Carl's Jr. Portobello Mushroom Burger is Back

Carl's Jr. announced today that it's bringing back the Portobello Mushroom Six Dollar Burger, permanently starting right now.

The fan-favorite burger was originally introduced in 2005 for a limited time, and then again in 2007.

The burger is just a standard Six Dollar Burger, but with slices of portobello mushroom sauteed in garlic-butter sauce, along with swiss cheese.

During its initial appearance on the Carl's Jr. menu in 2005, The Portobello Mushroom Six Dollar Burger won the product award for excellence from Produce Business Magazine, and was among a handful of menu items profiled by USA Today for a trend story on fast-food going gourmet.

Carl's Jr. is also offering a coupon for a free Portobello Mushroom Six Dollar Burger with the purchase of a $20 Carl's Jr. gift card. Gift cards can be purchased in restaurants or online at http://www.carlsjr.com/giftcards/.

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Carl's Jr Kentucky Bourbon Burger - Review

Last March, the Carl's Jr chain of fast food joints introduced their newest burger, the Kentucky Bourbon Burger.

They had sent me a coupon for a free burger, and today I finally got around to having one for lunch.

The inspiration for this burger starts with the fact that burger joints today are in a rat race over finding new and usual burger recipes to attract impulse junk foodies like me. But this particular idea for a Kentucky Bourbon comes from all the bourbon and whiskey infused BBQ sauces that many steak houses and rib joints utilize.

The burger itself doesn't have any alcohol in it, the company notes that it's "0 proof". Rather, it's just the unique sauce that makes this burger. Aside from that, it comes with crispy, seasoned onion straws, a slice of pepperjack cheese, and bacon.

The burger comes in three sizes, single ($2.99), double ($3.99), and Six Dollar Burger ($4.89).

Taste

I got the Six Dollar Burger variety.

To sum it up, the sauce is very tasty. It's very sweet, but tangy, and spicy. It does indeed have that "bourbon" flavor, with a caramel character, and that spicy bite that create a light burn on the tongue. But mostly, it's a very sweet sauce.

Unfortunately, the Carl's Jr location (Menifee, CA, Newport Rd) that built my burger forgot to add the crispy onion straws. I think that would have really made the burger better.


Otherwise, I thought it made a for a tasty burger. I would have been happier with more sauce however. Since that's really what makes this burger, they need to put more, enough so that it runs all down my hands and arms.

I'm probably a littled miffed I didn't get the crispy onion straws, but then again I got this burger for free. The coupon said that I would still have to pay sales tax, but the girl working the drive-thru didn't ask me for it.

I suppose a rash of mediocre help at fast food joints is what prevents companies like Carl's Jr from gaining more traction with the general populace. They come up with great burger ideas, but have to rely on apathetic teens to put it together.

By the way, I didn't have a bottle of Kentucky Bourbon to go with the burger, but I did have a bottle of Tennessee Whiskey.

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Deep Fried Ground Bacon Patties

Get your defibrillators charged for this one, cause this burger isn't made with beef, but 100% bacon. They grind up the bacon, and form it into a patty.


Then they make a pocket into the patty, into which they stick some mozzarella cheese balls. Finally, coats the patty with a beer-batter, and dips it into a deep fryer.

Add some deep fried jalapenos, and a bottle of Shiner Bock, and now you're "makin' bacon".

Check out the photo-instructions...
http://www.peppersandsmoke.com/bbq/deepfried/

Via TehBlogs.com

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Wendy's New Stack Attack

Wendy's today announced the launch of their newest hamburger, the "Stack Attack", which puts an aggressive name on what's otherwise a diminuitive burger.

It's basically a double cheeseburger, with no added rabbit food, which could be a good thing for some people.

It's primary purpose for existence is its low price point, at just 99 cents, putting it squarely within Wendy's "Super Value Meal", for those consumers that want the same artergy-clogging performance as a full-blown Wendy's Hot-n-Juicy, but are trying to curb their appetite.

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The Whopper Gets Waxed

Burger King's famous offering, The Whopper, is 50 years old this year (as of March 4, 1957).

And if you thought it tasted kinda stale the last time you bit into one, now you know why.

But to celebrate a piece of American fast-food folklore, The Whopper was immotalized in wax at Madame Tussauds wax attraction in New York City's Times Square. Also getting waxed is the "King" character of famous chain.

The Whopper becomes the first food product to have its likeness honored by Madame Tussauds.

Source: Burger King

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Eat'n Park - Black Angus Superburger

Eat'n Park Restaurants today announced their newest burger, the Black Angus Superburger. The burger actually appeared on menus earlier this month.

It's comparable to their basic Cheeseburger, except this one has two 6oz black angus patties, instead of one.

It's also listed at 800 calories, which is "good", as most burgers of this size, with cheese, range between 800-1200 calories.

Eat'n Park is a family-style restaurant, with 77 locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.

Visit Eat'n Park online at...
http://www.eatnpark.com.

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Guacamole Pepperoncini Burger Patties

Today I discovered a new way to kill off some old food laying around in the refrigerator. And it tastes pretty damn good too. Guacamole Pepperoncini Burger Patties (Guacacini Patties)...



The story goes...

This afternoon I wandered down to the kitchen to find something to eat. I opened up the freezer and noticed this package of hamburger patties that we had for about a year. So, I decided to grill them all up on my BBQ (eight of them). I found a package of guacamole that my wife bought a couple weeks ago, and a jar of pepperoncinis that we've also had for about a year.

After grilling the patties, I cut one of them up into bite-sized pieces. Then I slathered on some guacamole. Then I pulled out a pepperoncini and laid it on top. I forked the thing into my mouth and knocked myself out. This is freakin' good!

First, I love hamburger meat. Two, the guacamole adds a layer of smoothness to the meat. The pepperoncini adds the bit of spicyness. I'd recommend using the smaller, softer ones.

In the end I ate three patties this way, and killed off about 12 pepperoncinis. I didn't use any buns. Now, I would not normally eat that many pepperoncinis because such a volume can have nasty after effects. But in this fashion, it couldn't keep my hands off of them. It's about five hours post-consumption, and my belly is still feeling the burn. My wife killed off a few patties, and I gave the other two to the dogs.

So there you go my fellow junk food junkies, a way to kill off some freezer-burnt patties, and eat like a gourmet.

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Wendy's Philly Style Hoagie Burger

The Wendy's chain of burger joints announced today the winner of its "Build Wendy’s New Burger" contest. And the winner is the Philly Style Hoagie Burger created by Ian Van Camp, a screenwriter from Moorpark, California.

The burger is essentially a double-patty burger with American cheese, but adds together sliced ham, Genoa salami, and creamy italian dressing.

Van Camp says he was inspired by his high school years in Philadelphia and a salami burger he used to order at a New York deli.

The guy wins $25,000 for his winning idea. He and eight other runners-up get free Wendy's hamburgers for a year.

The new Philly Style Hoagie Burger is supposed to appear on Wendy's menu sometime in 2008.

Learn more about the winning burger...
http://www.thisismyburger.com/

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In-N-Out Burger - What's the Beef?

Those of us living in Southern California know about In-N-Out all too well, it's often described as the best burger in the world (or at least SoCal anways). The company, technically, has stores in Nevada and Arizona, and NoCal (yes, NoCal is another state altogether).

So are they indeed the best burgers in the world?

IMHO, they're right up there. I've been to a lot of burger joints, and have eaten a lot of burgers, and truthfully, I've found some really good burgers at other places. But In-N-Out is still a damn good burger.

And who can't love an In-N-Out restaurant anyways? Their menu is painfully simple:

• Hamburger


• Cheeseburger


• Double Double (two patties, two cheese)


• Fries


• Milk Shake

Technically, the menu goes on and on under a "secret menu". If you want three patties and three cheese, tell then you want a "3x3". If you want 4 patties and eight cheeses, tell them "4x8". Simplicity and elegance in ordering.

My only "beef" with In-N-Out is that they're always so damn busy. It doesn't matter which location you go to. At lunch time, or dinner, there's a long line. When you're hungry, you don't like having to wait. And being a man of convenience and spontaniety, I end up forgoing In-N-Out for speedier digs.

In in the 1980's I used to go to the In-N-Out in Santa Ana, CA, on the corner of Bristol St and Civic Center Dr. At lunch time, the drive-thru would maintain a procession of 30 cars backed up a block down Bristol St for about an hour straight.

They're secret to success is fresh meat. They don't use frozen patties. Same with the french fries. They bring in whole potatoes, slice them right there on location, and fry 'em. I never cared much for their french fries however cause they're too skinny and crunchy. I like the fat, soft kind.

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Burger King Homestyle Melts

The Burger King restaurant chain, also known as the second-biggest burger chain, announced today the launch of its new line of "Homestyle Melts" sandwiches.


Described as "sandwiches just like mom used to make", the line includes varieties...

• Honey Butter Homestyle Melt - a breakfast variety featuring sausage, egg, honey-butter sauce, and melted American cheese on butter-flavored sourdough bread, and


• Bacon Double Homestyle Melt - boasts four half-slices of crispy bacon, three slices of melted Swiss cheese and two hamburger patties smothered in a creamy garlic cheese sauce all between buttery flavored sourdough bread.

The sandwiches are available now, for a limited time.

To market the new Homestyle Melts, a series of television spots include three vignettes that feature four moms who are angry at the King for encroaching on their turf by offering melted sandwiches served on soft buttery bread. The moms try to defend their territory, but the King ultimately wins them over with his offerings of greasy-fried decadence.

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Turkey Stuffing Made From Burgers

White Castle, the famed hamburger chain, is offering their Thanksgiving Turkey Stuffing recipe that's made from their own hamburgers.

The recipe is actually a tradition that started 15 years ago, and one that probably all die-hard junk foodies ought to try sometime.

Recipe for White Castle Turkey Stuffing

10 White Castle hamburgers, no pickles
1 1/2 tsp. ground sage
1 1/2 cups celery, diced
3/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
1 1/4 tsp. ground thyme
1/4 cup chicken broth

In a large mixing bowl, tear the burgers into pieces and add diced celery and seasonings. Toss and add chicken broth. Stuff cavity of turkey just before roasting. It makes about 9 cups (enough for a 10 to 12 pound turkey). Note: Allow one (1) hamburger for each pound of turkey, which is the equivalent of 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound.

I imagine you could use burgers from just about any fast food joint, but White Castle burgers are in fact unique.

Don't have a White Castle near you? They also sell their burgers frozen at grocery stores across the country. Visit their store locator here:
http://www.whitecastle.com/_pages/Locate.asp

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Carl's Jr. Philly Cheesesteak Burger

Carl's Jr. announced today its newest burger, Philly Cheesesteak Burger.

It offers a one-two punch of thinly sliced steak and a juicy, charbroiled burger patty, finished off with peppers, onions, Swiss and American cheeses, and mayonnaise on a seeded bun.



The fast food chain is offering three different varieties, the "single", the "middle-weight" with two beef patties, and the heavy-weight Six Dollar Burger, with a 1/2 pound meat pattie.

The new Philly Cheesesteak Burger comes just a month after Wienerschnitzel announced its own "Philly Burger" which is effectively the same thing.

Visit Carl's Jr. online at: http://www.carlsjr.com

More Carl's Jr. food we wrote about previously...

• Mint Chip Ice Cream at Carl's Jr. and Hardees - Nov 6, 2006


• Carl's Jr. Launches New Steak and Egg Burrito - Feb 10, 2006


• Carl's Jr. Announces New Jalapeno Burger - Jan 11, 2006


• Carl's Jr. Launches New Portobello Mushroom Burger - Sep 28, 2005

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Hardee's Chili Cheese Thickburger Returns

Hardee's announced today that it's bringing back its Chili Cheese Thickburger just in time for the winter heartburn season.

The chain says it received numerous e-mails and phone calls pleading for its return, and they decided to listen, though only for a limited time.


Brad Haley, executive vice president of marketing says...

"Ever since we took the Chili Cheese Thickburger off of our menu, people have been calling our guest response hotline and sending us e-mails via our Hardees.com Web site asking us to bring it back. There just seems to be something so decadent and satisfying about a great burger oozing with hot chili that calls to people, and this product delivers both in a big way."

The Chili Cheese Thickburger features a charbroiled 1/3-pound, 100 percent Angus beef patty topped with chili, diced yellow onions, mustard, American cheese, and pickles on a seeded bun. To round out the special engagement, Hardees is also offering Chili Cheese Fries.

The new Thickburger will be sold at participating Hardee's restaurants for $3.49 by itself, or $5.78 for a medium combo meal, although prices may vary.

Visit Hardees online at: http://www.hardees.com/

Other Hardee's food we wrote about...

• Hardee's Red Burrito Taco Salad - Dec 19, 2005


• Mint Chip Ice Cream and Carl's Jr and Hardee's - Nov 6, 2006

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Wienerschnitzel Goes Philly Cheese Steak

Wienerschnitzel added three new menu items based on the Philly Cheese Steak...

• Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich ($4.49) - Grilled Philly steak topped with sliced white American cheese, roasted peppers & onions and served on a French roll.



• Philly Burger ($3.99) - A beef hamburger patty topped with Philly Steak, sliced white American cheese, roasted grilled peppers & onions served on a French roll.



• Philly Dog ($3.49) - An Italian sausage topped with Philly steak, sliced American cheese, grilled peppers & onions and served on a French roll.

The company collectively refers to the three as the Philly Cheese Steak Trio.

While the trio is available at all Wienerschnitzel locations, you can only indulge in this offering of brotherly love for a limited time.

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