Day ‘O Fish No. 7 – Hardee’s Charbroiled Atlantic Cod Fish Sandwich

By Cat Taylor on July 23, 2014

“I, too, believe in Cod.”

If television is to be believed, eating a Hardee’s fish sandwich is about the sexiest thing imaginable. You know what I’m talking about, and don’t pretend that you don’t. A sexy supermodel strolls down the beach in her bikini while shoving a big, messy sandwich in her mouth as cheesy, 1950s’ music plays. Well, that didn’t happen for me. I was met at the counter by an annoyed cashier who took my order and I was out the door. Rather than sultrily strolling down a beach as I ate, I was plopped down on an old couch.

Such is life. There was a time, some years ago, when Hardee’s had a fish sandwich simply called the “Fisherman’s Catch.” It was a catchy enough name but I don’t remember anything about the sandwich itself. So, it probably tasted like every other average fast food fish sandwich that’s been available over the past couple of months. Well, this year the five-star chefs at Hardee’s and their marketing geniuses decided that a change was in order so they have bestowed us with the lengthily-named “Charbroiled Atlantic Cod Fish Sandwich.” Maybe next year Wendy’s and Hardee’s will add even more words so that one of them walks away as the “longest named fish sandwich” winner. For now, however, let’s analyze this long name and try to get at the heart of what this sandwich is about.

First, we open with the term “charbroiled”, which means to grill over charcoal. Well, that sounds pretty good. Grilled meat is usually pretty tasty if it doesn’t cook too long or too close to the fire, and charcoal gives a distinct flavor that you don’t get from propane (sorry, Hank Hill). Plus, everyone else is offering fried fish. Therefore, this one is probably a little healthier and tastes more original. Although, since I didn’t see any bags of charcoal in the back, the term “charbroiled” may not be technically accurate.

“Knowing (my name) is half the battle… G.I. Jooooe!”

Fun fact: Charbroil is also the name of a character from the 1980s G.I. Joe cartoon and action figure series. However, there is no marketing tie-in going on here. Too bad on that missed opportunity. Moving right along, the second word in the sandwich’s name is “Atlantic”. If there is truth in advertising, that means that Hardee’s is getting all of their fish from the Atlantic Ocean whereas Wendy’s gets all theirs from the Pacific, shrewdly avoiding competition for the same fish. Sea warfare between Wendy’s and Hardee’s fishing vessels would probably be so costly that the sandwiches would be unaffordable. I guess other establishments get their fish from either Old Man Kelsey’s Creek or Old Man Kelsey’s Ocean to avoid the Wendy’s and Hardee’s battleships. Next, the third word of the sandwich’s name is “cod.” The word “cod” is completely unnecessary and does nothing to sell the sandwich. Hardee’s is basically telling us, “this is the same cheap fish that everybody else uses. You aren’t getting any special treatment from us, losers!” Plus, “cod” is sometimes slang for male genitals, as in “codpiece”. So, thanks for that visual. Finally, “fish” and “sandwich.” Yeah, we had already figured out that part. After dissecting the enormity of a name that could have been shortened by two or three words, what’s left? What is left is one of the better, and more original, of the fish sandwich offerings this year. I guess that’s kind of what Hardee’s does now. After all, they’ve been making hamburgers that are thicker and tastier than their cheaper competitors at places like McDonald’s and Wendy’s. Consequently, shouldn’t the fish follow suit? Well, it does. It’s not a lot bigger than most of the others, but it’s refreshing to actually taste fish rather than batter. The charbroiling makes a big difference and even the bun is higher quality than most of the others. The only complaint I have is that the edges of mine were a bit “over-charred.” Maybe G.I. Joe’s Charbroil was in the kitchen using his flamethrower to cook it. Also, the whole visit was pretty uneventful after the great Burger King adventure, but I got the order to go. Next time, I’ll stick around and see if any angry drunks show up itching for a fight.

Final ratings: Appearance: 4 out of 5 sushi rolls Taste: 4 out of 5 thousand leagues under the sea Value for the Money: 3 out of 5 buried treasures (Hardee’s prices reflect the higher quality food. They aren’t big on the bargains.)