Mcdonald's regional menus - McLobster Roll etc

To people who detest fast food, never mind. To people who make that FF pit stop....

OK, if this has been discussed before, just point me to the link. I'm having a goggle burn out.

Anyway while looking up my favorite lobster roll restaurant, I discovered that McDonalds serves Lobster Roll in Maine in the summer - %5.95 - lobster, mayo, roll. It got some favorable reviews from some people. Speculation about where the lobster originated was anywhere from ... fresh Maine Lobster to Panama City where a plane flys in twice a week to pick up the lobster.... the plane, the plane...

First. has anyone tried it? Is it any good?

Also, from driving around the country, it seems that McDonald's has regional menus. What is unique to your area and is it any good? The international sites have there own specialites. While I've only had a McDonald's meal once overseas (out of sheer desperation), I like to stop by and see the different menus in different countries. I only tell this shameful little quirk to my good freinds...

[SungSook]

In Hawaii they also have a fried taro root pie, which isn't bad!

[Prax1134]

http://www.theleong.com/blog/blogpics...

The only way I'm eating McDonald's ever again is if I am in Japan and get me a MEGA TAMAGO. Just look at that thing! 3 patties, bacon, lettuce, egg, cheese, some kind of heart-stopper sauce..... MEGA TAMAGO!!!! Japan is awesome.

/Delusion

[thenurse]

McRib is back in Toronto, as was the Shamrock shake, until St. Patty's Day of course.

[mepm231]

I know this is an old post but I just got back from a trip to Thailand and the McDonald's had a Pork Burger, a Samurai Pork Burger (don't know the difference) and a "Carribean" Shrimp Burger.

Also for dessert, pineapple pie and a choco banana pie!

Hmm..

Up here on the frozen Tundra (Edmonton.AB) we seem to get all of the McDonald's 'inventions'. Sometimes I think we are the testing ground for these concoctions!

We've had McPizza (very nasty), McRibs, Fajitas, shak em up salads, the big Xtra, the crispy chicken deluxes, the breakfast burritos, breakfast bagels.. and just about anything else, unless it's really regional (no lobster here!)

I did notice in NC, they didn't have a McChicken on their regular menu like they do here, and when did they did have it, they had it on a plain bun, instead of a sesame seed one :)

P.S. Anyone know why they don't have fries at TacoHell down in the states?? :)

Various McDs in Baltimore pull out the McCrabcake once a year. Not wonderful, by any stretch but when I was a starving art student in Charm City, it made me feel pretty damned luxe on my meager budget.

xxxKat

[lvanleer]

The McCrabcake is not just in Baltimore...I've seen it on the Eastern Shore of Maryland during the summer months.

Also available in Hawaiian McD's - Portuguese sausage McMuffins.

What's next...McSushi?

Those lobster rolls are also available in Massachusetts and I believe in the rest of New England. A famous Boston Hound who shall remain nameless, swears by them.

Okay, I'll come out of the closet :)...And I do think they're pretty good; it's the only time of year I venture into Micky D's (very convenient when summer antiquing takes one off the chow-path)...They're on an untoasted, unbuttered roll, which I think is a plus, and are made with minimal mayo, and served with some lettuce...I mean, it's not gourmet,(of course, lobster rolls by definition aren't..) but it's probably the healthiest thing they offer...

Several of the McDonald's in SoCal have added Mexican food to their menus (burritos, tacos, breakfast burritos, etc.). I haven't tried anything because it seems so out of place to me for McDonald's. My SO tried the breakfast burrito with chorizo and thought it was disgusting-too much fatty meat. They have also brought the McRib sandwich back for a "limited time" here in SoCal. I used to like it when I was younger, but am scared to try it now since I am old enough to realize that the quality of the meat is probably very low.

The tacos are surprisingly good. I worked a lot in Mexico city and they are pretty true to the genre (I was eating at street vendors). Soft corn tacos, a little salsa, stewed (or something) chicken or beef. Not overly stuffed. They only had them for a limited time in SF.

I would like to know (maybe not) how McDonald's gets that "unique" texture in the McRib. That certain sponginess..

[Paul Weller]

I have to admit I like the Mcrib once or twice a year. The dyed on grill marks on the patty and simualted bones on the contour are pretty awesome touches.

[KevinB]

They just re-introduced the McRib in Toronto. As much as I shouldn't eat fast food, I'm going to have one!

Every McD's I've seen has the Fruit-N-Yogurt Parfait, so I imagine it's pretty commonplace. Seen advertisements for some new chicken and flatbread sandwich (looked like a chalupa), and I'm in the backwoods of Central Florida, so I'm sure it should be everywhere soon.

I noticed McVeggie burgers in NYC, and pizza (really underdone triangle-shaped Tree Tavern-type) in that huge Bass store they have in Kansas City.

Have seen Lobster Rolls advertised outside either Boston or Providence, but never got to try.

I read a while back that Miami was starting a Dulce de Leche milkshake and some other Cuban-style entree. . .can any Miami hounds confirm?

McD's in several parts of the country serve a bratwurst sandwich -- called, of course, a McBrat.

-- Paul

I don't eat at McD's at all but I've noticed in the last few years some changes in the NYC menus. Mc Veggie burgers are now quite commonplace. Also on 8th Ave. there is a branch that has a Krispy Kreme style donut making machine proudly displayed in the window churning out McDonuts, or whatever they call them. The newest thing I've seen is a chicken on flatbread panini ala COSI.

Frank

If you go to McDonald's website, there's a pull down list of all the countries where McDonald's has restuarants. It seems that some of the international items are moving into the US Market.

The United Kingdom originated the Chicken on Focaccia bun. The also have a McBacon Roll which has back bacon and brown sauce served in a maize-topped roll Ironically the UK also sells hot dogs.

The Veggie burger is available in Bahrain and seems to have originated in Switzerland. Check out Switzerland. Ir has some sort of McBus that travels to the seaside in Spain and Italy.

Turkey has the KöfteBurger made of a spicy meat patty inside a bun enriched with a yogurt mix and spiced tomato sauce

Italy has a salad of shrimp and salmon.

In Austria, in the McCafe you can get Austrian and Italian cakes.

Checkout the McRye in Finland. Not sure what the heck that is.

During lent in Greece you can get spring rolls.

In Hong Kong there is a curry potato pie and a red bean sunday.

India has the most diverse menu with the Big Mac being made out of mutton.

Israel has Kosher McDonalds that are closed on Saturdays and religious holidays.

There's the Teriyaki McBurge in Japan, a sausage patty on a bun with teriyaki sauce.

In Korea there's the Bulgogi Burger, a 100% Pork patty on a bun with bulgogi sauce and lettuce.

In the Netherlands there's The McKroket, a version of a Dutch sandwich.

In New Zealand the Kiwiburger adds a slice of beet root, an egg, lettuce and tomato to the Quarter Pounder

In Portugal, "bica", a local esspresso-like drink is served using porcelain cups with Portuguese style cakes called "pasteis de nata".

Swedem has a McSki where skiers can ski up to the restaurant and place an order (ski thru?)

But NOTHING on the site about regional US Specialties. This started with me looking for the McLobster.

Is the Mcbratwurst any good?

It is interesting to read through the McDonald's international sites to see how they also contribute to each country with educational and medical programs.

Recently McD introduced a Chicken Tandori Sandwich which I was able to try in Australia. Naan bread, yougurt dressing. It was pretty bad, but I just HAD to try it.

A couple of years ago I found myself in McD's in Madrid. They had an impressive variety of salads (the ones where you pour in the dressing and shake), with several I wish were in the US. One had seafood, one had lots of veggies, and they all had lots of olives.

Ah yes, the new Chicken Flatbread Sandwich.

Ew. Gross.

what they call flatbread is unlike any other flatbread I've seen- it comes pre-folded like a taco, is about 1/2 inch thick on each side of the filling, and is seasoned with something that just makes it horrible. I tried a sample of the bread, swallowed the first bite, and spit out the second. They're ripping off Jack In The Box (a VERY good fast food chain out here in the west) and their Chicken Fajita Pita.

The lobster rolls are quite tasty, and cheap too!

In TN once, I did see a chicken fried steak bisquit sandwich, which was suprisingly good.

As a ex-road warrior, my on-the-run, in-a-town -I-don't-know breakfast is the sausage bisquit sandwich. I was always amazed at how the quality of the bisquits varied across the US.

They're really not bad. I avoid McDonalds at all costs, but I think it was the Boston Globe that did an article on the Lobster Roll last year, saying that it really was what they said it was- decent lobster without much filler. I've tried it twice now, while with people where were a bit more McD's inclined. Once in Kittery, Maine and other was probably here in MA. It's really not bad, probably the best thing on their menu (for all THAT says.)

We definately talked about the McLobster Roll before... It's not bad... better than some I have had for almost double the price.

I once ran into McLatte in the Seattle area.

When I lived in New Mexico back in '96, I found out you could order any burger with green chiles. Made for some interesting names: green chile big mac, etc.

I saw the lobster rolls advertised when I lived on Cape Cod a couple summers ago, but never tried one.

The McD's in Hawaii serve sai min and rice. In Paris, I saw them advertise a "Croque McDo" - a fast food version of a croque monsieur. Even in the picture you could see the grease oozing from the sandwich!!

The Hawaii McDonald's also offer their version of plate lunch: Spam along with the "2 scoop" of macaroni salad and/or potato salad.

Just out of curiousity, what exactly constitutes a "plate lunch"?

Where I come from (the South) a plate lunch is meat and threes, i.e. - a meat and three (or two) veggies and usually a bread. Decent, but not big, portions characterize a plate lunch. Keep in mind that "veggies" in the South include macaroni and cheese and rice and gravy!

A Hawaiian plate lunch is any of a bunch of kinds of meat preparations, served over rice and accompanied by two scoops of potato or macaroni salad. Served in coffeeshop-type places, from lunch trucks, etc.

My experience in Hawaii (over 35 trips) is that the plate lunch consists of a limited number of selected items which include; rice doled out by the ice cream scoop, Kim Chi, macaroni salad, fried chicken, pork ribs cooked in a teriyaki sauce. These are offered at lunch wagons or very modest cafes. One of the best is Chicken Annie's in Honolulu. It is just behind the Ala Moana shopping center. Another tip for anyone headed to the islands is to be careful when ordering shaved ice. Shaved ice is NOT a Sno Cone. The ice should be frozen in a wheel that is rotated against a sharp blade. Crushing the ice does not produce the desired consistancy. Aloha.

[spellweaver16]

In my opinion, shaved ice is FAR superior to a snocone. No big chunks to chomp on, and the flavoring doesn't all go to the bottom. Love it.

[spkspk]

I also believe it's referred to as "shave" ice, without the "d."

I believe we have been down this road before. Anyway, last summer I saw lobster rolls at our McDonald's in Central Maine. My sister says they're not bad. I think I heard the lobster is frozen, and it's from Maine.

I've had a parfait at McD's twice now. It's almond yogurt layered with fruit and granola. It's pretty damn good, and actually seems healthy. I have seen it offered in Dawsonville, GA and the Pittsburgh airport (don't I just get around?). Why can't they all have it...what's the deal?

In the IL food safety class I took, one of the "marketers" for this product was in the class. I asked about the sugar content in the yogurt. He said it was pretty high.

But you're right, for McD's it is fairly healthy.

Yep - where you save in fat you definitely make up for in sugar. Those little fruity treats pack a whopping 400 calories a pop.

In the Detroit area they do now, but I haven't had it yet -- a nod to the noncarnivores or cholesterol impaired perhaps--in any case, a good addition.

McDonald's has had the parfait in California (North and South) for close to three years now.