Foodie Swellness: McDonald’s new CBO

So McDonald’s® has launched a new sandwich for their regular menu in Canada: the CBO® (which stands for Chicken, Bacon, Onion). The CBO is actually based on a similar McDonald’s sandwich in France, with a few tweaks to make it fit the Canadian market. The CBO is composed of a crispy seasoned chicken filet, black pepper and onion sauce, hickory-smoked bacon and crispy onions, all on an artisan-style sesame and onion bun.

(And if you’re wondering what a health writer and marathoner is doing eating McDonald’s, well, you can check out my blog bio — but in a nutshell, I’m all about balance, and I don’t pretend to eat only kale and quinoa day in and day out…I try to eat real, unprocessed food most of the time and a quick scan at my Instagram, I’m @healthandswellness, and you’ll see I eat what I love, and I love a lot of different foods).

When I do go to McDonald’s, I often order the McChicken sandwich (for breakfast, it’s Sausage McMuffin with Egg) so I was curious to see how the CBO would taste given my fondness for their classic chicken burger. I got a chance to attend an exclusive event and get an advance taste of the CBO (although it has rolled out on a low-key basis) in Toronto last week. McDonald’s cashier was my very first job ever so it was fun to take part in one of their launches now in the role of food lover. And, hey, I will never turn down McDonald’s French Fries. Here’s some footage from that evening (Eek! I am so not comfortable in front of a camera!)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Vwt3B1BBhrMframeborder%3D0allowfullscreen

First bite of the CBO and I found it quite enjoyable: the chicken is juicy and I like the savoury pepper and onion sauce. Also, the bacon is chopped up, which makes it easier to eat than strips or a round of bacon, and helps ensure you get some bacon with every bite (one of the reasons the CBO recipe was re-designed in Canada). I actually don’t recall seeing the crispy onion bits. Although I start eating the sandwich and find myself enjoying the onion bun, I find that as I eat more of the sandwich, the onion taste is a bit overwhelming (plus, it’s reminding me that I used to eat onion buns way too often in university). Perhaps it’s the combination of both crispy onion bits and the onion bun that’s onion overload for me…By the last few bites of the sandwich, I find myself eating just the insides of the sandwich.

All in all, I enjoyed the sandwich and could see myself ordering it when I’m feeling like something different than my usual. I’d say it’s a fancier version of a McChicken (McDonald’s even calls the CBO bun “artisanal,” how very hipster of them…). I wonder if I could get the CBO on a regular sesame bun? That might make my palate happier (but then I’d be one of those customers I used to dread with their convoluted custom orders…).

Have you tried the CBO yet? Thoughts??

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2 Comments February 3, 2015

Foodie Swellness: Five Guys Burgers and Fries

As you can see, I am most definitely not on a New Year’s detox…

What: Five Guys Burgers and Fries (which I’ve been meaning to try for awhile, but the first locations in Toronto were out in the burbs. Now there’s one downtown!).

Where: 329 Yonge St., Toronto (and many other locations across Canada)

Atmosphere: Bright lighting, white tiled walls, cheap looking wood-grain tables and chairs…you’re not here for the ambiance, in other words.

Go here if: You want a better burger than the one from a big-chain fast food joint.

What to order: I had the little burger (this means one meat patty; the regular burger has two meat patties). I found the burger meh. I might’ve made the mistake of ordering it with everything on it, as the cheese (I think it’s process cheese, it was very bright and gooey in any case) and mushroom and all of the other toppings may have overwhelmed the actual beef. The bun was cold. The fries were solid, a good level of outside crispiness with soft potato inside. All in all, I was underwhelmed, though. Let’s call is ranking in at so-so swellness. In my opinion, this place has got nothing against a good ol’ greasy burger from Holy Chuck Burger or one from Burger’s Priest.

However, I’ve been told by friends who’ve been to other locations if Five Guys that the quality and ambiance varies greatly from one location to the next and that other location indeed serve an amazing burger.

What you can skip: To say the regular fries was very ample is an understatement. We barely ate half of one serving, so I don’t think one would ever need to order a large fries (unless you’re sharing it amongst a large family!).

2 Comments January 9, 2013

Eating healthy isn’t more expensive

With $1 items on fast-food menus, it might seem that eating junk food high in sugar and fat is cheaper than eating healthy foods.

But a new study conducted by the Agriculture Department in the U.S. has found that when you look at it from a portion or weight (food weight, that is) perspective, eating veggies, fruit, grains and dairy products is less costly than eating foods high in sugar, saturated fats and salt.

So you can save your health and some money by eating well.

Which’ll give you more money to spend on sweet buys, such as this Banjo and Matilda cashmere heart sweater. It’s incentive enough (other than, of course, the incentive of good health and all!), dontcha think?

Leave a Comment May 17, 2012