Japan McDonald's Lemon Ginger Coca Cola

I'm not sure why this is sitting in my drafts folder!! I wrote this back on July 3rd, 2018, keep in mind, that this is a late post! (late by four years)

While waiting in line, I saw this poster and decided to try it. According to their website it is the first Coca Cola drink in Japan to add in a Lemon Ginger taste. 裏・コーク is its name in Japanese (I couldn't find the translation for it).

lifted up to see the layers

I had to lift it up near the light for the camera to catch the thin yellow layer at the bottom. But in real life, it is quite prominent.

the camera couldn't catch the layers on the table

impressions:

• very sweet lemon flavour... but no ginger taste
• the lemony syrup didn't make the drink sweeter than it normally is
• I really like the added lemon taste <3
• I ordered this a few times, and once I forgot to stir in the syrup and drank... the syrup was VERY  VERY SWEEEEEEEEEEET

a shot of the layer, which is a shot of the lemon ginger syrup

I highly recommend this drink and I hope it comes back to Japan... and other McDonald's around the world.

score: 9.8/10 (0.2 deducted for not having a ginger taste when it claims it does)

website: http://www.mcdonalds.co.jp/quality/basic_information/menu_info.php?mid=6450

Japan McDonald's Hot Apple Custard Pie review

Japan McDonald's has recently been aggressively promoting their new Hot Apple Custard Pie, as a McDonald's fan, I had to try it. The packaging is simple: I love the red apple against the yellow background.  I am, however, a bit disappointed with how they got rid of their usual packaging of allowing us to tear a piece of the packaging so the packaging becomes a wrapper.

impressions:

• dry (both the custard AND apple pieces)
• crust was good
• custard and apple pieces are separated
• it costs ¥120 (¥20 more than the regular Apple Pie)
• I prefer the regular Apple Pie

While it is certainly attractive, I was quite disappointed. Unlike their regular apple pies, this one was really dry. I couldn't understand why they would call this an Apple Custard Pie when the apple pieces and custard were separated and weren't influencing each other or working together to make the apple pie taste any better.

score: 6.5/10

website: http://www.mcdonalds.co.jp/quality/basic_information/menu_info.php?mid=2560

Japan McDonald's Spicy Chicken McNuggets review

Something caught my eye while I was looking through the menu board at McDonald's... Spicy Chicken McNuggets!!!

tada!!

impressions:

• the original Chicken McNuggets taste is there
• has a light chilli sauce taste
• the heat builds up (but very slowly)
• perfect to be paired with coca cola

There were two new types of dipping sauces to choose from (aside from the usual Mustard and Barbeque sauce), Sour Cream and Onion and a spicy sauce. After some contemplating, I chose the Sour Cream and Onion as I felt I couldn't take Spicy Sauce on top of Spicy McNuggets.

The sauce and the Chicken McNugget turned out to be a perfect pair and I loved the combination!

Overall, I was very satisfied with the spicy version of one of my favourite sides, Chicken McNuggets, and was glad the spicy version made it taste much better! Be aware that the spiciness does build up though.

score: 9.5/10 (that is high!)

website: http://www.mcdonalds.co.jp/quality/basic_information/menu_info.php?mid=6470

McDonald's たまごダブルマック burger review

hey, my sweet cherries,

I will be reviewing McDonald's limited time burger. (I was told it is also currently available at McDonald's in Toronto, though I couldn't find it on the Canadian website.). In Japanese, it is called たまごダブルマック, which literally translates to Egg Double Mac.

wrapping paper

what it is:

bacon, egg, and two beef patties with a special black pepper sauce

the layers :)

my thoughts:

• very tasty! 
• all my favourite burger components in one (I wish there was cheese though... but I didn't miss it as much as I thought since the sauce was really flavourful).
• loved the special black pepper sauce!!!
• the black pepper sauce was not only there for the heat, I can't pinpoint what they used to make it taste so good, it was savoury and added such a nice creamy touch to the burger :) 
• the bacon's smokey taste really wrapped the burger nicely

not an appealing picture

my take on what the sauce contains:

mayonnaise, salt, black pepper, sandwich spread... some secret ingredient... (my taste buds are confused XD)

the marriage between the smokey bacon and sauce is impeccable. A perfect match, in the beginning, I thought the smokiness was coming from the sauce, then I realized it was actually the bacon!

I love it! And that means a lot since I have been on a burger craze lately. If it is available in your area, I highly recommend you to try it! (I still can't stop thinking about the sauce :D)

score: 9/10
website: http://www.mcdonalds.co.jp/quality/basic_information/menu_info.php?mid=6700

also... if you are interested, please check out my personal blog and follow me around Tokyo :)

Japan McDonald's マクドナルド BBQ Pork burger (バーベキューポークバーガー) review

Japanese name: バーベキューポークバーガー

English Translation: BBQ Pork Burger

For those who have been in Japan would know just how expensive beef is. Japan's McDonalds has come up with BBQ pork to minimize the use of beef. Their solution was Pork. BBQ Pork.

close up of burger

what's inside the burger (based on my tastebuds)

• lettuce
• ketchup
• pickle slices
• slice of melted cheese
• pork sausage patty (the one they put in their breakfast sandwiches!!!!)

I am quite impressed... when I ate this burger I didn't miss beef.  I really liked that they chose the breakfast sandwich pork sausage patty making it extremely flavourful. The combination was quite good.

I haven't seen this burger outside of Japan yet... so it might be a regional Japanese limited edition... if you get the chance, I would recommend you try this out :).

Score: 8.5/10
Website: http://www.mcdonalds.co.jp/quality/basic_information/menu_info.php?mid=7080

McDonald's マクドナルド - LOCO MOCO (ロコモコバーガー) burger review

Loco Moco burger (ロコモコバーガー)... is heavily advertised everywhere! If you are in Tokyo, it is hard not to see it. It is no hidden fact that the Japanese are obsessed with anything Hawaiian, so it makes sense that McDonald's would create a Loco Moco Burger (ロコモコバーガー) in Japan!

meal combo

Of course, as a blogger, why would I miss the chance to try this limited edition burger? The first things which attracted me to the burger was 1. the poster (who can resist the Hawaiian beaches?) 2. 2 burger patties, 1 slice of cheese and an egg... enough said... take my money! (:P)

this is one messy burger x.x

After doing some quick research (e.g. Google) I discovered that Loco Moco is a traditional Hawaiian dish which consists of white rice, topped with a hamburger patty, a fried egg, and brown gravy. (source: wikipedia). That explains the egg and the brown gravy contained in this hamburger.

impressions:

• very filling
• sauce had a spicy element (but it wasn't spicy...)
• gravy was not flavourful enough (a bit bland)
• the gravy and the mayonnaise complimented each other very well
• the burger was well stacked (everything was put together in a perfect ratio and amount)
• the slice of cheese did not play a big role
• quite messy... the sauce kept dripping

If you are planning to try this burger, prepare to get your hands messy... the gravy is very runny making it challenging to eat this burger without getting your hands and clothes dirty. I really liked this burger... but I think it needs a slight improvement: I wish the sauce was more spicy and flavourful and that the cheese had a stronger presence. Other than that... I really liked this burger!

score: 8/10

website: http://www.mcdonalds.co.jp/quality/basic_information/menu_info.php?mid=7000

Japan McDonald' s (エッグチーズバーガー) Egg Cheese Burger review

Egg Burger and Iced Lemon Tea

For those living in Japan, like me, you will notice how heavily advertised this ¥200 エッグチーズバーガー(Egg Cheese Burger) was being promoted. I see its ads on subways, subway station, TV CMs, etc. I gave into the advertisement and decided to try it. At first, because of my poor Japanese skills, I thought it was just an ordinary Egg Cheese Sausage McMuffin in burger form... oh how wrong I was.  Instead, it is simply a hamburger (including the ketchup and pickles) with a melted slice of cheese and egg.

Egg Cheese Burger

impressions:

• this is hot! (temperature-wise)
• lots of ketchup... too much ketchup
• none other than a hamburger
• cheese taste is hardly noticeable
• egg is "too" well cooked

close up

Like most Japanese places... no... like ALL food places in Tokyo, the burger was served HOT... I nearly burned my fingers when I first picked it up. I need to start getting use to food being served here.

That aside. I honestly didn't find anything very special with this Egg Cheese Burger. I could hardly taste the Cheese. Egg didn't enhance the taste of this burger (besides added nutrition value). It was a well made burger, but I don't see (besides the added nutrition value) why I would need to spend an extra ¥100 to add an egg into the burger.

Suggestion! If their egg portion was less "well cooked"and a bit runny, the taste might be a lot better. Or maybe they can replace the ketchup with an egg mayonnaise, it would make more sense to be added. (just adding my two cents!)

Score: 8.5/10
Website: http://www.mcdonalds.co.jp/campaign/otegoro/index.html (Japanese)