McDonald's Card are the Latest Gambling at Lunch Craze [@NLi10]

 At work we go to lunch as a group and take it in turns to choose where.  I've not minded the McDonalds trips recently as there were some interesting drinks on offer (now sadly gone) but there are collectable cards - which is a fun idea.

 

Except you have to buy very specific things

Which means I got a large Big Mac Meal as the least disappointing option

You get a pack of 4 cards, and it's presumably 18+ because of encouraging childhood obesity.  But - wait - prize every time, collect and redeem sets.  Oh no...

This isn't fun trading cards - this is stealth gambling!

There are 24 cards in the set - and as you can see you can get within pack duplicates.

As you can redeem sets of 4 specific things for a prize though that means that 6 of the cards must be rarer.  And as the prizes on mine are £50, and 52 free Medium meals (one a week for a year) that means that at least those two sets won't be things most people can actually finish.

Indeed the card to complete the £50 set is currently selling for £63 on eBay

For the years food? £500 for one where someone has USED the code so you can't get the prize.

My blue card gives me a free fish-burger or half a portion of nuggets.  I guess that you are supposed to redeem that and buy another meal at the same time.

It all feels a little exploitative.  Granted it's a bonus on top of the disappointment that a Big Mac meal is almost £10 now, but I can see why this wasn't that heavily advertised.

Maybe they'll iron out the kinks in future years (easy solution - the foil 4th card in every set also has a regular version which doesn't give the prize - now your set is actually playground collectable).

McDonald's World Menu Heist - International Disappointments [@NLi10]

 McDonalds have a lot of adverts at the moment for all kinds of exciting things.  And as I had a green Sprite there a month or so ago that was quite nice I let work talk me into a visit one lunchtime for their new (at the time) World Heist menu.

It was so exciting I forgot to write a review...

The gimmick is this was stuff they already had, that you'd see on holiday.

What's this - Polish fries?

Oh - it's salt-&-shake, but pepper and odd cream flavour.  And surprisingly it works - they are essentially turned into KFC fries.  These were a win.

The Pink Drink is cherry blossom, and its fine.  The green one was great, this is a solid 5/10 and you'd not be fussed if they forgot and gave you a normal Sprite

And the main event! It's a le big mac but with some bacon and some sauce

And it was absolutely terrible! The issue with these is the cheap meat and sweet buns are designed to be chewed easily and then you leave faster - but if the idea is to enjoy the texture and flavours then this is not the target.  Not one part of this improved the original, and if anything it was just a mess of flavours.

Overall then - for £11 - this was a massive disappointment and would put me off agreeing to the lunch time trips for the cheap wrap and iced tea.

Jedburgh Abbey & a McSween Haggis Burger [@NLi10]

 We went across the border to Scotland for the day while we were in Northumberland - to Jedburgh - because we wanted a look round the ruined abbey.

It's a great little town with a lot to offer during the high season, but as Halloween approaches it gets a little spooky, and the hot chocolates call.

We popped into a little gift shop & cafe and decided that the national delicacies should be enjoyed

My partners hot-chocolate was stacked with choc orange pieces that flipped the cream upside down and melted lovingly into the drink

I had a perfectly ordinary burger...

Not so! It's an Angus burger with McSween haggis piled on top!

We know them form back in the days when we got sent PR guff - I used the tote bag they sent me for years! No idea where that's hiding now.

The veggie haggis was my favourite, and we still buy that on occasion - but the meaty one was a bit of a large person for one person to make it through in time.  So having a portion while out was a nice treat - it's mostly oats and good things... 

This was one heck of a lunch and I didn't need to eat until we were back across the border - a great (if not a bit heavy) hearty meal for the cold days.

The Wagyu Burger (Burger King) By @Cinabar

I’d been seeing the adverts with Gordon Ramsey saying Burger King’s new Wagyu Burger is good enough for a high-class restaurant, so I felt I had to give it a try. The marketing also makes a big point of it being made with 100% British Wagyu beef, which surprised me. I’d assumed Wagyu was all imported.

The first thing that caught my attention when ordering was the price. A meal with the Wagyu Burger came to £13.50. I don’t normally mention prices much here, but as this is both fast food and Wagyu, it felt worth noting. For comparison, my usual Chicken Royale meal is £8.59. Paying more than a tenner for a Burger King still feels strange to me (though I’m sure this comment will look cheap in a few years). The burger’s ingredient list made it clear this was going to be a love letter to onions. Inside you’ll find caramelised onions, pink pickled onions, crispy onions, and even an onion mayo. Fortunately, I do like onions. There’s also rocket, which adds its distinctive bitter pepperiness, all served in a seeded brioche bun.

When my order arrived I was a little disappointed with the presentation. It didn’t get special packaging. My burger came in an Aberdeen Angus wrapper with “Wagyu” scrawled on it in wax crayon. Maybe my branch had run out of the proper ones, but for the most expensive burger on the menu I expected something a little more premium.

That said, once I unwrapped it, it looked impressive. The glossy brioche bun, the vivid pink onions, and the fresh green rocket all stood out nicely against a seriously thick beef patty.

The taste matched the appearance. The beef was juicy and packed with flavour, and the mix of onions gave it depth and sweetness that paired well with the creamy richness of the meat. It still had that smoky flame-grilled note that Burger King is known for, but elevated. Every bite was delicious.

Was it worth it? Honestly, yes, it was a very good burger. But I’ll admit I still have a soft spot for the Chicken Royale, and at a few pounds less it remains hard to beat. This Wagyu Burger is well worth a try if you love beef.

Nostalgia Overload – Bendy & Cheese (Wimpy Bar) By @Cinabar

I haven’t been to Shrewsbury for a day trip in years, so it was absolutely lovely to visit over the weekend. We’d planned to head home for dinner, but while wandering around the shops, a familiar red logo caught my eye. We walked over to double-check, and sure enough, it really was an actual Wimpy Bar. Oh my word. The one in my city closed in the 1990s, and I was heartbroken when it did. It was a favourite childhood treat spot.

As we got to the door, I was still only peeking in, curious to see if my childhood favourite was still on the menu. Then I heard the nostalgic 1980s music playing, and the sound of the Ghostbusters theme sealed the deal, we were going in. We sat in a cosy booth, and there it was on the first page of the menu: Bendy & Cheese. It’s a sausage, bent to fit in a bun and treated like a burger, and I had to order it just for the memories. I love that Wimpy still offers table service.

The food arrived quickly. We both had chips and a soft drink to make it a full meal. I opened the bun and grinned, the Bendy & Cheese looked exactly like I remembered.

 

One bite and I was overwhelmed with nostalgia. It had that classic frankfurter taste but was chunkier and firmer. The cheese, ketchup and tomato balanced it all perfectly. I couldn’t stop smiling while eating it. The chips were great too: crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside.

The dessert menu was new to me, I can’t remember what I used to have as a kid. I went for churros, as that’s always a favourite. They arrived in a fab-looking glass, more like an ice cream sundae. There were churros, ice cream and chocolate sauce, a sweet and indulgent treat.

We left full and impressed with the speed of service and the quality of the food. This place will definitely become a regular haunt. I can’t wait to go back.

Steakhouse Angus Gourmet Meal (Burger King) By @Cinabar

On our way back from a road trip, we stopped at a service station to grab dinner. The options included a Burger King, and we both realised it had been years since we’d last visited one. So, we decided to treat ourselves to a burger.

As we browsed the menu, the new Steakhouse Angus Gourmet Burger caught our eye. It sounded delightful, so we each ordered the meal. Fortunately, our order was served quickly—just before a large dance troupe from a coach queued up!

The food arrived promptly and looked great. I started with the chips and was pleasantly surprised. Who knew Burger King chips were this good? They’re far superior to those from KFC and McDonald’s, with their crispy exterior and fluffy interior. I absolutely loved them.

The burger itself looked appealing when unwrapped. The tangy rocket lettuce and smoky cheese packed a flavourful punch, complementing the rich, beefy taste of the Angus patty. It was a satisfying meal—far more indulgent than one from McDonald’s.

This pit stop was just what we needed, and it reminded me how much I’ve been missing out by not visiting Burger King more often. I won’t let that much time pass before my next visit!

McRib Burger (McDonald's) By @Cinabar

Today, we decided to get a takeaway. After a tough day, we needed something quick and comforting. I took the chance to check the menu for anything new and spotted something both nostalgic and exciting: the McRib Burger. Originally introduced in the 1980s but later discontinued, the McRib has made a few limited-time comebacks over the years. I was delighted to see it available tonight.

I ordered the McRib along with my childhood favourite, a vanilla milkshake, and fries. There’s something so comforting about a vanilla milkshake, never underestimate its simple joy. The McRib looked enticing in its box. The oblong bun held a generous portion of beef, along with onions and pickles. As soon as I took a bite, I noticed my fingers were covered in barbecue sauce, this burger is definitely a bit messy! Thankfully, I managed to keep it off my shirt.

The beef flavour was richer and more intense than I remembered, and I loved how the pickles and onions added a bit of crunch and tang. After a long day, this was just the treat I needed, finally bringing a smile to my face. I’d recommend picking up a McRib Burger while it’s back on the menu at McDonald's, as it’s available only for a limited time. At least they’ve kept the vanilla milkshake, some things are too good to take away!

Juicy Marbles - Thick Cut Filet Steaks - but vegan [@NLi10]

I pick up a lot of odd food for vegans, that my resident vegetarian would not touch - and I think this is the most meaty appearing so far.  It's a box of 'cat burgers' - plant based pork steaks in a very cool box.

They were a little expensive (£6 I think) but they were fabulous.

This is why we started calling them cat burgers (to differentiate from the other vegan stuff we have), that's Mr Marbles the cat.

So far - so meaty.

Ingredients - water & soy. and lots of red beet juice for the colour & blood.

The ick factor is high - but the smell is fine - even if it does look like you've got a pig heart for dinner.

Season up

Pop it on the George Formby grill

And turn into a waffle burger with some spicy kombucha! Decent enough.

This is how I'd have beef style things - but it turned out this is more like pork so for part 2 (which was individually sealed and so still fresh 3 days later).

USe up some of the high quality pork rub that we got ages ago - on all the sides. Let it sit for a bit.

And pan fry it as on the directions - awesome stuff - restaurant quality taste although my presentation is a bit naff.

This was awesome - well worth the admission price and like a lovely thick flaky gammon steak burger.  So good you could feed it to main-land Europeans and they'd like it.

Requires a little more effort than just popping a burger in the oven, but if you want to be a bit more veggie and still feel like a carnivore then this is an easy recommend.  I'm going to get more of these from Waitrose when I'm next there.

Doritos Burger King Flame Grilled Whopper (Tesco) By @Cinabar

Sometimes brands work together that you wouldn’t really expect to be working together, one combination I didn’t see coming was this. Here we have the exciting combination: Doritos Burger King Flame Grilled Whopper Corn Chips. I love Doritos, so I was keen to give these a try, even though the packet says "burger not included"! 

We shared the bag and poured them out. The seasoning makes the chips look a little darker than the usual salted Doritos, but not very much. I gave one a try and was pretty impressed with the flavour. Burger King always tastes barbecued, and these new chips had that distinctive flavour. They had that chargrilled taste that was a little salty, and then the lovely rush of beef. There was depth to the flavour too, I’m not going to say I could pick out all the salad flavours, but I will say they had a hint of freshness to the flavour, which makes sense if you try them! So all in all, these Doritos Burger King Flame Grilled Whopper corn chips sounded like a novelty, but they are well put together and ones I’d go back for, so a total success.

Warrendale Wagyu Burgers (@NLi10)

I've had a few weeks home alone so have been trying out more meaty things, and as a result have caught up on the Wagyu trend.  The first ones from Finnebrogue were amazing, but ordering from a different store meant I get to try out a different one this time. 

Flo is interested if nothing else!

I really need to clean George before the vegetarian returns, but it's doing well with the meaty BBQ feel.

As usual no buns for me - today we are having paratha (I had waffles with the other one in the packet).

And here we go! Decently well-done as the package suggested, with a side of broccoli and another paratha just cooking to go on top!

And - well it's not as exciting as the last one. It still crisped up and had a nice beefy flavour, but it just wasn't as magical as the Finnebrogue ones.  Burger number two backed this up - a decent burger that I'd be happy with if I got served while out - but not the headline act of the other ones.  Maybe this is one for the meat purists to make into their own recipe were as the other ones were almost their own distinct thing and worth the little extra they cost.

All decent - but these did just feel like fatter burgers.

100% Grass Fed Wagyu Burgers - Artisan Finnebrogue (@NLi10)

 Review is a bit late today - because I've only just finished eating these!

My partner is away so I can risk buying and home-cooking meat without stinking the house too much.

Wagyu is something I've never tried really - but "Probably The Best Burger In The World" and me needing two Burgers is a pretty good timing.

They look pretty when raw!  They are a little shiny somehow - and don't feel disgusting like some burgers.  And they smelt gorgeous while on the George Formby grill.

Pic doesn't show it too well, but the tops and bottoms are really crispy! And they were so tender - I really didn't need two - I was pretty full by the end of this pile. 

And yeah - probably the best beef burgers I've had at home - and certainly if we are judging just the meat quality these are up there vs restaurants too.

Pan fried gnocchi and a little veg topped it off nicely.

bonus pics! Here is my favourite pizza from co-op - also topped with Broccoli from the huge pack I ended up with because weights and measures confuse me.

And post cooking add rocket for super spicy delights!