Snackspert sounds the alarm: why is the selection at Belgian McDonald’s so much better?

Eke Bosman, better known as Instagram phenomenon @snackspert, ate his first frikandel as a baby, hates vlammetjes, has devoured at least 1,500 burgers in his life, suspects there’s more mayonnaise in his body than blood, and shares his best and worst snack reviews on FavorFlav. This time, he eats delicious filled rolls in Amsterdam and wants the standard selection from Belgian McDonald’s in the Netherlands.

Topped rolls, Het Stadspaleis, Amsterdam

Vegetarian rolls in Amsterdam, oh oh oh ho hoooo (or something), but yes, it can sometimes take a bit of searching to find the better places if you prefer not to eat meat. Fortunately, there’s Het Stadspaleis, located in one of the most beautiful spots in central Amsterdam. A lovely terrace too, an oasis of calm despite being just a stone’s throw from Dam Square. Three rolls were tested; the Beemster cheese roll with kimchi, tahini and mizuna is tasty, but lacks the power a footballer also needs to shoot a ball into the top corner. It’s like a shot straight at the goalkeeper: well done, the ball didn’t go over, but no goal. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
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But! Fortunately, there is very good news, because the ricotta roll with aubergine and spicy sauce is like an overhead kick into the top corner. Goodness. Ricotta and aubergine work very well together anyway, but I hadn’t expected a hot sauce instead of tomato sauce to work so well with these two ingredients. Every bite is like a Holi festival: incredibly colourful. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½
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The BBQ jackfruit with, among other things, cheddar and a few little bits of salad is also a good one; not too smoky in flavour, but nicely sweet and very welcome in the mouth. Yum. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½
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📍: Het Stadspaleis, Amsterdam
📱: @het_stadspaleis
💰: 6.95 euros for the Beemster roll with kimchi, 6.65 euros for the ricotta and aubergine roll, 6.75 euros for the BBQ jackfruit roll

Spareribs, chicken wings and loaded fries, PONG, Amsterdam-West

A great hotspot in Amsterdam-West: the ping-pong bar PONG, where you can also order delicious food. Ideal for people who are actually better at eating than table tennis, people like me, that is, who know more about a menu than the rules of the game. And speaking of the menu, it’s very extensive, but please promise me you’ll order the spareribs no matter what. They are outstanding; they fall off the bone more easily than at your average spareribs joint. The Balinese sauce is nicely sweet, but could have done with a little more volume. Fortunately, the addition of peanuts makes up for a lot. Heavenly. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½
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The chicken wings are good too, but in my opinion they’re really too sticky. That’s a shame, because the combination of ginger and gochujang (red pepper paste) is a wonderfully sharp addition to the chicken. A little saucier and wetter, and they would have been wings worth licking your fingers over. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½
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But the winner of the evening is actually the loaded (sweet potato) fries with pulled chicken or jackfruit (you choose), topped with mayonnaise and the most delicious peanut sauce I’ve had in ages. Unbelievable. You have to try this. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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📍: Pong, Amsterdam-West
📱: @ponghouseofping
💰: 11.95 euros for the spareribs, 10.95 euros for the loaded sweet potato fries and 8.95 euros for six chicken wings

Royal Crispy Bacon, McDonald’s Belgium

Okay, I may be in Italy, but can we also take a moment to appreciate the better selection at Belgian McDonald’s? Of course, they introduce new burgers every so often, but the standard selection is strong too. Like that Royal Crispy Bacon—something so simple, yet so delicious? The meat is actually cooked, the bacon is actually crispy, the cheddar is (somewhat) melted, and the cheddar sauce makes sure you don’t miss anything. Look, it’s not the burger you want to introduce to your parents, but hey, you’re happy to have it for a fun night out. And I know you feel the same way. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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📍: McDonald’s Belgium
📱: @mcdonaldsbelgium
💰: about 2.50 euros

Read also:

• How to: friettafelen
• Science says: McDonald’s fries really are addictive
• From new gem to old favourite: the 5 best chip shops in Amsterdam