Fast Food Critic - Reviews, News and Nutrition Information about Fast Food.

I don’t enjoy writing bad reviews, and I don’t enjoy eating bad food, but sometimes it happens. Such is the case with Popeyes Cajun Rice. Despite being a fan of the chain, and enjoying the other items I’ve eaten there, this dish left me totally disappointed.

The first time I tried the rice it was bad, however I figured my experience might be an isolated incident or anomaly. But after eating the rice four different times now, I can no longer make that assumption or excuse. On each occasion, I got the same results. Some people refer to this (or similar dishes) as “dirty” rice, and I cannot help making a pun and joke here — because indeed this stuff does tastes a little bit like dirt.

It looks good enough, with plump grains of rice being coated with the Cajun meat mixture they use. Looks can be deceiving, and this might be the best example of that I’ve encountered recently. I don’t understand how ground beef, chicken gizzards, green onions and various other spices can blend together and taste so awful and dry, but they do. My eyes said it appears delicious, but my taste buds told a different story.

I simply have nothing good to say about the flavor of this item. I would not order it again under normal circumstances. I don’t want to harp on this too much because I’ve plenty of love and respect for Popeyes in general. So keep that in mind Popeyes fans, before you give me a hard time. Read my reviews of their other items like Cajun fries, onion rings, beans with rice, and loaded chicken wrap. You’ll see I’m a fan too.

The Cajun Rice from Popeyes is simply unappetizing to me. It’s dry, dull, almost bitter taste leaves me empty and unsatisfied. This dish escapes a score of “F” by a narrow margin, saved only because (#1) adding some Popeye’s Hot Sauce makes it edible, and (#2) I’m assuming it’s an ‘acquired taste‘, so I won’t write it off completely.

Price: $1.49 / $3.49 Website: Popeyes.com

Fast Food Critic Score: D-

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Cajun Rice from Popeyes (regular).

Calories - 170
Calories from Fat - N/A
Total Fat - 6 grams
Carbs - 22 grams
Saturated Fat - 2 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 60 milligrams
Sodium - 530 milligrams
Protein - 8 grams

When I was a child, my Grandmother would often prepare red beans and rice. She made it because we liked it, but also because the ingredients were inexpensive and easy to purchase in bulk. Money was tight and it was a great way to stretch the dollar. It’s a simple dish, and it’s filling. As Grandpa said so often - it sticks to your ribs.

Popeyes version of this classic is not as tasty as what Grandma used to make, but it’s still pretty good. Long grain rice is cooked and seasoned with salt, onion, garlic and paprika. It’s smothered with red kidney beans and a sauce made with pork-fat that’s been cured with (among other things) brown sugar and natural smoke flavors.

In my experience, the rice is always cooked right, firm on the outside and tender on the inside. The beans are plump and hearty, but sometimes there’s not as many ‘whole’ beans as I’d prefer. The sauce is thick and has a good smokey flavor, but unlike many of Popeyes items it’s not spicy at all. Those with a preference for the hotter side of the menu will likely find this rather bland. That’s just the nature of the dish.

For instance, one time I ate several pieces of their spicy chicken beforehand, after which the beans and rice barely made an impact on my taste buds. Again, this is not Popeyes fault, it’s the dish itself. If you really want to get the most enjoyment from this, I suggest not eating anything spicy with it. Allow yourself to appreciate the soft and subtle flavors on their own. A big bowl will make a wholesome satisfying meal.

If I had one request, it would be for some cornbread to go with it. That’s the way I grew up eating. We would dunk it, and sometimes just break it up and mix it all together. But alas, Popeyes does not have cornbread on the menu. Their buttermilk biscuits are very good, and do a decent job as a substitute, but it’s not the same. If you’ve ever had beans and rice with cornbread, you know it’s a match made in heaven.

Popeyes Red Beans and Rice has a pleasant mellow flavor, and does a fairly good job of recreating the taste I loved growing up in the South. If you’re like me, and you ate the same (basic) dish for years, it will make you feel right at home. But if you’ve never been satisfied by such simple food, it’s unlikely to impress or change your mind.

Price: $1.99 and $3.99 / Website: Popeyes.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Popeyes Red Beans and Rice (regular).

Calories - 320
Calories from Fat - N/A
Total Fat - 19 grams
Carbs - 31 grams
Saturated Fat - 6 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 20 milligrams
Sodium - 710 milligrams
Protein - 10 grams

If you’re like me, you were probably excited and intrigued when you heard about Jack’s new menu item. The thought of deep fried macaroni and cheese is pretty darn cool. But unfortunately, not all ‘cool’ ideas result in great products. Such is the case with the Cheesy Macaroni Bites. My initial excitement has turned to overall disappointment.

Size-wise, they’re a little bit larger than a chicken nugget, but thinner. They look good enough. In fact, the coating is a thing of beauty, with just the right color and texture you would expect from a tasty deep fried snack. It’s crispy, golden brown, and breaks away with a satisfying crunch, revealing the soft noodles and cheese packed inside. The shell is nice, no doubt. The problem — crust to filling (flavor) ratio is way off.

You cannot taste enough Mac N Cheese! More specifically, cheese. The coating is simply overpowering. The end result is a snack that’s not very cheesy, doesn’t remind me of the traditional dish, and tastes pretty bland. I wanted to like these. I really did. Heck, I was ready to LOVE these. But I’m sorry, they’re not worthy of the love.

I’ve tried them 3 times, at 3 different locations. There were slight differences in how well-done each order was cooked, with some being darker brown and more crunchy than others, but the bottom line was always the same — crust steals the show.

The photo above was taken after slicing one in half with a knife. As you can see, the noodles are plentiful and everything appears in order, but looks can be deceiving. What you can’t detect from the picture is the lack of richness or strong flavor in the cheese sauce. And between the thick coating and the pasta, the cheese is muted and doesn’t stand a chance of making much of an impact on your taste buds.

I still believe in the basic idea. I’m sure there’s a way to make this work, but this is not the right balance. They need a thinner shell, and to increase the cheese content.

The Cheesy Macaroni Bites from Jack in the Box failed to deliver the beloved taste of the classic favorite I was hoping for. The flavor of macaroni and cheese is not strong enough, or satisfying enough for me to desire eating them again. They don’t taste bad, they’re OK, but the ‘average’ label is totally appropriate here. Nothing special.

Price: $2.99 (6 piece) / Website: JackInTheBox.com

Fast Food Critic Score: C

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Jack in the Box, Cheesy Macaroni Bites (6 piece).

Calories - 440
Calories from Fat - 230
Total Fat - 25 grams
Carbs - 41 grams
Saturated Fat - 10 grams
Trans Fat - 4 grams
Cholesterol - 30 milligrams
Sodium - 1220 milligrams
Protein - 13 grams

I’m not a cook, and I have no desire to become one, but I still enjoy being involved with my food (playing with it) whenever possible. Quiznos gives me that chance with their Chili Bread Bowl. It’s like a food kit, with all the parts you need to assemble your own meal. First, you get a large round sourdough loaf of bread, which has the top cut off to form a lid, and the majority of the inside scooped out to create a bowl-like receptacle. It’s a beautiful piece of bread, no doubt. Obviously not a typical fast food offering.

Quiznos calls it “Artisan” bread. What does that mean? By definition, it indicates the bread is crafted by a person or company who pays special attention to the ingredients and preparation. It’s created in smaller batches, as opposed to being mass produced. It contains no preservatives and no chemical additives. Artisan bread makers are often compared to craftsmen who work on jewelery or fine furniture. It’s a true art form, and a return to the old ways where quality was more important than quantity.

Truth be told, I’m not sure bread purists would consider what Quiznos serves as real Artisan bread, and I’m sure they could give specific reasons why, but I’m not here to debate the fine points of bread making. I only wanted to explain what’s going on with this particular item, and it’s indeed a nice piece of bread. It has a brown crispy outer crust that crackles and flakes when you bite or cut it, a soft warm white center that’s slightly chewy, and it’s coated with olive oil, garlic and oregano.

Before I talk about the chili or the cheese, I must tell you about the wonderful surprise I found at the bottom of my bread bowl. As I removed the lid preparing to pour my chili inside, I saw a thinly sliced piece of Black Angus Beef covered in melted cheddar. Did it somehow get dropped into my bowl on it’s way to another customer’s sandwich? Nope, a Quizno’s manager informed me that at one point, it was a regular practice for them to include a small portion of steak or beef at the base of each bowl.

Eventually they stopped doing it, for whatever reason, and today it depends on the store and staff on duty. Some stores do it, some don’t. Some use Beef, others uses Steak or Chicken. So it’s a guessing game as to whether yours will include this extra ingredient, or which type of meat it might be. Ask them when you are ordering, to be sure, and once you verify that location does it, you can request whatever meat you want. I was assured by 2 different store managers this will never be a problem.

The chili and cheese each come in their own container, ready to be poured into the bread bowl. The chili is excellent, and I had no idea it was Turkey Chili until I asked. I’m so accustomed to the standard beef chili from almost every other source, this was a real surprise to me. It had all the hearty flavor and authentic taste that I’m used to, but with less fat content. It’s a thick mixture with big plump kidney beans, chunks of tomato, green and red peppers, onions and other spices. It’s mighty tasty!

The cheese is shredded into fairly large thick pieces. It’s a good tasting cheddar by fast food standards, and unlike most food items there’s a chance to sample the cheese before it gets added to the mix. Don’t get carried away though, because your going to want all that cheesy goodness to be melted on top of the chili.

Simply pour the chili into the bread bowl, then top it with the cheddar cheese, grab your spoon and start enjoying. And when you’re done with the great tasting main course, you eat the bowl it was served in. Very cool. Now, if only the spoon was edible.

Eating Tips - A) The thickness of the chili might tempt you to use a fork, but use a spoon. The spoon helps to gently carve away the soft bread lining inside, so you get tasty bread included with each bite. A fork can puncture the outer shell, causing a messy chili leak to occur. B) Save a little chili in the container, so when you’re left with the empty crusty bread, you can fold it up like a sandwich or large chip, and use that extra chili for dipping. I eat the whole bread shell. Every bite, even the lid.

The Turkey Chili Bread Bowl from Quiznos is delicious and different. It’s also fun to eat and build. For those unaware, this chain of stores has no drive-thrus, and it would be difficult to eat this in the car, but it’s definitely worth a trip inside to grab one. Some locations offer home delivery service. The chili was tasty enough that it inspired me to purchase several brands of turkey chili at the supermarket this week. I can cook those quickly and easily at home, with less fat than beef versions. I haven’t found anything as good as Quiznos recipe, but my eyes have been opened on the turkey topic.

Price: $5.49 / Website: Quiznos.com

Fast Food Critic Score: A-

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Quiznos Turkey Chili Bread Bowl.

Calories - 730
Calories from Fat - 200
Total Fat - 22 grams
Carbs - 104 grams
Saturated Fat - 7 grams
Trans Fat - 0.5 grams
Cholesterol - 50 milligrams
Sodium - 1680 milligrams
Protein - 31 grams

Editor’s Note: The slice of beef at the bottom of the bowl is NOT included in the nutrition numbers provided by Quiznos. Your guess is as good as mine.

I like Arby’s but I’m not a fan of this particular side item. These deep fried triangles of potato look tasty enough at first glance, but it turns out they are very bland and unsatisfying. They taste like baked potato topping, without the potato. That doesn’t make sense, but that’s the problem. The potato filling lacks flavor, and the cheese and bacon that are supposed to compliment it aren’t able to fulfill their end of the bargain. Even the breading was a let down, failing to live up to it’s attractive outward appearance. The bacon pieces are OK when you get one. The cheese is not very tasty or cheesy, and it seems the amount of each ingredient is just enough to ensure that nothing stands out and everything blends together to create — bland mashed potatoes stuffed inside a pretty shell. I was ready to love these, but I am completely underwhelmed and unimpressed. I can’t see myself ordering them again, or having the desire to eat more. That’s the bottom line.

The Loaded Potato Bites from Arby’s are too bland for my taste. After eating them on multiple occasions, that impression has not changed. When eating at Arby’s I will be sticking to their awesome seasoned curly fries as my potato side order of choice.

Price: $2.59 / Website: Arbys.com

Fast Food Critic Score: D

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Arby’s Loaded Potato Bites, 5 piece.

Calories - 353
Calories from Fat - 199
Total Fat - 22 grams
Carbs - 27 grams
Saturated Fat - 7 grams
Trans Fat - 0.5 grams
Cholesterol - 13 milligrams
Sodium - 800 milligrams
Protein - 11 grams

I’ve been eating fried okra since I was a young kid. Growing up in the south, it was a regular side dish. My grandmother made it often. Her mother made it too. My Mom didn’t make it, but went ate plenty together when we dined out. I probably would have never touched the stuff had it not been deep fried with tasty breading. The only green things I would eat as a kid were beans or peas. I’m sure glad they got me to try it, because I loved it, and it remains one of my favorite vegetables today.

The biggest problem with fried okra — locating some. It’s rare in the fast food world. At the time of this writing, Church’s is the only chain I recall that currently offers it besides Grandy’s. If anybody reading this is aware of others, please let me know.

The fact of the matter, lots of people don’t even know what okra is. And all these years later I won’t come near it myself unless it’s breaded and fried. A few quick facts: Okra is a flowering plant that comes from the same family as cotton and cocoa, and produces a green edible fruit. When this fruit is still young, it’s harvested and eaten as a vegetable, boiled, steamed, pickled and fried. It’s also chopped for soups, rice, seasoning, and the leaves get used in salads.

All this from a plant my brother calls “Alien” and most of my friends wouldn’t eat unless they were starving. The weird appearance bothers people. It’s covered with hairy strands on the outside, and the inside is an odd pentagon shape with seeds that look like tiny white balls. Finding a solution for this strange look was easy in the South. Cover it with breading, and deep fry it. That’s what we do with everything.

What does it taste like? That’s a tough question. This is the first time I’ve had trouble thinking of a description for food. I called my friends that also enjoy fried okra and asked them to describe the taste. They also drew a blank. The only things that came from the conversations were “fried asparagus” or “fried green beans” but we agreed that neither was accurate. Okra is a real challenge to explain.

It’s not a strong flavor. It’s light and mellow. It tastes veggie-like and you know you’re eating something green, but it’s hard to pinpoint. Not quite asparagus, zucchini, or green beans, but not completely different. Perhaps a combination of the three.

The texture of the okra is soft and tender inside. Being deep fried keeps the center from becoming slimy, a problem that boiled and pickled okra can often suffer. In the case of Grandy’s, the outside is covered with a medium thick breading. Each piece is evenly coated, golden brown and only a small peek of green showing thru occasional cracks in the tasty shell. It’s not crunchy, but it’s crisp and chewy.

The Fried Okra from Grandy’s is very good. It has the right balance of crisp breading and soft tender veggie center. It’s not as good as my Grandmother used to make, but it’s satisfying and enjoyable. Fans of fried okra will definitely be happy.

Price: $1.39 side, or plated meal option / Website: Grandys.com

Fast Food Critic Score: A

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Grandy’s Fried Okra.

Calories - 235
Calories from Fat - 90
Total Fat - 10 grams
Carbs - 32 grams
Saturated Fat - N/A
Trans Fat - N/A
Cholesterol - 0 milligrams
Sodium - 582 milligrams
Protein - 5 grams

This will be my shortest review yet. There’s just not much to say about Grandy’s corn. It’s OK, about like any quality frozen or canned variety. There’s nothing special about it, and no particular flavor or seasoning that sets it apart, though it does have a slightly sweet taste. It’s corn. It’s hard to mess up corn. At the same time, it’s difficult to stand out from the crowd. Still, it’s a wholesome, healthier pick than french fries.

Grandy’s Corn won’t excite anybody, but it tastes fine. It’s a worthy side dish for their big and tasty chicken fried chicken. They tend to drain the corn fairly well before dishing it up, so there’s not much liquid. You get lots of kernels without any extra corny soup. Depending on your preference, that may or may not be a good thing.

Price: $1.39 side, or plated meal option / Website: Grandys.com

Fast Food Critic Score: C+

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Grandy’s Corn.

Calories - 91
Calories from Fat - 9
Total Fat - 1 grams
Carbs - 17 grams
Saturated Fat - N/A
Trans Fat - N/A
Cholesterol - 0 milligrams
Sodium - 133 milligrams
Protein - 3 grams

Simply put, these are some of the best fast food rolls I’ve ever eaten. And they taste just as great today as they did 10 years ago when I lived right around the corner from a Grandy’s restaurant. In those days, I would eat there a couple times per week.

The soft fluffy yeast rolls are baked fresh throughout the day, and they go quickly. In addition to being included with Grandy’s plated meals, they’re also sold by the 1/2 and full dozen. Chances of getting a cold stale roll are extremely slim. These rolls are so popular, most people order extra to go with their meals, and many stop by just to pick up a box of hot fresh rolls to enjoy with their own home cooked dinner.

So light and airy, they almost melt in your mouth. They have a smooth buttery flavor with a bit of sweetness that’s a joy to eat plain, without adding anything. Once they mix the dough and place it on a baking sheet, it’s allowed to rise, and they brush the tops with honey butter, which gives the slightly sweet taste and wonderful golden brown color. They’re also delicious split-open with jelly or jam, and they’re awesome for dipping into Grandy’s cream gravy that comes on top the steaks and potatoes.

The Dinner Rolls from Grandy’s are excellent. It’s hard to get very excited about a roll, much less a fast food version, but these are consistently fresh and delicious.

Price: $1.99 for 6 rolls — Website: Grandys.com

Fast Food Critic Score: A+

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Grandy’s Dinner Rolls. (per serving, 1 roll)

Calories - 89
Calories from Fat - 27
Total Fat - 3 grams
Carbs - 14 grams
Saturated Fat - 0 grams
Trans Fat - N/A
Cholesterol - 8 milligrams
Sodium - 79 milligrams
Protein - 3 grams

I continue my tour of KFC side dishes, moving on to the BBQ Baked Beans. Of all the items I’ve covered so far, these are my least favorite because of inconsistency. On a good day, they are delicious, but those days aren’t nearly frequent enough.

The beans themselves are never the problem. They are always plump and tender, good hearty navy beans. The problem is the sauce and seasoning. One day the beans will be swimming in a thin liquid pool of sauce, without much flavor or kick. The next day it’s a thick and rich mixture with hardly any excess liquid. Back and forth.

On those days when the sauce is thick, it has plenty of brown sugar and barbecue flavor, and the beans really do taste “baked”. On the days where the sauce is thin, it feels and tastes like somebody heated up a can of beans on the stove top.

Why the difference? My understanding is that KFC purchases a high quality canned bean, then each store adds a custom sauce and mixture of spices before cooking. When relying on human beings to recreate an exact recipe at hundreds of restaurant locations, I suppose there’s a decent size margin of error. Times like this remind me how difficult it can be to review food produced on such a large wide scale.

The BBQ Baked Beans at KFC are hit and miss. When they’re done right, they taste wonderful. When they’re thin and soupy, the flavor is weak and the overall experience is bland. I’m not sure why this item is less consistent than other KFC sides.

Price: $1.39 — Website: KFC.com

Fast Food Critic Score: C+

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - KFC, BBQ Baked Beans.

Calories - 220
Calories from Fat - N/A
Total Fat - 1 grams
Carbs - 45 grams
Saturated Fat - 0 grams
Trans Fat - 0 grams
Cholesterol - 0 milligrams
Sodium - 730 milligrams
Protein - 8 grams

There’s not too much to say about simple side dishes — either they’re good or not. Things like mashed potatoes and green beans have only one main ingredient, along with whatever seasoning is added. The quality of that main ingredient is important. As long as you have that, seasoning is then a matter of personal taste.

After much prodding from yours truly, KFC admitted they use canned green beans, and their mashed potatoes are made from the ‘instant’ type. These are not the type of facts that companies are eager to share, but I was not trying to start trouble, I was just doing research. That being said, there is nothing inherently wrong with frozen, canned, dehydrated or freeze dried products in my opinion. Everybody in the industry uses them in some form or another. No, of course it’s not as good as farmers delivering fresh vegetables to the stores each day, but packaging and delivery methods have advanced over the years, and we’ve got better choices than ever before.

Like anything else, there is difference in Quality among these type of products, and I’ve found the foods that KFC uses to be on the higher side of the quality scale. The green beans, and to a slightly lesser extent, these mashed potatoes, or “whipped” as they are called, are good examples. They are light and airy, with a good solid potato flavor, a smooth texture and a small buttery kick. As with the other sides on their menu, KFC adds their own special seasoning to improve the taste. The potatoes are whipped fresh in the store several times a day, using instant potato flakes. That might seem like an oxymoron, “fresh” and “instant” used together. The point is huge batches of potatoes are not sitting around; fresh batches are made throughout the day.

They are topped with a thick brown gravy. I say thick, but depending on the store, and who’s working, the gravy does tend to vary. When it’s right, it’s good gravy. It doesn’t have a particularly strong flavor, but it does add a little something extra. A faint, light, not quite, but almost smokey beef presence. But despite the dark color, there are no beef products involved. There are two recipes for the gravy, depending on what part of the country you live. Wheat flour, corn/food starch, soybean oil and spices top the list, with the alternate recipe adding chicken fat and dehydrated cooked chicken.

Together they make a great dipping source for KFC’s buttermilk biscuits. I must admit, I’ve been a fan of the starchy combination of biscuits and bread dipped into potatoes and gravy since I was a kid, so your satisfaction and enjoyment may differ.

The Whipped Potatoes from KFC are good, and definitely a worthy side to go with your next chicken dinner, but they fall a bit short of the biscuits and green beans. I want to mention the side dishes at KFC have been very enjoyable overall, and a person could easily make a meal out of them alone, without even having any chicken.

Price: $1.39 — Website: KFC.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B-

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - KFC, Whipped Potatoes with Gravy.

Calories - 140
Calories from Fat - N/A
Total Fat - 5 grams
Carbs - 20 grams
Saturated Fat - 1 grams
Trans Fat - 0.5 grams
Cholesterol - 0 milligrams
Sodium - 560 milligrams

Let’s get right to this — The buttermilk biscuits at KFC are excellent assuming they haven’t been sitting around too long. KFC bakes them fresh at each store. Contrary to some posts I’ve seen on the web, the popularity of these biscuits has NOT caused KFC to start shipping frozen, fully cooked biscuits, to be microwaved or reheated. It’s true the dough itself is frozen after being mixed, then shipped to the stores, but the biscuits are still baked fresh, from that dough, in each store, in a real oven.

Light and fluffy, yet they still have a certain heft to them, so in addition to great gravy dunking, they also have the strength to scoop out a nice amount of mashed potatoes to come along for the ride. They crumble and break apart just like a home-made biscuit. There is a thin, slightly-hard outer layer, which leads to warm and fluffy inner layers, and a moist inside. They have a nice, ‘lite’ buttery taste, that’s good enough to eat on it’s own, but truly shines when dipped in KFC’s brown gravy.

Each store bakes the biscuits several times throughout the day, as needed. When you get them fresh and hot, they are delicious, and they dip, dunk and crumble almost perfectly. There are times when I’ve received stale, cold biscuits, and that’s the one caveat. When you have 1000’s of locations, with 1000’s of employees each doing things a little different, it’s impossible to have fresh hot biscuits at all hours of the day and night. But overall they do a good job, and I would say 80% of the time I’m quite satisfied, and I get them every-time I visit a KFC location.

I’ve always liked the Buttermilk Biscuits from KFC, and that hasn’t changed after many years. They are a must-have item if you are eating there. Whether you are having a plated meal or a bucket of chicken, it wouldn’t be complete without them. The 3.5 grams of Trans Fat is a bit of a worrisome issue, but hopefully they will find a way to bring that down, or eliminate it altogether. To their credit, many of KFC’s items are now much lower in trans-fat, and they are moving in the right direction.

Price: $0.69 each / 4 for $2.19 — Website: KFC.com

Fast Food Critic Score: A

Click here for rating system details.

Nutrition Facts - Buttermilk Biscuit from KFC. 1 biscuit serving.

Calories - 220
Calories from Fat - N/A
Total Fat - 11 grams
Carbs - 24 grams
Saturated Fat - 2.5 grams
Trans Fat - 3.5 grams
Cholesterol - 0 milligrams
Sodium - 640 milligrams