Review: Wendy's - Peppercorn Mushroom Melt

Wendy's Peppercorn Mushroom Melt features a quarter-pound beef patty, sauteed and fire-roasted white mushrooms, crispy-fried onions, a slice of natural Asiago cheese, and smoked peppercorn aioli, served on a toasted premium bun.

I bought one for $5.59.

The smoked peppercorn aioli was savory, creamy, and very tangy but not at all peppery or smoky. It generically brings to mind "bistro sauce," the fast food catch-all for an indeterminate mayo-based sauce that they want you to think is somewhat fancier, if only in name.

The Asiago cheese didn't come across so well and didn't offer much more than the typical generic creaminess of fast food cheeses.

The beef was moist and flavorful with a nice, coarse grind.

The mushrooms were good in both flavor and texture but lacked that charring you'd expect from fire-roasting. Fortunately, the crispy-fried onions stepped in with a similar quality as well as a fair bit of sweetness and welcomed crunch.

Overall, Wendy's Peppercorn Mushroom Melt was competent and enjoyable but needs more cheese and melted cheese at that to truly be considered a melt. It competes with McDonald's Signature Crafted Mushroom & Swiss burger and, between the two, I'd give a slight nod to the McDonald's version for a stronger note of mushroom, a more coherent package, and a slightly lower price.

Nutritional Info - Wendy's Peppercorn Mushroom Melt
Calories - 690 (from Fat - 380)
Fat - 42g (Saturated Fat - 13g)
Sodium - 1110mg
Carbs - 47g (Sugar - 7g)
Protein - 31g