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WITH A LITTLE bit of fanfare this week, McDonald’s unleashed its new festive menu on to the people of Ireland – and everyone was a little bit intrigued.

The ads we’ve seen have been suitably Christmassy but what would the grub be like?

Here’s the five items the festive menu serves up:

• The Festive Feast burger
• Spicy Chicken Winter Melt
• Cheese Melt Dippers
• A mince pie
• Galaxy Caramel McFlurry (nothing particularly festive about this, but it’s on there anyway)

So we got together a panel of tasters to put each item through its paces 

First up was The Festive Feast burger

This bad boy contains cured rashers, black pepper cheese , red onion, lettuce and a black pepper mayo.

The reaction from our panel was mixed enough. Nothing particularly stood out from the burger – except that there was a RAKE of mayonnaise on it – and the reaction could easily be summed up by one singular quote:

It just tastes like a regular burger in a bun. Nothing special.

Next, we had the Spicy Chicken Winter Melt

This one was made up of Emmental cheese, some spicy pepper sauce and all the regulars.

The reaction to this from the panel was of near universal approval.

Everyone agreed that the sauce added a bit of a spicy kick that is “fairly delish”. It’s rare to see any meal go down so well with a varied group of people, but the hyperbole started flowing and one taster’s assessment was:

This is the best burger they have ever produced.

So now.

Two massive thumbs up on the chicken melt – the best thing by far on the new menu.

Onwards to the Festive Cheese Melt Dippers – which looked like cheese versions of the standard nugget

The chicken tasted nothing like that of a nugget – but the panel were still impressed with them.

You see, the cheese is not just sprinkled on top like it may appear when you first get them – cheese pervades the dipper throughout. The panel enjoyed these as nibbles, and the special sauce provided was welcomed:

The festive tomato sauce is interesting. I would order these as a side instead of nuggets I think.

And now, the desserts came. The festive mince pie was the more Christmassy additions to the menu, so it was first up

Warning: includes custard.

The panel agreed that it was a middling enough mince pie. Nothing to get your hopes up about, but if you’re stuck for a mince pie it would do a job.

It’s not great custard – a little synthetic or something – but a half decent mince pie.

And finally… the Galaxy Caramel McFlurry had melted slightly by the time the panel got their paws on it, but it didn’t dampen enthusiasm

Noting that it’s not Christmassy at all, the panel gave the new McFlurry a big, enthusiastic YES.

Maybe it’s just because I like McFlurrys in general, but this is really good.

Galaxy chocolate + caramel + ice cream was never going to tank in the public popularity stakes in fairness.

So now, that’s the five items on the McDonald’s festive menu in a nutshell.

It might not be as full of Christmas taste as the Santy Bagel – but it certainly has some tasty enough options to dig into over the festive period.

And the Spicy Chicken Winter Melt is the clear winner. A Christmas miracle, if you will.

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