by Bottom Line: The Fiery Big Fish Sandwich from Burger King is a tasty and hefty fast food seafood offering that also brings a nice kick.
Fish is on the menu again. And it will be again and again for a while, and that’s a good thing. It is Lent Season when fish and seafood tend to be more plentiful at restaurants (especially fast food joints), and as a lover of a good fish sandwich, I really enjoy this season. Last week, I tried the Spicy Jack Fish Wrap from Jack in the Box (not a sandwich but in the same realm, more on that here), and this week I made it to the Burger King drive thru to pick up the new Fiery Big Fish.
That is a kicked up version of their regular Big Fish sandwich and it includes White Alaskan Pollock with crispy panko breading and a spicy glaze, sweet tartar sauce, lettuce, and crunchy pickles on a brioche-style bun.
The fish itself is a nice-sized piece with a crispy crust, and the “spicy glaze” isn’t so much a glaze as a good coating of spices. The filet is mild in taste but the crust is well-seasoned with a peppery kick and some nice heat. The tartar sauce is standard for fast food, but it adds some creaminess and tang if not much sweetness (even though they call it “sweet” tartar sauce). The lettuce adds some crunch and freshness and always goes well with a fish sandwich (the one thing I would add to McDonald’s classic Filet-O-Fish). The pickles are an unexpected addition for this type of sandwich, but they work well enough. The brioche bun is above average for the drive thru with a nice sheen to it and some sweetness, making up for what is lacking in the tartar sauce.
As for the heat, this sandwich delivers a kick right away and it lingers for a bit. I would put it at around Medium heat on my scale which is good for the drive thru where you typically find mild masking for hot. Overall, this comes together as a superior fast food fish sammy that brings some heat and some heft and is quite satisfying.
Of course, part of the reason it is satisfying is because it is big and that means it packs in the calories. The sandwich itself tallies up to 730 cals which is on the high side for a drive thru item (and don’t let your doctor know about the 1530mg of sodium). If you add a Medium order of fries (370 cals), you are really pushing the boundaries and needing to schedule some gym time pronto! If you have to get a side, might I suggest the cheesy tots? That’s 170 cals for an order of four and they are quite good. The sandwich runs $3.99 in my area (which is a pretty good price for a fast food joint these days) and the tots add $1.59, so that’s about six bucks total with tax.
The Fiery Big Fish is only around for a limited time, though, and will disappear after Lent Season when people go back to meat. The Big Fish Sandwich is a permanent item, though, and they use that fiery glaze on other items, so the Fiery version may be available as a secret menu item. Still, I recommend trying this out sooner rather than later, just in case, especially if you are a fan of fish sandwiches like myself.
Nutrition Info:
Calories: 730
Fat: 46g (8g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 19g
Carbs: 61g
Sodium: 1530mg
