Time-savers

Time-savers

Looking for a grab-and-go meal that is sinful and satisfying? This is the list for fast foods all around the island!
Xing Wei Chua
Xing Wei Chua

Not sure how often it happens, but we would reckon it is pretty much rare for two fast food giants to have released the same limited time-only specials in line with National Day — found out that not only the big M was serving up a Pulut Hitam Pie; Burger King is also pretty much serving up their rendition of the same as well.

Having tried the rendition done by the big M earlier on, we were actually rather impressed by Burger King’s rendition where the filling was involved. Whilst the one from the big M was significantly creamier and more subdued, Burger King’s rendition of the Pulut Hitam Pie seems to be bolder on those notes of black glutinous rice whilst the texture of the filling was also noticeably smoother. There are swirls of coconut milk (or coconut cream?) laced within the black glutinous rice filling just like the version from the big M, though it did feel like Burger King had done a better job making that go together with the black glutinous rice filling without stealing its limelight as well. The only qualm for Burger King’s rendition however is the pastry — the pastry for Burger King’s Pulut Hitam Pie is rather flat in comparison, while the pie itself wasn’t as well-filled; the pie was also not really well produced in the way that the sides were not sealed up properly and thus biting on the pie causes the fillings to start to ooze out from the sides as well. Guess there is always a reason for why I prefer the pies from the big M in general — a bit of a shame since Burger King has the better filling of the two this time round.

It does seem that Burger King is upping their quality of the food and is getting somewhere at that — have not been a fan of their stuff for quite a while but their pie creations does seem to somewhat entice us these days (i.e. Red Date Longan Pie). One thing we still feel lacking about them is the upkeep of some of their outlets and the speed of service; waited for 16 minutes for just a single pie order which is a little less than ideal for a fast food establishment. That being said, perhaps it’s time to give Burger King a second chance these days; they do seem to be getting it better than what they have done previously.

Not always all-in when McDonald’s releases a limited-time only special, but the Laksa Delight Prawn Burger was indeed an item that really caught our attention — perhaps given how this is an item that is created with a local fusion; one that seems to be introduced in-line with National Day coming up. For those who are not so much into crustaceans, McDonald’s had also introduced the Laksa Delight Chicken Burger as well that features all the same elements as the Laksa Delight Prawn Burger except for the patty.

We had opted for the Laksa Delight Prawn Feast — the set comprises of the Laksa Prawn Burger and the Pulut Hitam Pie; both items being limited time-only items introduced in line with National Day, whilst also coming with the standard side of fries as well as soft drinks. The Laksa Prawn Burger comprises of elements such as the crispy prawn patty that is previously used in the Ebi Burger, a fried egg, purple slaw and a Laksa sauce. As with our usual expectations of fast food, we aren’t expecting a lot from the Laksa Delight Prawn Burger — we would say that the Laksa Delight Prawn Burger didn’t seem to disappoint however; the Laksa sauce is definitely creamy and lemak enough. To be honest, we would have preferred it to come with a punchier note from the Laksa leaves and rempah spices; that being said, it does carry sufficient flavour for a fast food rendition of things which seemed to be tuned towards the “western” side of things in terms of its richness. The crispy prawn patty was pretty much what we have liked it to be; that crispy exterior whilst being well-filled with of chunks of prawns within — the purple slaw providing a refreshing crunch that balances all of that out with the greens beneath.

Also gave the Pulut Hitam Pie a try — was really fascinated by how they have done quite a solid rendition of the local Pulut Hitam where the notes of black glutinous rice were especially prominent against that velvety rich coconut milk that was churned into it. Also liked how the Pulut Hitam filling does come with bits of black glutinous rice to chew on; not overly sweet — all that encased in the same pastry that one would associate with the all-familiar and favourite Apple Pie off the standard menu.

Purists of Laksa may probably find the Laksa Delight Prawn / Chicken Burgers a little lacking in terms of flavour where the fusion element is involved — we did feel that McDonald’s did seem to do a reasonably good job to balance out the expectations however since this is still a fast food offering after all. That being said, we would reckon that both the Laksa Delight Prawn Burger and the Pulut Hitam Pie are items that one should definitely go for at least once whilst they last — the latter definitely carrying an impression that is more memorable than the former. We like the Laksa Prawn Burger enough to have it again though — hope that it does stay in the menu long enough before the next limited time-only offering takes its place!

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Hadn’t have a McDonald’s limited run burger for quite a long while but the Jjang! Jjang! Chicken Burger is one burger that I was really looking forward to try ever since it was announced. The whole idea of the Jjang! Jjang! Chicken Burger also seemed like a pretty well-thought creation — fried chicken patty that is slathered with Korean spicy sauce; something which sounded really matching as compared against the Jjang! Jjang! Beef Burger that features the usual beef patty.

Had mine at the Suntec City Mall outlet and thought the Jjang! Jjang! Chicken Burger was one of the better limited edition runs that McDonald’s have had on their menu in recent times. There are a few who have mentioned that the sauce in the two Jjang! Jjang! Burgers are more spicy than sweet — I found that to be pretty consistent with my experience though I would say I liked it the way that they have tuned the sauce towards. The sauce starts off with a slight sweetness but comes with a fiery kick pretty soon after; a spiciness does come at a level that some who are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness may find it a little hot, but it does up the shiok factor for me — so much that the burger didn’t feel jelak despite the pool of sauce that came at the bottom of the wrapper. In between the two buns, the burger also comes with lettuce and tomato in between. Mum, who tried a little bit of the sauce that came with the burger using a fry (she had dinner prior) likens it to that of a more subdued version of the Samyang spicy sauce — can’t really vouch for it since I am wimp who refuses to try it to spare my taste buds from the agony of doing so, but it does sound like a good reference point coming from someone who has a good appetite for spicy foods.

While I have not made a visit to McDonald’s for quite a while since most of their limited runs for their burger offerings have not caught my eyes, the Jjang! Jjang! Chicken Burger does not disappoint — taking all accounts that it is something put out by a commercial fast food joint; this was actually pretty satisfying and on-point to the theme and something actually worth commending. One of the burgers that I would actually look forward to seeing it make a return on the menu again after the current run is over!

While the COVID-19 pandemic has brought up quite a fair bit of inconveniences to our everyday lives, something that it had also brought along is the advent of cloud kitchen concepts — something that probably wouldn’t have taken off quite as quickly during the pre-pandemic times.

Jackson’s Fried Chicken is a concept that is exclusively available on foodpanda for both delivery and self-pickup — the brand has no physical presence to do walk-in orders, and the pick-up points are typically at an existing food outlet at multiple locations around Singapore; the Rochor “branch” being located at Castro’s Western Grill in the Broadway Coffeeshop in the basement of Sim Lim Square.

Going for the Fried Chicken Combo (2pcs), it comes with a choice of spicy or original chicken (yes, a little KFC-esque here), fries and a choice of either Coke or Coke without sugar (which I brought home, and did a takeaway Cold Brew (White) from Shake Coffee since I don’t fancy soft drinks) — patrons can also opt for multiple sauces that they have, which includes a Garlic Aioli which we have went for at an additional cost. Having heard quite a fair bit about their fried chicken that seemingly draws mixed reviews, I am more inclined to think that the standards here are pretty much dependant on the outlet and the journey time taken — felt that the food was pretty fair but not particularly outstanding. The fried chicken batter is on the crunchy side here — perhaps a factor that hits the taste buds for those who liked it, but the chicken flesh is pretty standard of frozen chicken and could be leaning towards being a little on the dry side. They were, however, not shy on the spiciness level for this one considering how it seems to tickle the taste buds for those who are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness. Fries were pretty decent — still remained crisp despite being left there for quite a while. In general, it does seem that Jackson’s Fried Chicken did tune their recipes to counter the effects of food delivery, considering how the chicken and fries did remain crisp even when the food turns cool — though I did feel that it was a little overdone at the same time.

While Jackson’s Fried Chicken is not really quite my cup of tea, I do feel that I understand why some people do like it, and why some just don’t feel much about them. That being said, given how they seem to operate from different establishments, standards might differ as a result. It is still great to have more dining options these days in this manner though — a convenience that technology has brought us.

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Never really meant for the two McDonald’s posts to be posted so near to each other — guess I just sat on the McCrispy post for too long that they had the time to release yet another item that actually pique my interest.

Glad that there is always a McDonald’s that is extremely near for me so it is always quite convenient for me to wind up in one whenever they release specials like these — the Crispy Hainanese Chicken Burger being a collaboration between the Golden Arches and local celebrity Ben Yeo that is launched for National Day; what’s more apt than a locally-inspired burger anyway?

To set the records right — this isn’t a burger intended to replicate the local classic hawker dish entirely; the namesake being pretty obvious. Coming with mixed greens (including purple cabbage and carrot) and a fried chicken patty, the obvious differences will be the lack of cucumber and the usual steam or roasted chicken — that being said, the Crispy Hainanese Chicken Burger fared pretty well being a locally-inspired McDonald’s burger (which is essentially what it is); a familiar chicken patty with a distinct flavour of ginger coming off from somewhere within that replicates that of the fragrant rice that comes with the hawker dish. The special Dark Sweet Sauce carries a deep, earthy note; all that without being too sweet — it is actually pretty good on its own, though the garlic chili tends to wipe out much of its flavour somewhat. Be warned though; it’s a fairly messy burger to have with all the sauces added — your hands are likely going to get down and dirty with this one given the gloopy sauces if one chooses to go all the way out with them.

Still a fan of the original fries from McDonald’s (the oldie is a goldie), but I would pick their Crisscut Fries over their Twister Fries anytime — the Crisscut Fries being sliced more completely and also thus carried much more oomph against the short curls that the Twister Fries have become over the years; flavour-wise they were pretty similar though.

Ordering the Crispy Hainanese Chicken Feast also adds the Banana Pie to the spread — not a new item; think their standard Apple Pie featuring caramalised bananas which I prefer over the rather artificial blueberry jam used in the Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie. A colleague mentioned it was pretty reminiscent of Goreng Pisang — never saw it in that way but there is some truth in that, though somewhat sweeter (though still manageable) in a McDonald’s sort of fashion. A little bummed that I didn’t get to try the Kopi Frappe since it isn’t available at the outlet I went to — so there’s the standard McCafe Iced Latte for me.

There has been some talk and comparisons of the Crispy Hainanese Chicken Burger against the Nasi Lemak Burger some years back — both being locally-inspired flavours that McDonald’s have introduced in recent years. There is no doubt that the Nasi Lemak Burger is a better, integral package that was an eye-opener; in comparison the Crispy Hainanese Chicken Burger was something that worked, but still distinctively McDonald’s at it. Still, I must say that the Crispy Hainanese Chicken Burger is one of the better specials that they have released in recent times — something that I would say that works well enough to give a try at least once to find if it works to your tastebuds.

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Pretty late to the game, considering how quite a number of people have made the mad rush to ever since its return as a permanent item on their menu, but better late than never?

As far as how the Chicken McCrispy was an item that is well-missed by most during its absence and sporadic comebacks as a limited-time only item, the Chicken McCrispy is something that I can’t really resonate to — it belonged to an era for me where my parents dictated what I should be eating, and pretty much also a time where I hadn’t formed a basis of wanting to try something new (have always been that weird McChicken sandwich kid), so I haven’t actually had a taste of it until now.

Ordering the 2pcs Chicken McCrispy Treat is an “upgrade” over the Chicken McCrispy (2 pcs) Extra Value Meal — it comes with the Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie which I hadn’t tried either. It would be really unfair to bear expectations that the McCrispy would be anything else but fast food — but given the fast food item it is, its a pretty decent item that I would probably ditch my McChicken for. The outlet that I went to did it justice; it’s crisp enough, while the meat was actually still juicy and tender — nothing overly oily and came with a slightly less than moderate level of spiciness that kept things going. Sure, the chicken pieces aren’t quite as big as what some other fast food giants serve up, but the Chicken McCrispy does hold itself pretty well against certain joints where consistency may be a big concern. Some have quipped about the lack of the sweet chili sauce that used to come with the Chicken McCrispy previously; but since I had no connected memories with the item, I guess I am pretty fine with what I had.

If you are wanting to hear about the Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie, its probably a one-off for me. The cream cheese is fairly familiar — the same one used in the Yuzu Cream Cheese Pie some time back; it’s execution is really similar being a half-on-half of each filling inside as well. The blueberry jam bears a similar consistency as the breakfast grape jam; almost jello-like, and whilst it’s sweet and slightly tart, it just felt a little unnatural to say the least.

Ran out of lunch ideas so thought why not do with McDonald’s for the day — after all they did launch yet another one of those limited-time items that sounded to be all the rage; Chick ‘N’ Cheese, Pizza McShaker Fries and Ha! Chicken Drumlets.

Sadly the Chick ‘N’ Cheese felt more like a glorified McChicken — don’t get me wrong; I am that boring guy who often find myself ordering that McChicken for something more predictable when visiting McDonalds (which is something I don’t do often), but the Chick ‘N’ Cheese is something that one would order for the sheer novelty of the item rather than the overall composition of the item. More of a glorified version of the McChicken, the Chick ‘N’ Cheese features the same sesame seed buns and the same chicken patty, though comes with a special sweet tomato chili jam and a cheesy mozzarella “patty” that sits above the chicken patty. Best to be had whilst hot, the mozzarella comes melty and gooey with its stringy texture; rather soft and fluffy, but the savoury touch seems to feel rather standalone from the entire burger, whilst overpowering the slice of processed cheese that sits between it and the fried chicken patty. The sweet tomato chili jam was almost akin to a sweeter, more tomato-y version of a Thai chili sauce, though its spiciness was also seemingly overwhelmed by the fried mozzarella patty itself too.

The Pizza McShaker was probably more disappointing than the other items introduced this round; whilst the slight hint of tangy tomato does hint so ever lightly within the seasoning when coated with the fries, there wasn’t otherwise much correlation with an actual pizza. The Ha! Chicken Drumlets fared better though; some may lament on how there isn’t much umami punch for the chicken drumlets but it’s probably already a commendable attempt by a fast food chain on a locally-inspired offering — not to mention that the ones I had were still crisp and freshly-fried without being dry.

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Fast food isn’t quite my thing, but there is always an item that grabs my attention every now and then — and its usually the limited-time specials that I just seemingly feel like there is this “need” in me to check out because they just sounded too tempting; maybe that, or perhaps I just a sucker for items featuring local fusion flavours.

Case in point, the Golden Durian Mochi is one such item that really got me so excited that I had to give KFC a visit (I am more usually inclined to try out items from the Golden Arches more than other fast food chains; you may call me basic at that). I wasn’t really bearing much of an expectation; half thinking they may have screwed it up badly with the grease, the Mochi or even the durian lava, but I actually left being rather impressed with what I got out of a fast food offering. To my surprise, the Mochi was surprisingly well-made; the glutinous rice ball coming with a texture almost akin to having Muah Chee in a round, ball form — gave a good chew and was relatively sticky, but didn’t turn out particularly greasy whilst coming with a crisp, golden brown exterior. Inside, the molten durian lava may not be one that bears any fibrous durian flesh, but it does not taste too artificial — there is a distinct pungent note going on here amidst the sweetness. Needless to say that while I am one who usually shares items like that across the table, this was something I am pretty sure I would not be sharing — having just one and stopping it right there is not quite enough for me.

I am not a big fan of KFC given how inconsistent they are with their fried chicken across their outlets around Singapore; it’s an option that I would only go for if I am craving for fast food-style fried chicken. But this; it’s something I would least expect out of KFC — its quality being one that I would find to be above the standards normally set out by fast food restaurants. That being said, take this write-up with a pinch of salt; I got mine freshly fried upon order since they had fried a new batch and they came piping hot, not to mention the inconsistencies may vary across outlet — just have an open mind whilst giving this a try.

It’s not something that I mention often, but my childhood memories of fast food mostly comprises of just two brands — McDonalds (for which I usually find myself having the McChicken, or the Hotcakes with Sausage if i were to be in for breakfast, and A&W; its little wonder why considering how the nearest A&W was just across the street from my place, which had since closed down ever since their initial exit out of the Singapore market. Ironically, there was a switch of tenants for the same space, and that spot is now occupied by McDonald’s.

Still a primary school student when I made my last visit to A&W before their first exit out of the Singapore market, its always an occasion when my parents were to bring me there; they had never fancied their hot food selection — we would typically be in to have their Waffles with Ice-Cream, Curry Fries and the Root Beer Float; and I was never allowed to have my own portion. Talk about Asian parenting indeed (haha jk I love y’all!).

Having made a recent visit to their Canberra Plaza outlet, my very first experience for their hot food items goes to the Golden Aroma Chicken (2pcs) — essentially just your standard fried chicken dish from a fast food restaurant. Wouldn’t say I was expecting much; its fast food anyway, and so I was rather ok with this one — the fried batter is crisp, and carries a slightly floury texture almost akin, but less distinct than KFC’s Original Recipe Chicken. Inside, the chicken flesh remains relatively juicy and succulent, though it is worth mentioning how the chicken here isn’t quite as greasy as most other fast food restaurants. Can’t wrap up the meal without the Curly Fries and Root Beer Float; the former seems less memorable these days and almost similar to the Twister Fries that occasionally makes its comeback to the Golden Arches — just not quite the same as they were previously being more arched than curly. The Root Beer Float still takes the cake though — nothing really beats the A&W experience having their fizzy root beer in a chilled, frosty mug that holds the temperature of the sugary soft drink so well; not to mention opting for the float for the added scoop of ice-cream, though I did recall that the ice-cream used to be more dense and creamy and gave the root beer a slightly thicker consistency when melted down, while the ice-cream now seems to be easily overpowered by the root beer itself.

Much of the excitement of visiting A&W these days seem to be on the nostalgia — not simply just about their curly fries and the root beer floats, but also perhaps a throwback to simpler times where “joy” could be easily derived from fast food meals that can be seen as a treat away from the usual hawker/coffeeshop fare. That novelty of being a meal to splurge on has since worn off given how we are now blessed with plenty of options from cafes to bistros and fine dining restaurants, and fast food restaurants are more or less seen as an affordable alternate option to most in this current era. It may just be me, but the food in their current reincarnation is still a little far from those good times — but its return is still a welcomed one; perhaps one that would bring back pleasant moments and memories for those who have grown with them during the times before they have left the Singapore market.

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More of the Pancakes with Sausage guy at McDonald’s rather than the sort who would go for a McMuffin or a Big Breakfast, so the McGriddles is a thing for me whenever it makes its guest appearance on the limited-time menu all-day — it’s the go-to whenever I am in a situation when I am craving for Pancakes with Sausage, but just don’t really want to deal with cutlery for how its almost the same thing in a sandwich format.

Not sure if the McGriddles here wasn’t prepared quite as properly as it should have been, but this time the syrup-laced “bun” does feel a little less sweet and molten overall; felt a tad cakey and a little dense given the lack of dimension — perhaps one of the reasons why some folks just simply detest the McGriddles. But otherwise, it’s the same old deal with sliced cheese that comes slightly melted if one is ever so lucky, sunny side-up and sausage patty that’s almost a breakfast staple for an early morning meal at McDonald’s for me.

PS: I hadn’t been to McDonald’s that much to notice it, but their McCafe Iced Latte actually comes sweetened by default? Hmm ...

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Was intending to get something else but getting McDonald’s seem to be most convenient option — I think I am one who quite easily falls for the non-burger options whenever they make their appearance on the limited time only menu.

The Crispy Chicken is no doubt a crowd-pleaser; that’s what a good piece of fried chicken should be minimally — fried till golden brown on the exterior that hints of light note of garlic powder, the batter is crisp without being greasy, while the meat comes tender and juicy. Not a fan of the accompanying Coconut Pie though; a little too sweet, too creamy and too artificial; not to mention it’s less than aesthetic physical appearance when the filling reveals itself once one takes a bite into the pie ...

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Having taken an interest in Peranakan cuisine lately, the new limited-time only Nyonya Chicken from KFC piqued my interest, with its description of chicken “drenched with an aromatic sauce, made of coconut, chillies, dried shrimp, curry spices and laksa leaves”. Using the base of a typical “spicy” chicken, this item carries a hint of rendang flavour; perhaps it could be a little salty to some, but the sauce does carry a fragrant hint of rempah spices that is pretty alluring, providing the “Nyonya” flavours that it promises in the namesake — the chicken not being particularly spicy, and should be pretty suitable even for those with a lower tolerance of spiciness. Pretty decent overall.

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Up, down and everywhere around for food.

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