by Bottom Line: The Spicy Fish Jack Wrap from Jack in the Box delivers a good fast food seafood offering, but it is lacking on the heat.
Lent Season is upon us, and that means that seafood is on the menu! Since Catholics abstain from meat on Fridays this time of year, fish sandwiches are popping up at most fast food joints. And since I am a particular lover of a good fish sandwich (I consider the Filet-O-Fish from McDonald’s to be an all-time classic), I love this time of year. Even better, a lot of places have been adding some spice to their seafood offerings of late which gives me a break from chicken, the protein that most often gets kicked up in the drive thru.
Jack in the Box has a fish sandwich as part of the permanent menu, so that is not a Lent-Season-Only visitor for this establishment. But this year they decided to mix things up and add the Fish Jack Wrap, and they have a spicy version of that as well. The latter includes wild-caught Alaskan pollock, shredded cheddar, lettuce, jalapenos, and tartar sauce wrapped in a tortilla. The regular version is the same, just no jalapenos.
The piece of fish in the wrap is the same as Jack puts on his fish sandwich, just cut in half so that it is basically an over-sized fish stick (and it is definitely not popping out like in the promo pics). It has a mild fish flavor and breading that is not too crunchy but still well-seasoned. The cheese is not too plentiful, but it brings a little bit of creaminess and maybe just a touch of sharpness. The lettuce adds some freshness and crunch, and this usually underappreciated veggie is a must-have for a fish sandwich/wrap in my opinion. The pickled jalapenos are far too few and barely noticeable. There is a little bit of tang and a pop of heat in the bites I detected, but not enough to really make this a “spicy” wrap. The tartar sauce brings some good creaminess along with a nice tang and sweetness. The tortilla is not fresh-made, but above average for the drive thru, and it appears that they grilled it briefly before wrapping the contents.
As mentioned, the jalapenos are quite scarce, and since that is the one spicy ingredient, the wrap does not even get the wrap to Mild on my scale. It certainly could have used more of the peppers and maybe some of their Spicy Good Good Sauce would have helped to kick things up as well. I ordered mine to go and took it back to the office where I added some Yellowbird Serrano Sauce. (I always have a selection of hot sauces at the ready at any location where I spend more than a few hours a day!) That really kicked it up–going particularly well with the fish–and maybe Jack needs to consider partnering up with that Austin-based company.
Overall, my thoughts on the fish wrap were mixed. As a wrap by itself, it was pretty good, though a little bit larger piece of fish would have been nice. As a spicy wrap, though, it definitely fell short of expectations. I still might get it again, but I will make sure I have some hot sauce on hand to add some burn. (I’m thinking Sriracha would be good to try with this).
Nutrition-wise, the wrap comes in at 300 calories each, which is not bad at all for the drive thru. You can get two of these (which I did), or one and a side (two tacos are your best bet at 340 cals) and not break the calorie bank. And since they currently have them at two for five bucks, they won’t put much of a dent in your wallet either.
The Spicy Fish Jack Wrap is on loan from Limited-Time-Only-Ville and it will disappear sometime after Lent wraps up (when burger sales go up on Fridays). If you are a fan of fast food fish items, you should probably enjoy these wraps. But if you are looking for spicy, be sure to bring your own heat.
