Impossible Sliders at White Castle

While 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).