Whoppers and Beers

Get a cool beer thanks to BK's aluminum cans.

By Kia O. Moore (kia@mingleberry.com)

Burgers and beers: a prime example of a true American meal.

Burger King is blending two of America’s favorite taste and serving it up in a matter of minutes. Next month, Burger King plans to open a Whopper Bar in sexy South Beach Miami, Fla. Those in Germany, Singapore, and Venezuela have been enjoying the combination since summer 2009. The Florida location serves as a test-run for the American Whopper Bar franchise. If all goes well, BK plans to launch the next Whopper Bars in Las Vegas, New York City and Los Angeles.

The liquor menu will include: Budweiser, Miller Lite and Budlight Lime. BK will serve the brewskies in specially crafted aluminium cans. The bottleneck-style containers are designed to keep the beers in an optimal chill state. The beers cost $2 when ordered with a value meal (Beer Value Menu Combo $7.99), but without the burger and fries it shoots up to $4.25.

The beverage menu may have expanded beyond carbonated concoctions, but the food menu has dwindled down to the Whopper, TenderCrisp, Angus sandwiches and desserts. (I don’t know about you, but I can’t go to BK without devouring a Hershey’s Pie. So I knew they couldn’t take the sweets off the menu.)

The bitter taste of slumping stock prices prompted BK to implement creative concepts to boost its stock status. Anything dealing with alcohol consumption is always a great solution when a restaurant needs a boost its sales numbers.

But we both know BK’s biggest competitor will not let the regal burger chain dominate the sales pie chart. McDonald’s  plans to launch the McWineCooler Swirl in its South Beach locations in March 2010. The family-oriented restaurant will section off an area titled the McSaloon to delineate their Happy-Meal image and McHappy Hour image. The alcoholic beverages will be served daily during McHappy Hour from 4-7 p.m. In contrast, the Whopper Bar serves their spirited beverages 24/7.

Anytime you are in the mood for brews, burgers and deserts for a fast food price, head over to the Whopper Bar. I hope it gets to the Queen City soon. A queen always loves to eat, drink and be merry with her king.

Find out what the Whopper Bar is all about: http://www.bkwhopperbar.com/

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Questions for the Reader:

• When I think of fast food, I think of drive-thrus. Who’s to blame when BK and Mickey D’s patrons get DUI charges after leaving their food establishments?
• In my mind, McDonald’s equals Happy Meals and play areas. What do you think about McWineCooler Swirls and the McSaloon?
• Who will be serving the beers? I am used to a teenage voice blasting from the white noise-filled drive-thru speaker.

Leave your comments; we want to hear from you!

The Coffee Cup has reopened in NODA

A Charlotte classic, The Coffee Cup, reopened at 2909 North Davidson St. –great news for the many fans of their great Soul Food/Southern Cooking.

Most Charlotte people thought this legendary restaurant was dead, but that is not the case. Owner Gardine Wilson has found a new location, and the food is exactly the same. The dining room is comfortable and many of the same staff you’ve grown to love are still there.

You can reach Gardine with questions about catering or the restaurant at 980-522-6445. Current Hours are hours are 6am-3pm MON-SAT. Dinner Hours start May 18th new hours will be 6am until 9pm Monday-Saturday.

What’s in That Little Bag of Hocus Pocus?

Anyone who never had a bowl of Ramen noodles [also affectionately known as Oodles of Noodles] never went to college. It is the one common thread between every single college student whose parents didn’t pay for everything. Ramen noodles cross over every barrier known to man — gender, race, religion, creed, age, IQ level, et cetera.

Tonight when I finally made it back to the pad and had no energy to whip up a three-course meal, I reached for a package of “Break Bag in Case of Emergency.” Beef flavored. Ready in three minutes.

While waiting for the water to boil, I got curious and Google’d the fine cuisine to see what was it that I was really about to consume.

Ramen noodles unfortunately are not very good for you. Each package contains about 1560 mg of sodium. To remove the water and form them into blocks, they are deep fried in palm oil which is about the most saturated fat there is.

What makes Ramen Noodles so great isn’t just the fact that you can find enough money in the sofa cushions to buy a bag, but the number of different flavors available are endless. The noodles, of course, are always the same, but that little magical bag of stuff can transform that noodle from beef to chicken to fried rice to shrimp to chili to probably even vegetarian, whatever that tastes like.

But what’s up with that bag of hocus pocus?

One concern regarding instant noodles, such as the Top Ramen brand, is that they contain Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). In 1995, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initiated an official investigation into the dangers of MSG and the findings of that investigation resulted in a report more than 350 pages long. The research concluded that MSG can cause the following symptoms: burning sensation in the back of the neck, forearms and chest; numbness in the back of the neck, radiating to the arms and back; tingling, warmth and weakness in the face, temples, upper back, neck and arms facial pressure or tightness; chest pain; headache; nausea; rapid heartbeat; bronchospasm (difficulty breathing) in MSG-intolerant people with asthma; drowsiness; weakness.

The Chinese were eating noodles almost two thousand years ago. Some time later they were imported by the Japanese along with Buddhism and a few other handy ideas. “Ramen” is the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese characters lo mein, which means “boiled noodles.” Ramen was popularized in Japan by a 17th century samurai named Mito Komon. You can see Mito’s actual ramen bowl and a reproduction of his favorite meal in the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum in Osaka, Japan.

More For The Bored:
But if you’re absolutely not concerned about what MSG is doing to your brain, can’t afford to buy anything other than instant noodles or if you never shook your addiction to Ramen noodles, you gotta check out Ramenlicious. Who ever thought there was a such dessert as Chocolate Ramen Cake? Or Doritos Ramen Salad?