, that a simple liquid on the side is barely worth noticing, if not for the occasional need to wash down that food and keep the pipes running smoothly. Like most people I usually get some type of soda/cola when ordering fast-food, but I can easily live without the tasty carbonated drinks. Plain ol’ water or iced-tea are fine with me. And like I said, whatever I drink rarely makes a significant impact on my eating experience.

But sometimes I’m surprised, and find a drink which momentarily takes my attention away from the food, and that’s the case with the Cookies and Cream Milkshake from Chick-fil-A. It’s made from “Icedream”, CFA’s version of soft-serve ice cream, and Oreo cookie crumbs. Chick-fil-A’s Icedream recipe uses whole milk, real cream, eggs and sugar to create a frozen treat which tastes delicious and surprisingly unprocessed. That being said, it’s still built on a fast-food platform, so there are some artificial ingredients too, but it’s a taste and texture closer to a real ice cream shop than a typical drive-thru. The milkshakes are hand-spun when you order them, adding to their authentic feel and flavor, then topped with whipped cream and a cherry.

It’s the perfect density for a milkshake… thick enough to scoop with a spoon while feeling semi-solid in your mouth, yet still thin enough to drink thru a straw with little effort. There’s plenty of Oreo pieces. In fact, several times I’ve had this shake, my straw became clogged with chunks of cookie towards the bottom of the cup, but I consider the accumulation of chocolate to be a good thing… a gift of gravity. At that point I simply remove the straw, tilt the cup and pour the final delicious mouthful.

On my last visit to Chick-fil-A I purchased an extra shake to bring home to a friend, but found it had melted a bit too much by the time I arrived. So I put it inside the freezer and forgot about it. The next day I discovered the completely frozen milkshake, grabbed a spoon and found a harder-than-normal, yet still totally delicious cup full of cookies and cream flavor, reminiscent of some store bought ‘premium’ brand ice creams.

The Cookies and Cream Milkshake from Chick-fil-A is excellent. Chocolate cookies mixed into rich and creamy vanilla flavored frozen dairy, it will satisfy both thirst and sweet tooth. A great taste in between bites of CFA’s chicken sandwich and waffle fries, a wonderful dessert after a meal, or a special treat worthy of enjoying on it’s own.

Price: $2.39 / Website: Chick-fil-A.com

Fast Food Critic Score: A

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Chick-fil-A, Cookies and Cream Milkshake.

Calories - 760
Calories from Fat - 250
Total Fat - 28 grams
Carbs - 113 grams
Saturated Fat - 16 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 95 milligrams
Sodium - 520 milligrams
Protein - 16 grams

Remember the Burger King employee who took a bath in the restaurant’s kitchen sink, and had it video taped for the world to see? Well it’s happened again, sort of… except this time it’s at KFC in Anderson California, and it was 3 female employees. The girls stripped down to their underwear and/or bikinis, jumped into the KFC sink, turned on the water jets and had themselves a good ‘ol time. Not surprisingly, the girls were fired this week after the company confirmed the story and discovered one of the girls had published photos of their wet and wild adventure on her MySpace page.

“KFC has zero tolerance for violations of our operating standards, and our franchisee has taken immediate action by terminating the employees who were involved” — KFC spokesman Rick Maynard.

Because sometimes a dollar is just too much!

Back in May, Taco Bell introduced their ‘Why Pay More’ menu featuring a fairly wide selection of super cheap eats. It had several items that were available previously, but also including new items such as Triple Layer Nachos, Cheese Roll-Up, Cheesy Double Beef Burrito, Big Taste Taco, and more. Taco Bell breaks the menu down into 79, 89 and 99 cent items. Over my next few reviews, I will be exploring this budget menu, and today I’m focusing on the Triple Layer Nachos, Cheese Roll-Up, and Cinnamon Twists. According to TB’s website, the Triple Layer Nachos are featured in the 89 cent category, however all 3 of these items are 79 cents in my area.

The Nachos are very basic, as you would expect for the price. It’s tortilla chips with refried beans, Taco Bell red sauce, and nacho cheese. While there isn’t any meat, and not many ingredients, they actually taste pretty good. If you’re willing to get your fingers a bit messy, this makes the perfect side dish. The beans and nacho cheese sauce are standard Taco Bell fare, the same used on a dozen other items. They go well together, and the red sauce adds a little extra kick of flavor. Both times I ordered, some of the tortilla chips in the center became soggy, but I wouldn’t say that’s a bad thing, or totally unexpected. The chips on the outer portion of the bowl stay crisp, so you can use those to scoop up their soggy brothers along with the other ingredients. For only 79 cents, these nachos are a winner. They’re not very filling, and it’s really only a handful of chips, but they’re a great snack or addition to a larger meal. [ B+ ]

The Cheese Roll-Up is an item I’ve purchased 3 or 4 times now, and each time I get it, I wonder why the hell I did. Maybe I thought it would get better… but it never does. There are three cheeses, Monterey Jack, Cheddar, and American, melted together in a warm tortilla. That’s it, just melted cheese, nothing else. Whenever I eat it, I’m reminded of those days when there’s nothing left in my refrigerator except a few random items. They can’t make a complete sandwich or meal, but if I throw them together they’ll at least make a snack. Yep, that’s the Cheese Roll-Up… it’s those left over items in the refrigerator that are just thrown together, and never quite amount to anything. There’s only tortilla and cheese, and the cheese makes little impact. All 3 cheeses are small in quantity and lite on flavor. It’s way too bland. And it’s a tiny, short and thin little thing to begin with. Maybe if they added some beans, or onions, or something… anything… it would help. Even at 79 cents I feel ripped off. [ D- ]

The Cinnamon Twists surprised me. I don’t know what I was expecting, other than having cinnamon flavor, but they’re really a nice treat after finishing a taco or burrito. The texture of the twists remind me of Jax, but instead of cheese flavor these are cinnamon. It’s airy, light and crunchy, with a large amount of cinnamon and sugar flavor. I would say the cinnamon taste was stronger than “Cinnamon Toast Crunch” brand cereal, but it wasn’t too much or overpowering. It was a satisfying treat overall, though I don’t see myself driving by Taco Bell and suddenly having a craving for them, in the same way I crave the Crunchwrap Supreme or Volcano Taco. You receive a decent amount of twists in an order, and it’s a good deal for 79 cents. [ B ]

Currently there’s only two items on the 79 cent section of the menu (three items if the Nachos are reduced from 89 cents as in my town). One of those items is a big bland disappointment, but the other two get a thumbs up. If you want more food with your next Taco Bell meal but are low on cash, try the Triple Layer Nachos or Cinnamon Twists. They won’t hurt your wallet, and they might be the extra little something you need to defeat that hunger. Coming up next time — the 89 cent value menu.

Price: $.79 each / Website: TacoBell.com

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Taco Bell, Triple Layer Nachos.

Calories - 340
Calories from Fat - 160
Total Fat - 18 grams
Carbs - 38 grams
Saturated Fat - 2.5 grams
Trans Fat - 1.5 grams
Cholesterol - 0 milligrams
Sodium - 720 milligrams
Protein - 7 grams

Nutrition Facts - Taco Bell, Cheese Roll-Up.

Calories - 200
Calories from Fat - 90
Total Fat - 10 grams
Carbs - 19 grams
Saturated Fat - 5 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 20 milligrams
Sodium - 490 milligrams
Protein - 9 grams

Nutrition Facts - Taco Bell, Cinnamon Twists.

Calories - 170
Calories from Fat - 60
Total Fat - 7 grams
Carbs - 26 grams
Saturated Fat - 0 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 0 milligrams
Sodium - 200 milligrams
Protein - 1 gram

Sweet, creamy and satisfying — no matter what time of year.

If you’re like me and living on the East Coast, you may wonder why I’m reviewing a milkshake when it’s currently 31 degrees outside. Easy answer… while it’s indeed the perfect treat on a warm summer’s day, Arby’s Jamocha Shake is pure satisfaction on most ANY day, regardless of season or temperature. And though the company recently introduced new varieties like Mint Chocolate Swirl, Orange Creme and (the atrocious) Strawberry Banana Shakes, the Jamocha still reigns as the shake supreme.

Arby’s first started serving the Jamocha Shake back in 1964, and it’s been selling well ever since. It’s a chocolate and coffee shake with a mix of ingredients and blend of flavors that’s both refreshing and satisfying. It’s far better than one of those frozen or iced coffee drinks that you’d find in a place like Starbucks, Dairy Queen or Dunkin’ Donuts. That being said, don’t be afraid if you aren’t a big coffee drinker. This is still a milkshake through-and-through, and it won’t overwhelm you with a strong coffee flavor. It’s a delicious balance of chocolate, coffee, sugar, vanilla and cream.

It has a nice smooth consistency, not too thick, not thin or watery… just right. This creamy sweet frozen treat is excellent alone, and also great with your favorite Arby’s food. (seasoned curly fries and popcorn chicken perhaps?) The Jamocha shake will even provide you a little kick of caffeine if you need it, as it contains a small amount of instant coffee. Come to think of it, after a big fast food meal your body may go into a carb-coma, so don’t expect the Jamocha Shake to help you much if you’ve just eaten a bag full. A small shake will run you $1.99, regular $2.29 and a large $2.99.

While most fast food establishments feature the standard chocolate, vanilla and strawberry frozen treats, Arby’s hits a homerun with the unique flavor of the Jamocha Shake. With America’s addiction to coffee, I’m surprised there aren’t more copy cats of this product. Last year, Chick-fil-A came out with a Coffee Caramel shake that was stellar, but sadly it’s gone now and was only available for a very limited time. (Bring it back CFA!!!) It’s good to know the Jamocha Shake from Arby’s has been around for decades, and there’s no sign it’s going anywhere soon, except into the happy stomachs of Arby’s customers nationwide. You owe it to yourself to break free of the same old Choco-Nilla-Berry shake prison, and grab an Arby’s Jamocha Shake. It’s one of my personal fast-food favorites, and was long overdue for a FFC review.

Price: $1.99 - $2.99 / Website: Arbys.com

Fast Food Critic Score: A

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Arby’s, Jamocha Shake (regular size).

Calories - 498
Calories from Fat - 121
Total Fat - 13 grams
Carbs - 81 grams
Saturated Fat - 8 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 34 milligrams
Sodium - 393 milligrams
Protein - 13 grams

Hello all, I’m posting from out of town, at my Dad’s house. We’ve had some difficult family times the past 2 weeks, and between my regular full-time job (outside FFC), constant travel back-and-forth to be with family, and stress… I simply have not had the time and energy to post, or update the FFC site. And for a while, personal things were so bad, I could not really even think about it. Furthermore, neither John or Ryan had access to my webmaster/editor controls so they couldn’t do anything. I won’t let that happen again, and will modify the control panel to give them access. I should have done that before. I suppose I’ve been reluctant to let go of my control.

Anyway… I will be home by Saturday and get busy catching up over the weekend. There’s a lot of great things coming ahead at FFC, including new digital cameras for both John and Ryan, which will improve the food photography in our reviews. We’ve got an awesome interview with an Internet foodie legend. And, we’re starting a forum, where readers can post about food, including your own reviews!

Please keep in mind, this is not our “job”. We all have full-time jobs, families and daily responsibilities outside FFC. We are here because we have a passion for this fast food project, and we believe what we’re doing is good and real. We can make a difference. But we’ve not reached the point where we make money from advertising, so the reality is I can’t afford to take more time away yet. Hopefully soon.

Thank you to every FFC reader. It’s an honor and a thrill that so many people have enjoyed what we’ve done so far. I apologize for the unplanned interruption in activity. We shall return to regular fast-food fun on Wednesday, December 10th.