I have always steered away from fast-food fish sandwiches. This is not at all due to an aversion to fish, but rather my intense love of seafood. Why, I thought, suffer through those nasty little frozen fish squares that plague cafeterias and TV dinners everywhere, when tastier options abound for the eater willing to take even the first step off the most beaten of paths? Fried haddock and chips, broiled whole fish (head intact please, those are the best parts), crab-stuffed flounder fillets, sushi and sashimi; all regularly available at numerous locally owned restaurants and diners.
Last week, though, something caught my attention. Wendy's was proudly advertising a panko-breaded cod fillet sandwich. I was surprised, to say the least. For those who may not know, most frozen fish sandwiches are made from pollock, haddock's far less tasty cousin; it's a trash fish. Cod, however, is more highly prized, and pricier. Further I always applaud this kind of transparency in food, especially in a fast-food joint. I decided it was worth a shot.
The Wendy's Premium Cod Fillet
I must say, for a fast-food fish sandwich, the Wendy's cod fillet wasn't half bad. Cod has never been my favorite white fish, tasting just a little too metallic to me. However, its slight sweetness, mild fishiness, and meatier texture make it a huge step up from most fast-food fishy fare. The sandwich was (thankfully) light on the tartar, so as not to walk all over the subtleties of the fish itself. The panko breading was nicely browned and crispy and the bun was lightly toasted and tasty. All in all I was pleasantly surprised.
Having had a fairly good experience at Wendy's I wondered if, perhaps, the other major fast-food places might deserve a chance. This called for a comparison of the "Big Three". Next up was McDonalds.
McDonald's Filet-O-Fish
Now this is the cafeteria-style fish sandwich I had been dreading: pale brown breading encased cheap pollock and formed into an unnaturally square shape. Globs of tartar oozed out. I steeled myself and bit in. I was confused at first; it wasn't good, to be sure, but wasn't as repulsive as I remembered these things to be. Could my taste buds be failing me? I feared I would have nothing to write about until I opened the second sandwich (I had opted for the two fish meal) and noticed the off- center orange cheese sticking out the side of the bun, like a tongue razzing me. The first sandwich had lacked the cheese.
Old food wisdom states that one shouldn't mix cheese and fish; and with the exceptions of the tuna melt and lox with a smear, I agree. Cheese, by definition, is spoiled milk, and lends this spoiled flavor to fish. Without cheese the sandwich was merely bad, with cheese it was disgusting. My hopes dashed, I solemnly headed out to my final stop of the "Big Three".
Burger King's BK Big Fish
Morale low, I unwrapped my Big Fish. It looked much like the McDonald's Filet-O-Fish, but, as the name would suggest, was considerably larger. Hoping this would lend itself to a better texture, I tucked in. Immediately all hopes for a finer texture were discarded; the fish was flaky, and even tough. If it were possible for fish to be gristly that would be the word I would use to describe it. Copious amounts of tartar helped mask the fish's flavor with its own, and made holding the filet between the buns a chore. I choked it down and was glad to be done.
The winner here is obvious, and should be no surprise. If you find yourself at a Wendy's with a craving for fish, give the cod filet a chance. Avoid the others, or at least ask them to omit the cheese, and to cut back on the tartar. Hopefully the other biggies will follow Wendy's lead on this one and offer some better fish options.
Last week, though, something caught my attention. Wendy's was proudly advertising a panko-breaded cod fillet sandwich. I was surprised, to say the least. For those who may not know, most frozen fish sandwiches are made from pollock, haddock's far less tasty cousin; it's a trash fish. Cod, however, is more highly prized, and pricier. Further I always applaud this kind of transparency in food, especially in a fast-food joint. I decided it was worth a shot.
The Wendy's Premium Cod Fillet
I must say, for a fast-food fish sandwich, the Wendy's cod fillet wasn't half bad. Cod has never been my favorite white fish, tasting just a little too metallic to me. However, its slight sweetness, mild fishiness, and meatier texture make it a huge step up from most fast-food fishy fare. The sandwich was (thankfully) light on the tartar, so as not to walk all over the subtleties of the fish itself. The panko breading was nicely browned and crispy and the bun was lightly toasted and tasty. All in all I was pleasantly surprised.
Having had a fairly good experience at Wendy's I wondered if, perhaps, the other major fast-food places might deserve a chance. This called for a comparison of the "Big Three". Next up was McDonalds.
McDonald's Filet-O-Fish
Now this is the cafeteria-style fish sandwich I had been dreading: pale brown breading encased cheap pollock and formed into an unnaturally square shape. Globs of tartar oozed out. I steeled myself and bit in. I was confused at first; it wasn't good, to be sure, but wasn't as repulsive as I remembered these things to be. Could my taste buds be failing me? I feared I would have nothing to write about until I opened the second sandwich (I had opted for the two fish meal) and noticed the off- center orange cheese sticking out the side of the bun, like a tongue razzing me. The first sandwich had lacked the cheese.
Old food wisdom states that one shouldn't mix cheese and fish; and with the exceptions of the tuna melt and lox with a smear, I agree. Cheese, by definition, is spoiled milk, and lends this spoiled flavor to fish. Without cheese the sandwich was merely bad, with cheese it was disgusting. My hopes dashed, I solemnly headed out to my final stop of the "Big Three".
Burger King's BK Big Fish
Morale low, I unwrapped my Big Fish. It looked much like the McDonald's Filet-O-Fish, but, as the name would suggest, was considerably larger. Hoping this would lend itself to a better texture, I tucked in. Immediately all hopes for a finer texture were discarded; the fish was flaky, and even tough. If it were possible for fish to be gristly that would be the word I would use to describe it. Copious amounts of tartar helped mask the fish's flavor with its own, and made holding the filet between the buns a chore. I choked it down and was glad to be done.
The winner here is obvious, and should be no surprise. If you find yourself at a Wendy's with a craving for fish, give the cod filet a chance. Avoid the others, or at least ask them to omit the cheese, and to cut back on the tartar. Hopefully the other biggies will follow Wendy's lead on this one and offer some better fish options.
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