McDonald's Frank's RedHot Hot Honey Sauce short review

McDonald's Frank's RedHot Hot Honey Sauce

McDonald's has been hard-selling this new sauce — Frank’s RedHot Hot Honey Sauce. It’s everywhere: breakfast sandwiches, burgers, and even offered as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets.

It’s exactly what it sounds like — a hot honey sauce. It adds sweetness to hot sauce or adds spiciness to honey (both work 😛). I actually ordered it without realizing it was a hot sauce at all. I just saw it splashed all over the promotional banners and the McDonald’s app… so of course I had to try it.

It was good — but not as good as I thought it would be. I still prefer my usual favourite, the Spicy Habanero Sauce, especially for chicken nuggets.

That said, since I’m reviewing McDonald’s new Frank’s RedHot Hot Honey Sauce, here are my thoughts:

• I really like the balance between the RedHot heat and the honey sweetness

• It has a cayenne pepper base, which gives it that distinctively spicy, slightly sweet flavour with earthy undertones — spicy, but not aggressive

• It works well as a sweet-and-spicy sauce without overwhelming your taste buds or burning your mouth

• The sweetness makes it addictive, while the spice adds a gentle kick

• McDonald’s was right to put it on everything — it works well with nuggets and even surprisingly well with fries

One of the biggest strengths of this sauce is how versatile it is. Its flavour profile isn’t tied to any specific cuisine or regional taste, which means it can be added to pretty much anything without clashing. Sweet, spicy, familiar, and easy to like.

Conclusion:
While it didn’t dethrone my personal favourite nugget sauce, I can absolutely see why McDonald’s is pushing this so hard. Frank’s RedHot Hot Honey Sauce is balanced, approachable, and crowd-pleasing — sweet enough to draw you in, spicy enough to keep things interesting. It may not be my go-to, but it’s a solid, well-thought-out addition that works across the menu. Definitely worth trying at least once.

Score: 8.5/10
Website: https://www.mcdonalds.com/ca/en-ca/newsroom/article/We-Put-It-On-Everything--McDonald-s-Canada-Turns-Up-the-Heat-with-Frank-s-RedHot--.html

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

McD's Bacon 'N Crispy Onion Quarter Pounder review

Yes! I have finally gotten my hands on this! (I'm not sure why is this image is so small 😟 ) This burger has been heavily advertised across all billboards and on TV in Canada and I am so glad I was finally able to get my hands on it!

McD's Bacon 'N Crispy Onion Quarter Pounder bun

Quarter pounders have always been my favourite go-to item at McDonald's and this is an enhanced version. Aside from being a quarter pounder, this is topped with crispy onions, hickory-smoked bacon strips, and a creamy grilled onion sauce. Other fillings are: two slices of processed cheddar cheese, ketchup, mustard and pickles. For this burger, they have chosen to sandwich the filling between a toasted sesame seed bun. 

McD's Bacon 'N Crispy Onion Quarter Pounder box

I love the box design too... it is different from the Quarter Pounder box (which is mainly red and yellow)

impressions:

• love the grilled onion sauce, it has a very strong grilled taste
• more substantial than a regular quarter pounder (with added bacon and grilled onion sauce)
• the combination of flavours work very well together
• I appreciated the additional slice of cheese
• crispy onions have already lost their crispyness but contributed to the overall taste of the burger

McD's Bacon 'N Crispy Onion Quarter Pounder

This is after my first bite... it was so good :P unlike most of their quarter pounders which slightly lack sauce, this one was filled with the right amount of sauce because of the extra grilled onion sauce. I really liked this grilled onion sauce because it had a very strong grilled taste to it. 

good ratio for every ingredient

the insides of the burger. You can see most of the ingredients in this shot.

grilled onion sauce had a tendency of falling out like this

I really like this burger! I hope it becomes a permanent menu item. I really REALLY liked the grilled onion sauce and hope to see it in more of their products (as a dip, a sauce... etc). I really 

I felt the crispy onion didn't do much for the burger other than adding an additional because, by the time I was able to eat it, they have already lost their crispiness.

score: 9.1/10
website: https://www.mcdonalds.com/ca/en-ca/product/bacon-crispy-onion-quarter-pounder.html

McCafe's Peppermint Mocha short review

McDonald's Peppermint Mocha in their holiday cup

I'm so sorry it took this long to write about this Peppermint Mocha... I was planning to and then I got distracted by the holiday season (with Black Friday, Cyber Monday sales, and such 😞) That being said, as I'm writing, I checked McD's website, and thank goodness, it is still available! (apologies in advance for any grammatic, typos, spelling mistakes, I'm rushing through this short review to make sure it is published before this drink disappears from their menu)

McDonald's Peppermint Mocha with peppermint bits

Firstly, for those who don't know what is a mocha, it is a blend of coffee and chocolate. (You will either like it or hate it)... in my case, I prefer hot chocolate to mocha. (but this is irrelevant... haha).

This is McD's description of the drink:

A cozy peppermint mocha made with espresso beans that are sustainably sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms, steamed whole or nonfat milk, peppermint chocolate syrup, and topped with whipped topping and chocolate drizzle. The perfect holiday drink for warming up to chilly weather, with rich chocolatey and refreshing mint flavor.

impressions:

• minty (but not overpowering) 
• mintiness made drink seem sweeter than it really is (a good thing)
• addicting
• good chocolate/coffee ratio (but I still wish it was either or)
  
• didn't contain a lot of sugar yet sweet (pro for most of us)
  
• creamy, the whipped cream was already blended with the drink by the time I got home

I liked this drink! It is my first Peppermint Mocha, but it will certainly not be my last. I loved how the mintiness gave a false sweeter-than-it-really-is taste, and the peppermint really made me enjoy this mocha more than I thought I would. The coolness gave the drink some depth (it was hot) so I could feel the different levels of taste.

score: 8.4/10
website: https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/product/mccaf-peppermint-mocha-small.html

McDonald's Creme Brulee Donut short review

This is a continuation of my McDonald's Donuts Short review. I'm making this review because they have recently launched a new donut!

Creme Brulee Donut

After the first bite, I realized why this is called a Creme Brulee donut. The vanilla glaze is covered with a layer of crunchy, sharp sugar cookie pieces. I was surprised how it wasn't overly sweet, despite the amount of sugar it contained. It adds a very nice texture to the donut. It also acts as the creme brulee sugar glaze.

The filling contains a nice creme brulee cream. It works very well with the glaze on the outside. They compliment each other by making the outside crispy and the inside soft.

This is probably one of my favourite donuts so far. I highly recommend it and I hope it stays for good!

website: https://www.mcdonalds.com/ca/en-ca/product/crme-brle-lil-donut.html

Comparison: Starbucks PSL vs. McDonalds PSL

Starbuck's

Yeah for the season of Pumpkin Spice Latte! This is probably one of the few things I look forward to for Autumn/Fall every year (I dread the cold).

Traditionally, I drank Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte to mark the end of summer, and this year, I learned that McDonald's is offering their version of Pumpkin Spice Latte too! (I'm not sure whether they had offered it before... though).

 To make this comparison fair, I ordered them both as they are (no added sugar, no enhancements)

Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte

Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte

There is no doubt that Starbuck's is a Fall/Autumn staple, so here are some impressions I have drawn up in regards to comparison:

• has a strong bitter coffee aftertaste 
• slightly stronger nutmeg
• slightly thicker
• orange looking drink

I'm surprised these were probably the only differences my mouth felt and tastebuds felt.

McDonald's Pumpkin Spice Latte

McDonald's

Honestly... when I first had my first couple of sips, my brain was confused... they are both very similar in taste with a few exceptions. 

Pumpkin Spice Latte with whipped cream

notable differences:

• slightly sweeter
• no bitter aftertaste
• a bit runnier than Starbuck's
• looks like their other lattes

McDonald's PSL whipped cream mixed

I am quite impressed with McDonald's PSL, despite using more artificial ingredients, it tastes very similar to Starbucks... if you are looking for a substitute for Starbucks, then McDonald's would be a fair choice.

McDonald’s Donuts short review

I started noticing McDonald's has added donuts to their menu... they look tinier than your regular donuts and I found it interesting how they have ventured out into the donut world.

They have 6 donuts, I ordered one of each to see how they taste. My first comment is that I appreciate how little sugar they have added into each one! (It is even less sweet than their muffins).

For this review, I didn't look up which was which and let my tastebuds guess what each one was.

Cinnamon and Cream Donut

This was the first donut I tried and I was impressed, despite its smaller than average donut size, it was very tasty. There is a very light cinnamon taste (but nothing overbearing) which gives you a hint that there is cinnamon but not enough for you to taste the pungent taste. I liked how the cream added some texture and variety to the donut. The cream also had a very mild taste. 

Maple Iced and Caramel Filled Donut

The moment I took a bite out of this donut, my tastebuds immediately identified the maple syrup. The maple icing (yes you read that correctly...) complemented the caramel syrup very nicely. Despite both the maple syrup and caramel being sweet, this donut was also not too sweet.... it was just right. Don't let the filling fool you... it may look like maple syrup, but it is caramel.

Strawberry Jelly Powdered Donut

I was very excited they had a powdered sugar donut. The strawberry jelly is a nice surprise. It relieved me from the dryness of the powdered sugar.

Boston Cream Donut

This Boston Cream donut is a bit different from the other Boston Cream donuts I have had. Like the others, it is filled with Bavarian cream but unlike the others, it has a thicker chocolate icing that doesn't melt and is not sticky. I liked the variation and amount of chocolate they had topped and drizzled on top.

 

Apple Fritter Donut

When I took a bite out of this donut, I knew there was something fruity about it (my first guess was raisins). Despite there being 14% of real apples (according to their website) my tastebuds had a hard time pinpointing the taste as "apple". The cinnamon is also very subtle.

Sprinkle Donut

This donut is probably the most eyecatching of them all! But don't be fooled this is a plain donut with a sprinkle and icing glaze. I was a bit disappointed that this donut did not have any filling inside. I liked how the sweet pink vanilla wasn't very sweet, just sweet enough. 

score: 8/10

website: https://www4.mcdonalds.ca/mccafe_eng/donuts/

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

McDonald' s Japan combos review

my take out McDonald's meal (notice it is all written in English :P)

Sorry for being MIA for the past few weeks... looking for a new place to move to has taken a toll on my health and I ended up getting a Cold... . For those who have noticed, I do update my Facebook quite often (because they require less energy and less time than full reviews like this one...) please follow/like me on Facebook! :)

...

So, I just got back from a lovely experience in none other than, McDonald's! (Talk about trying to run away from America for a while *evil laughter).

While ordering, I noticed something quite different with their side menu choices... 

As you can see from the chart, there are 3 sections: 1. burger 2. Side Menu 3. Drink

You are probably asking me "what's so special?" Well... Take a look at the Side menu options... There are 4: 1. Fries; 2. Salad 3. Corn and 4. Chicken nuggets (5 pieces). YES you didn't read wrong... there is a Chicken Nuggets option with no extra charge!

welcome to my work table :P

Besides the side menu choices, I noticed that Japan McDonald's has healthier drink options, besides your usual softdrinks (coca cola) and your Asian soft drinks (Qoo and Fanta) You can also choose Cold Barley Tea, Lipton Tea and Vegetable juice!!

So there are no excuses when you are eating at McDonald's... you can still eat healthily... just make the right decisions!

chicken nuggets!

Since Chicken nuggets were less popular in Canada, I always opted for beef burgers... so I can't do a comparison between the 2. I'm just so impressed that Japan has Chicken Nuggets as a side order!!! :D

you can choose mustard or bbq sauce for your nuggets

I also noticed that the meat they use in their patties are different. Since beef is slightly more expensive, they usually have chicken or pork patties, and the more popular burger menu items are with teriyaki sauce.

on a side note: most McDonald's in Tokyo open 24 hours! (talk about being convenient :P)

Score: 10/10 (for healthy choices and a variety of menu options!)
Website: http://www.mcdonalds.co.jp/menu/set/index.html

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)