Carl's Jr. - Portobello Mushroom $6 Burger ($5.00) Rating: 6

Mark Lim - The Portobello Mushroom $6 Burger looked amazing when I took it out of the box but Carl's Jr. always finds a way to disappoint me.

Other than being a little squished from sitting at the bottom of the bag the burger looked just like the commercials. The juices, melted cheese, and portobello mushrooms merged together in perfect harmony.

It fit just right in my hand. I couldn't wait to swallow it whole.

The mushrooms were plentiful and covered the entire burger which is rare experience at Carl's. They're supposed to be sauteed in garlic butter but were lacking saltiness. Normally when I order a specialty burger they don't give me enough of the "special" (e.g. Prime Rib and Kentucky Bourbon) but this one had the right amount of goodies.

The other condiments suffered though. Look at the pitiful amount of onions they gave me. They did include two large slices of tomato which was a surprise since they normally skimp on them.

Don't let my large head fool you. The burger is pretty big.

Here's a picture of the two nice tomato slices.

This is the second time I've had the Carl's Jr. Portobello Mushroom burger and while it looks wonderful the flavor is too subtle for me. The meat had a nice smokey flavor but the swiss cheese was too mild, the mushrooms didn't have the garlic butter kick, and there weren't enough onions to spice it up.

Carl's Jr. - Portobello Mushroom Burger

Taste ------------ (4) Bland, mild, no strong flavor
Presentation -----(9) Good looking burger
Price ------------- (6) $6 burgers are $5. Not that great of a deal
Quantity --------- (8) It's large and hefty
Satisfaction ----- (5) I was full but I wanted something salty after

Rating: 6 out of 10

It's not a bad burger. I like it much better than the Prime Rib or the Kentucky Bourbon which are both horrific but it lacked that "Mmm..." factor. Before I took my first bite I had visions of a delicious flavor explosion but was disappointed with a taste deprived mouthful. I guess looks can be deceiving.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me 3 times, I don't think so. I won't be getting this burger a 3rd time.

Be Fat! Be Happy!

Jack in the Box - Mini Sirloin Burgers - ($4.00) Rating: 8

Mark Lim - Burger Technology has grown leaps and bounds over the years and has even borrowed a few tricks from Silicon Valley.

Jack in the Box's Mini Sirloin Burgers don't boast their size or messiness like Carl's Jr's menu but are built more like microchips. These little bad boys are small, efficient, and pack a flavorful punch that rival the biggest of burgers.

Here's a pack of 3 for $3.99

The mini burgers are around 2.5 inches in diameter but are actually quite filling

Here is the well crafted and neat guts of the mini burger

Close up of the Sirloin patty

These Mini Burgers are perfect for the OCD consumer. They're neatly constructed and are much easier to eat than a full sized burger. They weren't messy and held together really well.

Usually when I order a big burger from a fast food joint the condiments and toppings are sparsely placed on top but with these tiny burgers the condiments and toppings were evenly placed. I was surprised at how much I liked the Mini Sirloin Burgers.

Jack in the Box - Mini Sirloin Burgers

Taste ------------ (8) The patty tasted good
Presentation -----(8) The burgers were well built
Price ------------- (6) 3.99 is about average for a burger
Quantity --------- (7) It looks small but it's a good amount
Satisfaction ----- (8) I was full and wasn't covered in grease

Rating: 8 out of 10

I bought 9 of these burgers and gave a couple friends a stack. They also agreed that the burgers were quite good. I'd definitely get them again. :)

Be Fat! Be Happy!

Quizno's - Italian Torpedo ($4.40) Rating: 6

Mark Lim - All hands on deck! Here comes a Torpedo! Yes, Quizno's has a new sandwich that rivals Subway's $5 Foot Long and it only costs $4.

It's like those people who make 6 minute Ab workouts to combat the people who make the 7 minute Abs.

The TV commercials for the Torpedo with the smooth talking Oven trying to seduce a sandwich maker is a little too sexual for me but the subs are pretty good. I ordered two Torpedos. This one is the Tuna:

Quiznos has a fixin's bar that has different sauces and toppings which is nice

Here's the Italian Sub:

The problem with the Torpedos isn't their taste but in their construction. The bread isn't one piece but built more like a regular sandwich with two pieces of bread that aren't connected. They do this so it's easier to put them through the conveyor toaster but it becomes a huge problem when you try to eat it because it simply falls apart.

If we're talking value then Subway's $5 Foot Long destroys the $4 Torpedo. Why? Because most Subway doesn't charge tax on their $5 Foot Longs but Quiznos does which makes their $4 Torpedoes $4.33.

Quiznos - Italian Torpedo + Tuna Torpedo

Taste ------------ (7) These are good subs
Presentation -----(4) It's messy and falls apart
Price ------------- (5) It's ok but Subway's prices are better
Quantity --------- (6) It's a good amount of food
Satisfaction ----- (6) I was full but I ate two of them

Rating: 6 out of 10

If we're talking taste then I would give Quiznos a slight edge because their ingredients seem a little better but the Subway Subs are much much bigger than the Quizno Torpedos which means they give you more bang for the buck.

The Quiznos Torpedo is a good sub but if there was a Subway next door I'd go there instead because I'm cheap like that.

Be Fat! Be Happy!

KFC - Kentucky Grilled Chicken ($9) Rating: 2

Mark Lim - Ancient Chinese Proverb - Do not Grill what can be Fried.

When I heard KFC was introducing their new Grilled Chicken I thought it was another joke. I've heard way too many strange tales about KFC like the laboratory they own where they genetically mutate chickens so they have 8 legs.

When I found out that the Grilled Chicken wasn't an urban legend I became very excited. More excited than a grown man should be when hearing about chicken cookery.

This is the bucket and no, it was not bucket worthy.

Strange color

Beta Testing the chicken

The grill marks look like they're trying way too hard

One piece of the 8 legged mutant

The chicken was the greasiest piece of meat I've ever had. I had to constantly wipe my hands before they started to prune. It also had a very strange chemical taste to it like they spray painted the grill marks on. The spices they used were disgusting and way too strong. I love KFC's fried chicken but grilled was a horrible idea.

El Pollo Loco has them beat hands down.

KFC - Kentucky Grilled Chicken

Taste ------------ (2) Horrible horrible horrible
Presentation -----(2) The chicken looked funky
Price ------------- (6) It's a decent price for bad chicken
Quantity --------- (6) It's a lot of chicken
Satisfaction ----- (1) I will never ever get it again

Rating: 2 out of 10

Please stay away from the grilled chicken and let's hope KFC keeps these 11 herbs and spices a secret forever.

Be Fat! Be Happy!

Macaroni Grill - Lasagna ($15) Rating: 3

Mark Lim - I've never had veal and I've always wanted to eat baby cow parts but I know some of my friends would be pretty mad at me if I tried it. (which probably means it's amazing)

So instead of ordering cute infant calf meat I decided to get Macaroni Grill's specialty Lasagna. It was pretty gross but we'll get to that disappointment later.

The first disappointment of the night was the appetizer sampler. It came with flavorless calamari, too hard to eat bruschetta, and the blandest mozzarella sticks I've ever had.

Mmm... nothing special

The Fiance and I enjoying our meal

The plate looked great but it was more of a tomato soup than a lasagna. It was one of the worst I've ever had. I could not taste any of the cheeses because of an overpowering fennel licorice-y flavor that destroyed the dish.

I thought that extra cheese would help. It didn't.

The lasagna was quite sad but I was pleasantly surprised with my dad's Prime Rib. I didn't like how they plated the dish but the meat was excellent. The texture and the tenderness was amazing especially for the affordable price. This was a great deal.

Lauren got the Lobster Ravioli and that was awesome too! By now I was getting really jealous of everyone's meal but they let me pick at their plates so I felt a little better.

Macaroni Grill - Lasagna

Taste ------------ (3) No good. Too saucy too much fennel
Presentation -----(8) It looked great though!
Price ------------- (4) It was way over priced at $15
Quantity --------- (7) The size wasn't bad
Satisfaction ----- (2) I was not satisfied

Rating: 3 out of 10

I would have gave the Prime Rib and Lobster Ravioli a score of 8. I'd still love to go back to Macaroni Grill but I will never get the Lasagna again.

Be Fat! Be Happy!

Mill Creek Cattle Company - BBQ + Goodies ($18) Rating: 7

Mark Lim - We've been searching all over Southern California for an affordable wedding venue with no luck. Lauren's mother suggested a place called the Mill Creek Cattle Company but her idea was instantly shot down by my fiance.

I had never heard of the place before so I asked why there was "no way in hell" we were having our wedding reception there. Instead of telling me why she decided to show me.

I thought the place was awesome! I loved the old pictures and giant animal heads on the wall. I even liked the Confederate flag! Yeehaw! She was afraid the Asian side of my family would freak out and they probably would but I don't really care. It's our wedding and if I want to dress up like Ulysses S. Grant wearing a kilt then I'm going to.

The food was a great price so I was excited to order. I chose the super combo with Pork Ribs, Pulled Pork, and BBQ Chicken. It came with a broccoli and cheese soup and a big stuffed potato.

I think I'm getting a little "Oh So Fat" myself

The Chicken and Ribs were a little over cooked. It was Easter and they had just finished up their brunch so I think we got the left overs. The place is usually packed but only 2 of the tables were filled. I'm sure the BBQ would have been better if we had came around dinner time. The food was gorgeous looking though.

Lauren got the pork ribs and the sweet potato fries

The large crispy and brown croutons and garbanzo beans made the salad.

This was one of the best soups I've ever had. It was truly amazing and I would come back just for their broccoli cheese.

Corn bread and sweet butter

Pictured Left to Right: Stuffed Baked Potato, Pulled Pork, Pork Ribs, and BBQ Chicken

The stuffed baked potato was also fantastic. I probably could have ate it just like a tater-tot.

The place had a wonderful ambiance. It was just what you'd imagine a restaurant in a town called "Mentone" would look like. The service was great as well. Maybe a little too great. The waitress was at our table about 8-10 times during our meal. Towards the end she admited she was just really really bored.

The food was hit and miss. The BBQ wasn't all that great and I prefer Lucille's. The meat just wasn't tender enough. I did find it strange that the Pulled Pork, Baked Potato, and Broccoli Cheese Soup were some of the best I've ever had.

Mill Creek Cattle Company - BBQ Pork Ribs, Pulled Pork, BBQ Chicken, Stuffed Baked Potato, and Broccoli Cheese Soup

Taste ------------ (6) I was torn. The main course missed but the sides hit
Presentation -----(9) It was a really cool looking place and the food looked great
Price ------------- (7) The price was right on. Not too expensive
Quantity --------- (9) Tons of food. I actually had left overs!
Satisfaction ----- (6) I was disappointed with the BBQ but I want to give them another shot

Rating: 7 out of 10

I'm still on the fence about this place because it didn't have quality BBQ but the sides were so damn good. I think they might have had an off day because of Easter so I'm going to try them again. I'm betting they'll rock my socks the next time.

Be Fat! Be Happy!

Fosters Freeze - The Big Boss Burger ($6) Rating: 6

Mark Lim - I was mezmorized by the dazzling colors and the cold creamy desserts from a Dairy Queen commercial and ran like I never ran before to my car to find one. I felt like Dog The Bounty Hunter but instead of hunting down criminals I was hunting down the taste of an awesome burger.

I got a hot tip from my roommate of where to find one so I rushed over there. When I reached my destination I was devestated to find out it wasn't a Dairy Queen but a Fosters Freeze! I quickly used my GPS to find another but when I got there it was shut down! It was not meant to be.

I was defeated. I decided to go back to the Fosters Freeze and see if they could lift my spirits. I decided on getting "The Big Boss" burger

The Big Boss comes with bacon, onion rings, cheese, pickles, lettus, and a big piece of meat. I was impressed by its beauty.

Sadly, the burger was not as flavorful as it looked. It had great texture and crunch from the bacon and onion rings but the burger itself was pretty bland. I was also disappointed that it cost so much.

It was a gorgeous burger but it tasted like one of those ones that they shellac and put on display.

Fosters Freeze Big Boss Burger

Taste ------------ (6) Kind of bland. Not much flavor
Presentation -----(9) It was a gorgeous burger
Price ------------- (5) $6 was kind of expensive for the size
Quantity --------- (6) It was ok
Satisfaction ----- (6) I was still a little hungry

Rating: 6 out of 10

It was kind of sad seeing a family owned franchise like this Fosters Freeze hurting so bad because of the economy. It was the middle of the lunch rush and I was the only person in the place. I think the food would have been much better if the place was busy. It felt dead inside and food wasn't as fresh as it would have been if they had been making burgers all day. I'll drive past it next time to see if it's busier and maybe I'll stop in again and try something new :)

Be Fat! Be Happy!