Impossible Sliders at White Castle
Posted Wednesday, October 10, 2018While I'm not the biggest fan of fast-food, I'm certainly not immune to its occasional allure. Skyline is among my chief haunts, of course, but my runners-up would definitely include Taco Bell, Fusian and Currito. But when I heard White Castle now offered vegetarian "Impossible" sliders, I felt compelled to give them a try.
A company called Impossible Foods is responsible for the wheat and potato-protein-based burgers, which are distributed to restaurants nationwide. You may have experienced versions at FlipDaddy's, Bru Burger Bar or Wahlburgers. They are made to closely mimic beef burgers, even going so far as to "bleed" when cooked. Their sizzle and char come mainly thanks to an abundance of coconut oil mixed into the protein. Their biggest competitor is the Beyond Meat burger, which is available in the hamburger section of local grocers and features a similar recipe and flavor profile.
I chose a White Castle location near the Home Depot off Ridge Road. Each Impossible slider is $1.99, which includes a slice of smoked cheddar cheese. That's twice the price of a regular slider with cheese. My goal was to do a compare and contrast between my tried-and-true jalapeno cheddar sliders and the Impossible variants.
What immediately becomes apparent while idling in the drive-thru is the interminable wait. These Impossible sliders are not only twice as expensive, but apparently take twice as long to prepare. I was asked to drive up to a holding area at the second window.
Impossible burgers When I finally received my sack of sliders, I immediately noticed that the Impossible slider cardboard sleeves were wider than the standard White Castle slider size. They came in bright red packaging and smelled vaguely smoky.
Biting into the Impossible slider, I noted that the bun was also different, likely to accommodate the requirements of true vegetarians. Simply put, it lacked that toasty, oily greasiness one is accustomed to enjoying with a true White Castle slider.
Impossible burger The "meat" itself was quite tasty. The smokiness was pervasive in every bite, and its texture and chew was as familiar and satisfying as any real meat. But the bread made the slider slightly dry overall. White Castle's unique steaming preparation probably doesn't do the Impossible burger complete justice, because one of its strengths is its ability to develop a caramelized char on a grill. These sliders lacked that char.
The Impossible sliders are certainly worth a try, though I don't anticipate craving a case of them over the classic, greasy, environment-unfriendly beef variety we've all grown to love (until that next trip to the bathroom).
3410 Highland Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45213513-631-5900
Rating: 2.5 out of 4
= Outstanding
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
The best TACO joint in the city. I go there as a treat to myself every Monday. TEX MEX TACOS are delicious culinary treats that look beautiful and taste great. I'm so impressed with this place that I never explore the other items on the menu. If you don't get your taco fix here, you're losing in life.
posted: Tue., Apr 27th, 2021 @ 2:37 PM
My Wife and myself dined at Ferrari’s on Saturday and the Food and service was great/ I had the Butternut Squash Ravioli with misc nuts and sauce and it was the best meal I’ve had there/ My wife had the Fish and Vegetables and was very happy/ I also got a couple of their pizza and olive loaves of bread/ The bread is always a hit at work.
posted: Mon., Nov 23rd, 2020 @ 1:14 PM
@Rick: Thanks for the suggestion! I'll have to remember to give them a try.
posted: Sat., Nov 21st, 2020 @ 9:06 AM
Try Joe's Pizza located at Airway and Smithville Rd. You might like it...That's one of favorite haunts. I definitely think it beats Cassano's.
posted: Fri., Nov 6th, 2020 @ 4:19 PM
Hands down the best Indian in the area. I have yet to find their yellow Punjabi dish anywhere. It is my favorite, and what keeps me coming back time after time. I think I have been here over 100 times. I love this place.
posted: Thu., May 28th, 2020 @ 12:03 PM
I found a gyro I keep thinking about
https://www.yelp.com/biz/tazikis-mediterranean-cafe-cincinnati
their lamb gyro is about 2-3 bucks higher in cost than a gyro elsewhere - B U T - it is made with whole pieces of lamb meat, not the lamb and beef loaf that all other Gyro joints in Cincinnati seem to do
it is a chain. A minus for me, and I suspect for you as well.
But its good.
really, really good
one caveat: skip the baklava as it is not made in-house
posted: Mon., Dec 9th, 2019 @ 12:43 PM
I'll take your word for it, then.....it is fairly close to work so it'll be an upcoming lunch
I also need to try out this little taco wagon near Quatmans in Norwood
posted: Mon., Sep 9th, 2019 @ 6:21 PM
Hi @TJ - We were pretty impressed with the quality of the items, which I think justifies some of the pricing. I really liked the house-made tortillas and their salsas. Chilero offered some extra little touches that were a pleasant surprise. :)
Just by way of comparison...that same week we'd tried the new Mazunte location downtown...and our experience at Chilero beat them out.
posted: Thu., Aug 29th, 2019 @ 10:18 PM
Great food and fantastic atmosphere
posted: Wed., Aug 28th, 2019 @ 8:29 PM
Seems very pricey for a mostly carryout/counter-service joint
posted: Wed., Aug 28th, 2019 @ 5:51 PM