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We taste McDonald’s Japan’s brand-new garlic burger, shrimp sandwich, and more

Dale Roll Oct 13, 2018
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How do the Gran Garlic Pepper, Ebi Filet-o, and Teriyaki Chicken Filet-o sandwiches stack up to McDonald’s regular fare?

McDonald’s, despite being primarily a quantity-over-quality fast food joint, is actually pretty good in Japan, at least compared to the U.S. I don’t know what it is, but McDonald’s burgers taste far better in Japan, and for the most part, barring one exception, what you get actually matches the tasty-looking image in the ads.

McDonald’s Japan not only offers awesome rotating specials, like face-punchingly spicy McNuggets and the popular American burger series, but their regular menu is nothing to sniff at, either. In fact, just the other day they added three delightful options to their usual lineup: the Gran Garlic Pepper (390 yen, US$3.48), Ebi Filet-o (390 yen), and Teriyaki Chicken Filet-o (360 yen) sandwiches.

Actually, they’ve always had a shrimp (ebi) filet sandwich, but it looks like they’ve changed the recipe for the patty and the sauce, so they’ve chosen to debut it again as a totally new menu item. Some branches have also previously offered a teriyaki chicken sandwich on a limited basis, but this new move allows locations across the country to have it on the menu at all times.

Meanwhile, the Gran Garlic Pepper Burger is a truly new menu item, and also the latest addition to McDonald’s Japan’s “Gran” burger series. As fans of McDonald’s, we had to try all three of these sandwiches as soon as we could.

The Gran Garlic Pepper Burger is really tasty! The sauce has a little bit of kick to it, but it goes really well with the patty and brings out its meaty flavor. Even though the meat and the sauce pack a punch, though, the tomato and the lettuce bring a nice freshness to the combination, which cleanses your palate and leaves your mouth feeling refreshed afterward, instead of the heavy aftertaste we sometimes get after eating a burger.

The Teriyaki Chicken Filet-o is a perfect harmony of crispy fried batter and salty-sweet sauce. The mild creaminess of the mayonnaise gives it an extra, delicious edge. With just one bite of this sandwich you’re sent to a saucy, melt-in-your-mouth paradise. It is, without a doubt, a well put-together sandwich. Since we’ve eaten this sandwich before, it didn’t make the same strong impression on us that the brand-new Gran Garlic Pepper Burger did, but it’s still as tasty as it ever was.

The same goes for the Ebi Filet-o, which is more revitalized than new. Just looking at it, however, we wondered what’s changed. It looks pretty much the same, smells the same, so what’s the big deal? Perhaps, perfect as the Teriyaki Chicken Filet-o is, McDonald’s might not have gone wrong by simply adding the Gran Garlic Pepper Burger to their menu.

That’s what we were thinking until we bit into the “new and improved” Ebi Filet-o, which changed our minds completely. It’s absolutely delicious! The battered exterior is delightfully crunchy, and once you bite into it, little shrimps start peeking out of the patty, so you know that it’s made of real ingredients. The taste of creamy seafood just fills your mouth with every bite, and the sweet and sour flavor of the Aurora Sauce comes in sharp contrast. The mixing of the creamy-salty and the sweet-sour brings out the best of both flavors. The sauce is so good!!

The Ebi Filet-o is definitely our favorite of the three. Though it’s a remake of an already classic McDonald’s Japan sandwich, they did a phenomenal job of improving it. Now it might even stand among the ranks of the Big Mac, as a big-league McDonald’s sandwich!

As a rule, we at SoraNews24 recommend you try some of Japan’s delicious native foods when visiting, but if you happen to find yourself needing a quick meal, perhaps late at night or otherwise, pop into a McDonald’s and try this sandwich. You won’t regret it and it’s exactly why McDonald’s Japan is doing better than ever.