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

Swellness Sundays

(Anything I find swell. Posted on Sundays. Real scientific, I know…)

“Now that’s a sandwich you need to be alone with,” said my lunch date. She then promised avert her eyes as I messily devoured it. She’s a good friend like that.

This is the shrimp po boy at The Gabardine, a resto I’ve had a thing for since checking it out about a year ago.

My only issue? I’m usually too full from my meal to order the outta this world burnt marshmallow ice cream sammitch (yeah, I said sammitch).

You want to go to there.

The Gabardine, 372 Bay St., Toronto, 647-352-3211

2 Comments February 19, 2012

Swellness: Olive et Gourmando

Trekking to Fashion Week in Montreal is treacherous — it’s in Old Montreal and those cobblestone roads are not easy when you’re in skyhigh heels, such as these (I am very, very fortunate I did not faceplant, let me tell you).

But what makes me oh so very thankful MFW is held in Old Montreal? I can skip (well, as much as I can skip in heels on cobblestone) over to Olive et Gourmando.

Incredibly delicious, if somewhat greasy (bet that’s what makes  ‘em yummy, though) grilled sandwiches. This melty thing here is the Cuban sandwich.

To die for baked goods; the fleur de sel turtle bar (chocolate, nuts, salt, caramel) is my weakness (but then again, I’ve always had a thing for sweet and salty). I limit myself to bringing home just one each visit. And I throw in an almond croissant, too.

This time around, I tried the macaroni and cheese and it was rich, with plenty of earthy mushrooms and gooey cheese throughout, and had the perfect balance of crunchy topping (it’s served baked in a shallow cast iron pan so every bite includes some crunchy goodness). I don’t seem to have a photo of it — I know I took one but I must’ve not saved it properly as I was in a mega rush to dig into my food.

Just. Go.

Here are their hours. Word to the wise — they’re always busy. Always. Go at lunch hour and it’ll be rammed (in fact, a group of us risked missing a flight by staying in the long lineup one time…that’s how much we wanted lunch from there). This time I went at 4PM (a slow time, you would think) and there was not an empty table in sight.

Olive et Gourmando, 351 rue Saint Paul Ouest.

2 Comments February 16, 2012