Review: Arby's - Smokehouse Pork Belly Sandwich

Arby's Smokehouse Pork Belly Sandwich features thick slices of pork belly, crispy onion strings, mayo, smoked cheddar cheese, and Smoky Q sauce on a toasted star-cut bun.

I picked one up for $5.69.

The pork belly was delightfully tasty with a rich, fatty, smoky flavor and a light sweetness. The meat was mostly tender but there was a bit of chewiness here and there where it might have dried out a little from the smoking process. It's not as salty as bacon and is smoked differently. I usually don't come across pork belly at most barbecue joints and this has me wondering "why not?!" Typically, I'll come across pork belly in Asian or Asian fusion cuisine, but they offer a different taste profile.

Beyond the typical smoky and sweet notes, the sauce was really tangy. It was a little jarring against the other more mild ingredients and felt unnecessary given the already sweet and smoky pork.

The crispy onions strings contributed a contrasting light crunch and charred onion flavor.

The cheese arrived nicely melted with a subtle smoked flavor. It's hard to pick out unless you're nibbling on just the cheese. The mayo was similarly easy to miss.

The bun was soft and held together well.

Overall, Arby's Smokehouse Pork Belly Sandwich is superb and in the running for my favorite fast food sandwich this year. It's not perfect but I really enjoyed the taste, texture, and novelty of the smoked pork belly. I would get it without the Smoky Q sauce and with extra crispy onion strings next time.

Nutritional Info - Arby's Smokehouse Pork Belly Sandwich (248g)
Calories - 860 (from Fat - 550)
Fat - 61g (Saturated Fat - 23g)
Sodium - 1540mg
Carbs - 49g (Sugar - 13g)
Protein - 29g