McDonald's Filet-O-Fish

[Bill Klapp]

Big smile on my face, Holly! As a 14-year-old kid with a work permit, I used to mix the relish and the mayo together and chop the onions. (The relish went on to perhaps even greater fame in the Big Mac "special sauce", but in my humble opinion, it never hit the high notes of the sauce of the Shoney's/Fritsch's Big Boy, from which the Big Mac was cloned.) I can also remember the cement-mixer style drums lined with an abrasive interior surface that was used to peel fresh potatoes for the FRESH fries. And before the Filet-O-Fish arrived, I can remember those15-cent burgers and dime fries, and outfits like Gino's (founded by the famous Baltimore Colt Gino Marchetti) and Burger Chef trying to keep pace. (Burger King being a burger-come-lately by comparison.) Ah, the golden age of Mickey D's!

[Holly Moore]

More than anything from the Kroc era McDonald's I miss the grillman. The great ones, spatula in each hand, could handle four or five runs of 12 burgers at a time. A lbeauty to behold and a lost art.

Wishing the ghost of McDonald's past would return, whip some corporate ass and bring back Kroc's emphasis on freshness.

[Bill Klapp]

I have one of these about once a year or so. I have to scrape off a lot of the tartar sauce, though....the proportion of sauce to sandwich is way too high, methinks. To me they're kind of comfort foodish in terms of fast food; always fresh and hot, non-threatening and yummy.

In related news; I had one of the new Wendy's "premium" fish sandwiches the other day, and I did not like it at all. Far too crunchy, with a strong chemical-ish taste to the breading, (the fish itself had no flavor whatsoever), and the bun and cheese were stone cold.

Thanks for the insider McDonalds info.....I find it fascinating.

Arby's does a better job, but its offering of fish sandwiches is sporadic. Virtually none of these guys can afford to use cod anymore. A red snapper sandwich would probably be cheaper!

[Bill Klapp]

I'm not a fan of tartar sauce. Should I order one sans sauce to try it out? If I could get cocktail sauce on it instead, I would be all set.

I go back and forth between tartar sauce/cheese and ketchup/lettuce/no cheese. I prefer the latter, but like many above, sometimes you get a jones for the messy tartar sauce and you have to do it!

[Bill Klapp]

Did my research. Headed to my nearest McDonald's and ordered up a Filet-O-Fish.

Watched it come together. First came the bun. Hard to tell whether it was steamed to order or was pulled out of a holding area. I think it was being held, but not certain. The bun went into the box. One step to the left. Next one squirt from the caulking gun filled with tartar sauce. This went on the crown (top) section of the bun.

One more step to the left. Then the cheese. Half a slice. That went on the heel (bottom) section of the bun. One final step to the left. The a fried fish filet out of the holding cabinet. Also goes on the heel.

Then the box is closed and latched. Then it is tossed (two bounces) into the pick-up bin.

Opening the box. The crown of the bun is mildly wrinkled - that come from steaming.

Inside - the filet is lopsided on the heel of the bun.

Otherwise looked as I remembered it.

Taste test - bun nicely steamed. Tartar sauce had more of a mayonnaise taste than anything else, definitely lacking the fresh onion flavor of the 1968 Filet-O-Fish. The coating of the fish filet was soft, not crisp. Probably because it had been sitting in the holding cabinet for a while.

Overall impression, edible but disappointing. And expensive. $2.89 including tax. I could have gotten two D&W hot dogs and a soft pretzel for that from the guy on the corner.

I might ask for a special order with ONIONS! But will I get the reconstituted dehydrated onions that go on the cheaper burgers, or fresh onions that go on the premium burgers?

[huiray]

I'm not a fan of tartar sauce. Should I order one sans sauce to try it out? If I could get cocktail sauce on it instead, I would be all set.

I go back and forth between tartar sauce/cheese and ketchup/lettuce/no cheese. I prefer the latter, but like many above, sometimes you get a jones for the messy tartar sauce and you have to do it!

Heh.

But it's not a F-o-F without the tartar sauce!

"Fish Sandwich" with K/L/NC - that's a different creature. The (Lenten) Wendy's Fish Sandwich is this combo, IIRC from last year, but w/ K on the side? - although you can ask for cheese at extra cost. Actually, I remember that was what I did when I was doing a one-on-one/side-by-side comparison last year.

Edited December 17, 2012 by huiray (log)

[Bill Klapp]

I agree not a F-o-F. Just tryin' to help a brother out!

[huiray]

It seems the F-o-F is presumably going to be touted as "sustainable" fish.

http://www.chicagotr...0,2908600.story

[crinoidgirl]

Anybody have an opinion on the Fish McBites?

Edited February 22, 2013 by crinoidgirl (log)

[Todd in Chicago]

Anybody have an opinion on the Fish McBites?

Ok...guilty pleasure, but I'm not alone here, love the FOF, and the DFOF, but I was not too keen on the fish bites that I tried. I only got them once, and wouldn't get them again. Couldn't really put my finger on it, but think I just like the texture of the FOF with the soft bun and the cheese so much better.

Also, as far as the "crooked" fish on the bun, I swear, I receive mine like that all the time! I wonder it they actually are instructed to make it that way! Any Mickey D insiders here that can share the secret? ;-)

Cheers...

Todd in Chicago

[Keith Orr]

It's Lent and many of the fast food chains have specials on fish sandwiches. In Portland Oregon the four chains that have fish sandwiches that I've tried are McD's, Arby's, Jack in the Box and Burger King. Arby's has them at 2 for $5. I haven't been by a Jack in the Box this year, but in past years they've been 2 for $4.

Burger King is my current favorite. One of the things they do is include pickles on the sandwich which seems to amp up the tartar sauce.

Edited to add pricing.

Edited February 25, 2013 by Keith Orr (log)

[annabelle]

Those Fish McBites aren't bad, but they really are over-powered by an onion flavor, and that is without the tartar sauce.

Filet-o-Fish is my favorite McD's sandwich although I haven't eaten one in a decade or more. I used to eat them a couple of times a week when I was in high school, back in the Stone Age.

[Toliver]

I thought the Fish McBites were just okay. Visually, they look like smooth tater tots. There's something a little "off" in the flavor for me so it's not likely I will be ordering them again.

[annabelle]

My son brought them home one day after wrestling practice and I tried one. I wouldn't go out of my way to get them, that's for sure. He also said once was enough for him, as well.

[huiray]

(snip)

Burger King is my current favorite. One of the things they do is include pickles on the sandwich which seems to amp up the tartar sauce.

(snip)

I'm pretty sure the quality varies across the various regions, notwithstanding the supposed "uniformity of standards" in a chain. In my area I just had a BK Fish Sandwich (with their bacon potato fritters) a couple of days ago. The fish sandwich was entirely forgettable, borderline bad. The potato fritters were edible but, really, quite non-descript.

ETA: The Filet-O-Fish still rules.

Edited April 14, 2013 by huiray (log)

[Bill Klapp]

The Fish McBites are DREADFUL! More bread than fish, with some strange chemical tastes. Rather like fish-flavored Stove Top Stuffing...