The official ATOT Fast Food discussion thread

[MrSquished]

I had major revelation recently about balsamic vinegar. Good balsamic is nothing like the crap that's sold at normal grocery stores. That's all I ever had and didn't know better. But I bought and tasted more expensive balsamic and it's like day and night difference. Almost mind-blowing experience. Now I want to buy the 25 years aged $180 for 100 milliliter bottle balsamic to see how much better the.top stuff is.

Brother in law got a high end bottle of Balsamic as a gift from an employee he manages that went to Italy. We put it on good vanilla ice cream and also tried it with some nice cheeses. It was amazing.

 

[zinfamous]

I had major revelation recently about balsamic vinegar. Good balsamic is nothing like the crap that's sold at normal grocery stores. That's all I ever had and didn't know better. But I bought and tasted more expensive balsamic and it's like day and night difference. Almost mind-blowing experience. Now I want to buy the 25 years aged $180 for 100 milliliter bottle balsamic to see how much better the.top stuff is.

yes, real balsamic is an actual thing. Very few people have actually had real balsamic vinegar. The stuff in stores is just red wine that has been pressed through some oak wood or some crap.

You've got to pay out the ass to sample the real deal. Honestly, $180 for 100ml sounds really cheap, lol. I thought the price was usually $6-10/ml, haha.

Thing is, it's extremely potent, super-concentrated flavor profile. so each drop of that stuff is like a tablespoon of the fake crap.

 

[MrSquished]

popeyes puts mayo on their chicken sandwich, which is also required for the "spicy" part of it, two major fouls. Like, humanity-ending fouls.

Popeyes chicken sandwich can not be defended by anyone with any moral center. It is an affront.

What's wrong with mayo on a chicken sandwich? The great Shake Shack puts an herb mayo on their magnificent fast food chicken sandwich. As far as spicy goes I'd prefer the spice was in the breading, but for a little kick, it does the job. Popeyes>Chick fil A but I'd go with a Chicken Shack over either. Those are the main three options around here for chain fast food chicken sammies.

 

[ponyo]

yes, real balsamic is an actual thing. Very few people have actually had real balsamic vinegar. The stuff in stores is just red wine that has been pressed through some oak wood or some crap.

You've got to pay out the ass to sample the real deal. Honestly, $180 for 100ml sounds really cheap, lol. I thought the price was usually $6-10/ml, haha.

Thing is, it's extremely potent, super-concentrated flavor profile. so each drop of that stuff is like a tablespoon of the fake crap.

Yeah, the balsamic I had at home was Whole Foods 365 brand. That crap is red wine mixed with vinegar. I didn't know how terrible it was until I tried little more expensive stuff. And the better balsamic I bought wasn't even crazy expensive. I ordered the $40 balsamic from Amazon. I wanted to try the cheaper one first to see if I could taste the difference. Like I said, the $40 one was like 1000 times better than the crap Whole Foods one. Now I want to try the $180 one from Amazon. To see if there is big difference between $40 and $180 version.

This is the one I'm thinking of ordering.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZGT5IZC/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_1?smid=AKM6DIP3IXMSR&psc=1

If you know better one, please let me know. I want to try the best.

 

[ponyo]

What's wrong with mayo on a chicken sandwich? The great Shake Shack puts an herb mayo on their magnificent fast food chicken sandwich. As far as spicy goes I'd prefer the spice was in the breading, but for a little kick, it does the job. Popeyes>Chick fil A but I'd go with a Chicken Shack over either. Those are the main three options around here for chain fast food chicken sammies.

Chick-fil-a > Popeyes. Zaxby's chicken sandwich > Popeyes. I like Popeyes spicy chicken but their sandwich is way overhyped and not that good.

 

[Captante]

Cholula is pretty common hot sauce. I don't buy it because I think it's overpriced and I like Louisiana Hot Sauce the best.

That stuff has decent flavor but it's seriously watery ... cheap though I'll give it that much. If I'm going el-cheapo I prefer Crystal myself but I think plain old Franks Red-hot is better then either one of them.

Also it's a completely different style of hot-sauce ... EDIT: Valentina for example is another (and far less expensive) Mexican chili sauce that would make a better comparison. Cholula IS very overpriced at full-retail on that you are correct.

Chick-fil-a > Popeyes. Zaxby's chicken sandwich > Popeyes. I like Popeyes spicy chicken but their sandwich is way overhyped and not that good.

The chicken IS better no question (I like the nuggets) ... the politics not so much. I always feel dirty somehow when I break down and eat there.

Of course I don't actually know much about Popeyes "Politics" so ....


Having said all that ... you are of course allowed to like whatever you want!

 

[Captante]

whoops

 

[ponyo]

And another thing I discovered recently. Thai coconut is way better than Mexico coconut or Caribbean or South American coconut. Thai coconut is way sweeter and tastes more milky than the coconuts from our southern neighbors. Costco had some Thai coconuts recently and I've been buying bunch every week. It's $3 per coconut and so awesome. I had one for breakfast this morning.

And other thing I discovered recently. Trader Joe's croissants they sell in the frozen section is the best grocery store croissants I've tasted. I had the chocolate one this morning and it was excellent but I like their almond croissant the best. I highly recommend Trader Joe's froze croissants.

 

[MrSquished]

That stuff has decent flavor but it's seriously watery ... cheap though I'll give it that much. If I'm going el-cheapo I prefer Crystal myself but I think plain old Franks Red-hot is better then either one of them.

Also it's a completely different style of hot-sauce ... Victoria for example is another (and far less expensive) Mexican chili sauce that would make a better comparison. Cholula IS very overpriced at full-retail on that you are correct.

Agreed. Those Louisiana style hot sauces just don't have a similar flavor profile to Cholula. They are more just like a watery peppery heat where Cholula actually has a flavor profile. If you like it it's worth a couple extra bucks, especially since a hot sauce bottle can go a long way.

Frank's is so good for chicken wings, mixed with butter like Kaido posted. Although the best chicken wings I've ever had were at a Korean fusion place and they were doused in a gochujang based hot sauce.

This organic hot sauce I found at an animal sanctuary I visited once is my favorite to put on pretty much anything:

https://tamerlaine.org/merchandise/rudys-hot-smoked-red

I keep a bottle of Cholula, gochujang, sriracha, that Tamerlaine farms one and another usually on hand. Definitely recommend trying the tamerlaine farms one.

 

[Captante]

Agreed. Those Louisiana style hot sauces just don't have a similar flavor profile to Cholula. They are more just like a watery peppery heat where Cholula actually has a flavor profile. If you like it it's worth a couple extra bucks, especially since a hot sauce bottle can go a long way.

Frank's is so good for chicken wings, mixed with butter like Kaido posted. Although the best chicken wings I've ever had were at a Korean fusion place and they were doused in a gochujang based hot sauce.

This organic hot sauce I found at an animal sanctuary I visited once is my favorite to put on pretty much anything:

https://tamerlaine.org/merchandise/rudys-hot-smoked-red

I keep a bottle of Cholula, gochujang, sriracha, that Tamerlaine farms one and another usually on hand. Definitely recommend trying the tamerlaine farms one.

For awhile I was getting Valentina which is what I meant to post above at the Dollar-store (the real dollar store @ $1 a bottle) so I stocked up. Unfortunately they ran out and I'm down to my last one. I actually like it more than the regular Cholula.

 

[MrSquished]

For awhile I was getting Valentina which is what I meant to post above at the Dollar-store (the real dollar store @ $1 a bottle) so I stocked up. Unfortunately they ran out and I'm down to my last one. I actually like it more than the regular Cholula.

That's cheap! On Amazon it's 6 bucks for the 12oz. I'll check around here for it first. I need to find another general hot sauce too because that organic one I posted above is 8 bucks a bottle plus shipping. I like the Mexican style hot sauces on eggs though.

 

[Kaido]

Cholula is pretty common hot sauce. I don't buy it because I think it's overpriced and I like Louisiana Hot Sauce the best.

Haven't seen that one before, I'll keep on the lookout for it!

 

[Captante]

Haven't seen that one before, I'll keep on the lookout for it!

Try Walmart ... pretty sure Shoprite carries it too.

 

[QueBert]

Not cheap, but beloved patriot Bandito's one of my favorite hot sauces. Easy to find in So Cal, no so sure about the rest of the country though. For vinegary ones, Crystal's better than Louisiana.

 

[ponyo]

For awhile I was getting Valentina which is what I meant to post above at the Dollar-store (the real dollar store @ $1 a bottle) so I stocked up. Unfortunately they ran out and I'm down to my last one. I actually like it more than the regular Cholula.

I like Valentina because it's cheap and good. It's cheap at Walmart and Aldi. Like under a buck for the small bottle and under $2 for the huge bottle.

I'll let hot sauce snobs pay $5-$7 for hot sauce. I'll stick with Louisiana and Valentina. If I want to pay more than $2 for hot sauce, I rather eat Nando's Peri Peri XX hot sauce.

 

[Captante]

I like Valentina because it's cheap and good. It's cheap at Walmart and Aldi. Like under a buck for the small bottle and under $2 for the huge bottle.

I'll let hot sauce snobs pay $5-$7 for hot sauce. I'll stick with Louisiana and Valentina.

Valentina is actually tough to find around me at any price that's why I grabbed a bunch when the dollar store had them.

I only buy Cholula when its on sale and/or I have coupons... or at Costco where it ends up being approx $2.55 per bottle in a 2-pack.

 

[ponyo]

Valentina is actually tough to find around me at any price that's why I grabbed a bunch when the dollar store had them.

I only buy Cholula when its on sale and/or I have coupons... or at Costco where it ends up being approx $2.55 per bottle in a 2-pack.

Valentina is everywhere where I live. My favorite taco place uses it.

I can't pay more than $2 for hot sauce. I buy Nando's Peri Peri XX hot sauce when on sale for $2 at Publix. That's my price limit. I can get Louisiana for about a $1 and that's plenty good enough for me.

 

[lxskllr]

Walmart sells Valentina ~$2/L. It's a good sauce, especially factoring in price. Tabasco's my favorite "generic" hot sauce, and I like the Costa Rican habanero sauces. Brand doesn't matter much. They're all fairly similar with a chunky sauce, and a certain fruitiness. El Yucateco has some nice "dry" habanero sauces also. Those are good when you don't want a lot of fruitiness or vinegar flavor.

 

[MrSquished]

I love that people who pay retarded prices for way way overpriced french fashion goods whose supply chain is limited and hyped up just to cause insane 'look at me' prices care about 5 bucks being a snobbish price to pay for a hot sauce you enjoy many many times. We aren't talking about eating kobe beef for breakfast lunch and dinner, we are talking about 5 bucks for a hot sauce bottle that could last you multiple months for many many meals.

What a country.

 

[Captante]

Walmart sells Valentina ~$2/L. It's a good sauce, especially factoring in price. Tabasco's my favorite "generic" hot sauce, and I like the Costa Rican habanero sauces. Brand doesn't matter much. They're all fairly similar with a chunky sauce, and a certain fruitiness. El Yucateco has some nice "dry" habanero sauces also. Those are good when you don't want a lot of fruitiness or vinegar flavor.

It's not in the ones around me unfortunately at least not as of before the pandemic. I've been in a Walmart for less than 5 minutes total since Covid started.

 

[ponyo]

I love that people who pay retarded prices for way way overpriced french fashion goods whose supply chain is limited and hyped up just to cause insane 'look at me' prices care about 5 bucks being a snobbish price to pay for a hot sauce you enjoy many many times. We aren't talking about eating kobe beef for breakfast lunch and dinner, we are talking about 5 bucks for a hot sauce bottle that could last you multiple months for many many meals.

What a country.

lol. It's because I don't think hot sauce as anything special. Almost everything I eat is already spicy. I use crazy amount of chili pepper and gochujang in pretty much everything I cook. I eat kimchi with everything so I don't need hot sauce since I'm already getting my hot and vinegar flavor from kimchi. Really the only time I really use hot sauce is when I eat fried chicken or grilled chicken wings.

I view hot sauce snobs as spicy food posers. People who can't really eat hot food or rarely eat hot food but love to show off their gourmet hot sauce collection.

You see the spicy rice and fish cake dish on the left? That's pure heat made with gochujang. Most of you would die if you ate something that spicy. But that's normal everyday meal for me. I eat spicy all the time. So I don't put hot sauce on a pedestal.

 

[lxskllr]

Bet I could out fire you ponyo. I think you'd be crying uncle before me :^D

 

[Captante]

lol. It's because I don't think hot sauce as anything special. Almost everything I eat is already spicy. I use crazy amount of chili pepper and gochujang in pretty much everything I cook. I eat kimchi with everything so I don't need hot sauce since I'm already getting my hot and vinegar flavor from kimchi. Really the only time I really use hot sauce is when I eat fried chicken or grilled chicken wings.

I view hot sauce snob as spicy food posers. People who can't really eat hot food or rarely eat hot food but love to show off their gourmet hot sauce collection.

You see the spicy rice and fish cake dish on the left? That's pure heat made with gochujang. Most of you would die if you ate something that spicy. But that's normal everyday meal for me. I eat spicy all the time. So I don't put hot sauce on a pedestal.

I always ask for my food "Thai-spicy" when I eat at a Thai restaurant per my friend the food-reviewer.

Apparently this is Thai restaurant secret code for melt-your-face-off spicy. I've had waiters and managers come close to making me sign a release before they would serve my food.

 

[ponyo]

Bet I could out fire you ponyo. I think you'd be crying uncle before me :^D

You probably could. I don't enjoy stupid heat. I like good tasting heat.

The poser hot sauce snobs I'm talking about think stupid heat = good.

 

[Captante]

You probably could. I don't enjoy stupid heat. I like good tasting heat.

The poser hot sauce snobs I'm talking about think stupid heat = good.

Heat should be all about flavor ... that's why stuff like "Insanity-sauce" which is essentially a bottle of pourable bear-spray is just silly. Having said that I love the flavor of some Ghost-pepper sauces and they are extremely hot.

Keep in mind also that a $7 bottle of many hotter hot sauces (including MANY that taste very good) can potentially last 5 times longer than a bottle of the watered down stuff that goes for $2 so which one really costs less?