Critic's Cupboard: Wendy's Premium Fish Filet

Wendy's Premium Fish Filet: $3.19

SPATULA UP

Saimi Bergmann: If your wallet can take the hit, the new Premium Fish Filet sandwich from Wendy's is a knockout.

The secret ingredient is panko. (If you've been off planet a while, you might not know that panko is Japanese-style bread crumbs, much coarser than the sawdust style we're accustomed to seeing.)

Wendy's uses panko on its cod filet, resulting in a crispy, crunchy crust.

Enrobed in the crust is a decent-sized piece of flaky cod. The only misstep is the oily, flat tartar sauce.

Wendy's fish is the best choice for dieters at 450 calories for a 6.2-ounce sandwich. Burger King's Big Fish is 520 calories for 6.5 ounces, and the ever-shrinking McDonald's fish sandwich is 5.5 ounces yet 470 calories, in part because of the tiny strip of American cheese on it.

If you're watching calories, ask for the sandwich without tartar sauce and shave about 100 calories.

SPATULA DOWN

Jennifer Mastroianni: Fast food fish sandwiches -- in all their deep-fried, tartar saucy glory -- rate exceptionally high on my list of favorite comfort foods.

So boy did my eyebrow raise when I saw the commercial for Wendy's new panko-crusted cod sandwich. I love the ultra crispy texture of Japanese bread crumbs, especially on fish.

Unfortunately, the somewhat-greasy breading is all you taste with this sandwich. In fact, I barely tasted the fish.

For $3.19 without cheese, there certainly are cheaper, tastier fish sandwich options out there.

The Repository