Seafood from a fast food place? Just the thought of it makes some people cringe, and turn up their noses in disgust. After all, the best way to enjoy seafood is when it’s fresh, which is just not possible in this market. But the situation is not completely hopeless, and that’s why Long John Silver’s has survived for almost 40 years.

Today I’m going to talk about the $6.59 Super Sampler Platter. It’s a big meal, and guaranteed to fill you up, even though each item is not really satisfying on it’s own. What’s included in this mini feast? 1 large fish filet, 3 large shrimp, 10-12 smaller sized popcorn shrimp, 1 large chicken plank, 2 hush puppies and a large pile of french fries. And of course, everything is battered or breaded, and deep fried.

The fish is a nice filet of Alaskan Pollack, battered in wheat flour and mild spices. It’s crunchy outside, tender and flaky inside. This is what LJS is best known for, and it’s a good tasting piece of fish considering it’s not a fresh catch. No complaints. [ A ]

The shrimp is a hit and miss situation. The small popcorn shrimp are quite tasty, but the large shrimp leave me totally unsatisfied, and lack any real shrimp flavor. It’s odd, because you’d think it would be the opposite. I’m not sure what’s going on. The coating is different on the two, with the popcorn shrimp getting a more crumbly breading, while the large variety shares the same batter as the fish, but this is not the problem. The large shrimp are simply too bland. Popcorn [ A ] Large [ D ]

The chicken “plank” (as they call it) is a tenderloin with a batter similar to the fish, only lighter and thinner. It’s OK, but doesn’t come close to the natural chicken flavor of the current batch of breast strips from the fast food competition. It’s juicy enough, and a nice big hunk of meat, however the taste is definitely leaning toward the bland side. Granted, it’s a fish / seafood joint doing chicken so that’s not a shocker. [ C ]

The hush puppies are delicious. I could eat an entire box of these wonderful little balls of deep fried corn meal goodness. They’re great on their own, and they’re even better when dipped in ketchup or Long John’s cocktail sauce. Dark golden brown and crispy outside, soft and fluffy inside… this is good stuff. I love them. Period. [ A+ ]

The french fries are crisp and cut thin, with a solid potato flavor, lightly salted and satisfying overall. They’re nothing special, but still above average, better than many burger joints. If McDonald’s fries had a little brother, this would be it. [ B ]

The Super Sampler Platter from Long John Silver’s is a mixed bag indeed. The fish, popcorn shrimp and hush puppies are great. The fries are good. The large shrimp and chicken are disappointing. I suppose it’s too much to ask for one restaurant to do everything, but overall it’s still a good choice for those who enjoy variety.

Price: $6.59 / Website: LongJohnSilvers.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B-

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Nutrition Facts - Long John Silver’s Super Sampler Platter.

Calories - 1850
Calories from Fat - N/A
Total Fat - 102 grams
Carbs - 180 grams
Saturated Fat - 25 grams
Trans Fat - 29 grams
Cholesterol - 310 milligrams
Sodium - 4470 milligrams
Protein - 58 grams

Editor’s Note: Wow, these are some monster numbers! The highest of any review I’ve done yet. Keep in mind, it’s a very big meal, and everything is deep fried. Those who are watching their weight should stay away. For that matter, the high trans-fat content is concerning in this day and age. Eat at your own risk.

Whataburger makes excellent burgers and chicken strips. They also have french fries that are capable of going head to head with the legendary fries from McDonalds, and solid onion rings. In my opinion, they’re one of the best all-around fast food chains in the country, so it shouldn’t be surprising they also make a good fish sandwich.

The “Whatacatch” is an Alaskan Pollack filet served inside a plain white toasted bun, with a bit of shredded lettuce and tartar sauce. The fish filet is not very thick but extra long, sticking out both sides of the bun. You’ll get a bite of pure fish on either end before meeting the bread. The coating is thin, but still manages to provide a decent crunch, and the tasty cornmeal base is a very nice accent to the flavor of the fish.

The fish tastes very good. It’s light and flaky, with a hint of lemon. No ‘fishy’ aftertaste, and very comparable to the sandwich from Jack in the Box reviewed not too long ago. Unlike Jack’s similar item which goes heavy on the lettuce (using whole leaves), the Whatacatch goes extremely light on the green veggie, using only a few tiny shredded pieces. Finally, a spoonful of rich and creamy tartar sauce to top things off.

It’s rather odd looking, having the filet so mismatched in size to the bun. Despite the length, there’s a section of empty bread that’s left at the end with nothing in between, because the fish is not wide enough to fill it up. On one hand, it’s too long. On the other, it’s not wide enough. The result is that a couple bites are all fish, and a couple are mostly bun. It would be better if they cut the filets in a different shape, so everything fit together properly, getting equal parts fish, bread and toppings with each bite.

However, I believe there’s a logical reason for it. They have a fish “combo” meal, that includes two of the same filets and french fries. The fish looks more natural in this shape when it’s served naked without a bun. So I think it’s just a matter of not wanting to make two different products. The fish was meant to be presented and eaten on it’s own, but they can toss a single piece between a bun and call it a sandwich.

The Whatacatch from Whataburger is tasty and satisfying. Fish lovers will not be disappointed. Those people who swear by ‘fresh’ fish probably won’t be impressed, and it’s unlikely to cause anyone who already has a favorite fish sandwich to make a switch. But it’s still above average for fast food, and it’s made from quality ingredients. I’d like to see more lettuce, and wish the fish filet better matched the bun, however these complaints are not enough to keep it from earning a good review score.

Price: $2.69 / Website: Whataburger.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B

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Nutrition Facts - Whataburger, Whatacatch Fish Sandwich.

Calories - 460
Calories from Fat - 250
Total Fat - 29 grams
Carbs - 38 grams
Saturated Fat - 5 grams
Trans Fat - 1 grams
Cholesterol - 41 milligrams
Sodium - 878 milligrams
Protein - 15 grams

Preparing good fish can be a tricky thing even when fresh. When dealing with the frozen and fast food variety, it becomes even more of a challenge. Despite being the underdog in a world full of burgers, chicken and tacos, the fish sandwich continues to survive on many fast food menus. One of the places offering a simple entry into the category is Jack In The Box, with their appropriately named “Fish Sandwich”.

Instead of a single large fish filet, there are two smaller triangle shaped pieces. These fish-twins are topped with a large whole-leaf of lettuce, packed inside a sesame seed bun. That’s it, fish, lettuce and bun. Tartar sauce comes in a packet on the side.

The pieces of fish are battered and very crunchy on the outside. They remained that way from the first bite until the end of the sandwich. That’s one of their main strengths. Their main weakness is size. They are not very big, and not very thick. There’s just not much fish inside. However, it does have a pleasant flavor, it’s flakey with a natural texture and consistency. There’s not much of it — but the fish is good.

The lettuce was fresh and crisp, but it almost drowned the fish with it’s size. I like fresh lettuce on almost any type of sandwich, so I can’t complain too much for getting such a large piece. I just wish the fish was of the same proportions. The crunchy batter and crispy lettuce combined for satisfying loud bites from beginning to end.

It’s a really simple sandwich, but it’s got a solid foundation. The one thing that keeps popping into my head — I wish it had more fish. Then again, it only costs $2.39 and my wishes would likely push the sandwich into the $3 to $4 range. Jack In The Box is trying to satisfy a basic need with this offering. Perhaps a larger or ‘deluxe’ version might become available if the demand is there in the future. I certainly hope so.

The Fish Sandwich from Jack In The Box is crispy, tasty and inexpensive, but it won’t satisfy a big appetite. The price is cheap enough to justify purchasing 2 of them for some hungry eaters. On the other hand, it still costs too much for multiple buys from the dollar-menu crowd. I do like this sandwich, but it would be easier to recommend as a bargain if the price was under $2, or a bigger-better sandwich with more fish.

Price: $2.39 / Website: JackInTheBox.com

Fast Food Critic Score: B-

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Nutrition Facts - Jack In The Box has not published the nutrition information for this product. Fast Food Critic makes a point of posting nutrition data with every food review, and will update once they make the information available.