Place: Chick-fil-A
Items: Trim Trio Combo
Price: $6.19
Blessed with french-fry-friendly metabolisms, we Lunch Guys will try any
meal once, be it under 4 grams of fat or over 50. Notice we said “once.”
The problem is, fat tastes good. It’s what we order most to satisfy
those cravings.
Which is why when Chick-fil-A debuted its Trim Trio Combo -- new “Chargrilled”
chicken sandwich, medium fruit cup and Dasani water -- we figured we’d
give it one shot, then get back to the fried chicken strips. Honestly, what
can you pull off in a sandwich that has a ceiling of 4 measly fat grams?
Tom: While other fast food joints throw “chicken sandwich
darts” at the public, hoping they come onto something that sticks, Chick-fil-A
somehow hits the bull’s-eye every time. Its fried chicken sandwich is
the undisputed leader, and the chicken salad sandwich on toasted wheat bread
practically makes you want to take a picnic. Now the new, improved Chargrilled
sandwich is so good, you forget that it’s good for you. What’s
the secret – the peppery flavor infused through the sandwich; the superior,
thick, juicy, solid white breast meat; the fact that unwanted sauces aren’t
slathered on? Or is it just the two pickles? I don’t know, Chris, but
Chick-fil-A always makes it work. It’s not
chicken. Finally, someone realized with great parts
comes a great whole. As for the fruit cup and water, I gotta say, I wish more
restaurants would push these sort of options.
For decades, fries and Coke have been the only accompaniments.
While I won’t ever give up on the Chick-fil-A waffle fries, it’s
refreshing to toss back some grapes, apple chunks and pineapple slices, washed
down with water. Best of all, this clean lunch didn’t give me the “Let’s
get ready to ruuuumble!” stomach fits back at my desk.
Tom: This near-perfect sandwich deserves
higher praise than a pat on the back, Chris. It’s the gold-medal winner
in a crowded, confused field. And the fruit cup is gravy (sorry, dieters).
I’m saying this is the best, healthy meal on the road right now.
Chris: I’m with you, even if my
praise was too faint. Let me come up with a movie-poster blurb, too. How about:
The best chicken sandwich of the year! Truly the summer’s must-eat event!
Rating: 5 sporks (out of 5)
Food facts, Chargrilled sandwich: 270
calories, 11% from fat, 3.5 g fat, 1 g sat. fat, 940 mg sodium, 33 g carbohydrates,
28 g protein.
E-mail The Lunch Guys:
tomandchris@thelunchguys.com
just me who feels this way. Chick-fil-A has more loyal fans than the Chicago
Cubs.
Not surprisingly, the fruit cup also was great. There wasn’t a mushy,
off piece in the cup. Crunchy apple chunks, terrific orange slices, nice red
grapes and even some pineapple made the mix as pleasant as a Hawaiian holiday.
It honestly makes you glad you didn’t order fries.
Chris: You’re right about other franchise’s
offerings, Tom. As they roll out revamped chicken sandwiches, it’s often
the zingy, zangy, orangey sauce that makes or breaks it. The biggest compliment
I can pay to this Chargrilled sandwich is that I did NOT want to put the optional
sauce on it. Chick-fil-A offers a packet of new Honey Roasted BBQ if you need
to fat it up, but all I needed was that wheat bun, leaf lettuce, commercial-perfect
dewy tomato and gorgeous filet (did I detect a wisp of honey?) with a twist
of pickle. Each element had its own zest, much more so than the usual stack
of white bread, iceberg and generic
