- Photo By Kinisha O'neill MCDONALD'S HAS made an attempt to blur the lines between burger and fries, and Chinese food. And, in my very humble estimation, they have not been successful.
Last Saturday night a friend and I made our way down to McDonald's (31 Constant Spring Road, Kingston) and ordered everything on the Asian-inspired menu. This meant Asian Glazed Chicken and Beef Burger, Spring Rolls, Chicken wings with Oriental Sauce and a sundae with mango fruit topping. Well, we couldn't get the sundae because they didn't have any and another shipment wasn't due to arrive until the following Tuesday. We were also told that the sundae was in such high demand that it is usually finished by the Thursday. (That explanation sounded a bit fishy to us so on Tuesday we called back and, yes, they did have it).
The staff seemed somewhat taken aback by our full Asian-style meals. First they told us they didn't have chicken wings. However, after our dismayed response there were some mumbles here and there, some scurrying about and amazingly chicken wings suddenly made themselves available. Ordering the Spring Rolls was much the same.
We then made our way to a table,
eager to devour the Chinese-style fast food. I must admit I was very hungry because I had decided not to eat too much that day. (They say when you're really hungry food tastes better). Unfortunately, no amount of hunger could have made this meal taste good.
We opened the chicken wings and four Spring Rolls first, in true Chinese dining style -- appetizer and all. Although on the bland side, I felt they weren't bad. They at least reminded me of Chinese food. My companion, on the other hand, hated them. She was disturbed that they were full of string beans and corn, instead of the usual cabbage filling in real Spring Rolls. She put her first one down with a disgusted look on her face.
I chewed away.
Next, we opened the small box of
chicken wings. The first thing I noticed was that these wings didn't look like
those in the ad. Rather, they looked like any regular deep fried chicken wings instead of the saucy wings in the picture.
I wondered if this was proof that I had been tricked earlier at the cashier.
With Oriental Sauce the wings tasted like regular chicken wings and were just
a wee bit on the raw side. I didn't like them, but my partner did. She gladly ate the rest although she admitted they did taste a little underdone.
Our last treats were the burgers. They were quite honestly awful! I was disgusted when I first sank my teeth into the Asian Glazed Chicken sandwich. The chicken was tough, as if it had been sitting around for a good year or two. It was also tasteless -- a slab of chicken without the slightest hint of seasoning. On the second bite I was knocked down flat on my back by the sauce that was supposed to a 'glaze'. There are no words I can find to describe that sauce -- tangy, gross, weird all come to mind, but even those words are unable to sum up my feelings for the thing.
My companion took a first bite of her Asian Glazed Beef burger and wasn't nearly as disturbed. "It's okay," she told me. Another few bites, however, and she had joined me in my distress. She put down her burger and refused to take another bite. I felt courageous enough to try her beef burger and, to my surprise, it wasn't that bad ... until, once again, I ran into that beloved sauce. Let's just say, that was my very last bite.
Thank goodness for the soda.
The theme of this Chinese New Year promotion is "I'm lovin' it". But McDonald's, I'm sorry, as far as your Chinese meals go, we just weren't lovin' it.
