Dig into fast food for a change

FOOD REVIEW

Giving a miss to fine dining, the pleasure to pick up a gigantic burger, balancing its three layers with both the hands and biting into it and in between sipping a sha­ke is an inexplicable indulge­nce in fast food.

This is what the American chain Johnny Rockets provides a foodie when it comes to gastronomy that comprises shakes, fries, wraps and of course, burgers alongwith a choreographed dance that the staff performs about every 45 minutes at its outlet in Select Citywalk, Saket.

It’s delectable range of shakes has gained popularity among quite a few, but Metrolife doesn’t find anything extraordinary in Mocha Fudge or Chocolate Madness shake especially after a long wait for a seat. Infact, the former tastes like regular cold coffee while the latter is more sweet and less chocolaty due to  the presence of crushed oreo.

Surprisingly, a not-so-favourite Original Strawberry shake, with controlled sugar content, turns out to be the best due to the refreshing fla­v­our of strawberries cru­shed along with milk and ice cream. All the difference here is made by the ‘natural vanilla from Kerala’ ie, the natural vanilla pods that the Indian franchisers source from Kerala.

The sinful shake hardly leaves any scope for starters and one picks their signature handmade Onion Rings which are golden brown unlike the burnt brown ones usually available in most restaurants across the city. They are fresh, crispy and juicy.

Other snacks, such as masala fries taste good when hot but Chicken Chilli Cheese Fries are yummy thanks to the generous topping of chopped onion and fretted cheese that adds an Indian touch. One notes that a lot of American flavours at this place have been given a distinct Indian twist in order to please the local clientele. A smart move to keep the food business buzzing and ensuring that there is always a waiting queue by not setting up more seats that required!

For a health freak, the Greek Salad has toothsome  feta cheese and vegetables with basic dressing and lots of freshly crushed oregano.

For the main section, there is a huge variety of burgers to choose from. Metrolife opts for The Houston with Panko Paneer (Japanese origin) and chicken patties and Route 66 with tenderloin. The last turns out to be the best with a perfect combination of minced tenderloin and a layer of mushroom fitting well inside a whole wheat bread (60 per cent wheat) and does not crumble even after two bites!

The Panko Paneer in The Houston is done well too and has a crisp outer layer for the vegetarians to not to miss out on anything. Its chicken version is dry and lacks tempting seasoning and can easily be given a miss.

Prepared like a kathi roll, the Tandoori Spiced Chicken Wrap has loads of green chutney and capsicum making it a perfect choice for tandoori food fans. While the Soy Dog Hotdog with a dressing of gherkin (a cucumber) creates a blast of flavours in the mouth!

The much-awaited Baked Cheesecake turns up too cold to be tasted instantly but the underrated Apple Pie reminds one of the movie Waitress with its tempting filling of three different apples baked in a checked quantity of cinnamon making it gooey till the very last bite.