As part of their promotions for the holiday season, McDonald's locations all across Hong Kong have released the option of loaded guacamole fries with tomato "salsa" sauce, as part of their "loaded fries" series. This second variation on fries is a follow up to their loaded bacon and cheese fries from earlier this year. Simply add an extra $4 to any value meal or purchase the fries a-la-carte at $15.20. It's a treat fit for the end of finals season/the year.
First Impressions...
Like any other person with functioning tastebuds, guacamole and fries are easily my top choice of dip and snack, respectively. So I was obviously quite #shook when I discovered this new addition to the menu. It even comes in a cute, vibrant Christmas-themed box with illustrated scenes of people celebrating the holidays.
But wait, it gets even better! If you opt for the dine in option, look out for the QR code on the placemat. Once scanned, a tiny keyboard pops up, then you'll be able to freestyle a short Holiday jingle that you can send and share with your friends. Maybe you could try playing the notes on the side of the box to hear a surprise mini musical sequence.
Now For The Taste Test!
The Fries: Surely one of the top three most iconic items from the McDonald's menu, the fries are as crispy and golden brown as ever. The size of the box gives you around the same amount of fries as a medium sized, regular red carton would, but with less fuss.
The Tomato "Salsa" Sauce: I put salsa in quotations here because this sauce doesn't really fall under the category of salsa. Both the color and the consistency of the sauce marks it as something that is closer to BBQ sauce than it is to salsa. It's nothing like the chunky, tangy tomato salsa that we all know. Even the flavor, which is balanced between slightly sweet and slightly sour, is incredibly similar to BBQ sauce.
The Guacamole: Finally, we move on to the star of the show. The guacamole! Here, the dip comes in a small container rather than directly topped on the fries, most likely to prevent the fries from getting soggy. What's great about it is that you have the choice to either be as picky as you want and ration out your dips (so you don't run out of fries), or just dump the whole thing in.
Focusing on the dip itself, it seems to be made of some pretty normal ingredients—avocado, cilantro, spices, I caught a faint whiff of cumin but my nose is very unreliable, and red chili. In addition, there was that seemed to be either green chili or a rather small piece of green bell pepper. Consistency wise, it's perfect. Not too thick, but not at all runny and horror-film-prop-vomit-like. In terms of flavor, it was standard and could satisfy anyone's guacamole orientated cravings for sure.
One thing to keep in mind though, the dip oxidizes once you leave it for a while. So if you're getting the fries through takeout, be sure to give the guac a quick swirl before dipping or drenching the fries.
Tis' the season for sharing. So bring your friends down to McDonald's for a delicious treat that combines the best things to have come out of the avocado and the potato. Why not take it a step further by turning the two, guacamole and fries, into one. Try out these guacamole filled fries for a wilder, hybrid version of this awesome McDonald's snack.