Jollibee, a Filipino fast-food chain, has collaborated with chef Whyte Rushen to create tater tots.
Whyte Rushen/Jolibee/Insider
Jollibee, a Filipino fast-food chain, has teamed up with chef Whyte Rushen.
Rushen has experience working at a Michelin-starred restaurant in London.
Here's what we thought of his Jollibee tater tots, which cost about $5 a tub.
Filipino fast-food chain Jollibee is known as the McDonald's of the Philippines, and has gained a cult following globally for its sweet pasta dishes and fried chicken.
We went to test a brand new – but temporary – side dish on its UK menu: its $5 tater tots. The dish is only available at the Jollibee's in Leicester Square until the end of March.
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Jollibee teamed up with chef Whyte Rushen to make the tater tots. He previously worked at the Michelin-starred Brat restaurant in London. Rushen told Insider that he became "obsessed" with Jollibee the first time he tried it last year.
Whyte Rushen/Jolibee
"I loved the food, I posted about it on my Instagram and then they hit me up saying they loved what I do and the rest was history," he told Insider.
Miguel Candela/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Rushen said he was in and out of Jollibee's kitchens over a few months, developing the recipe for the tater tots dish, training staff, and tasting the food. On launch day, he was in the Leicester Square restaurant, he said.
Whyte Rushen/Jolibee
The company advertises a meal deal including the tater tots with a spicy chicken sandwich and a drink. Jollibee would not confirm to Insider whether this side dish could become a permanent fixture on its menus in the future.
Kate Duffy/Insider
We were intrigued to try the tater tots out, especially as they resembled massive puffy Cheetos in the marketing pictures.
Whyte Rushen/Jolibee
We thought the Jolly Rushen Tater Tots were quite pricey for a side dish — one portion and a pot of sauce cost us £4.49, that's about $5.50. The dish is served with a smoked chilli burger sauce, and topped with crispy fried onions and spring onions.
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The meal deal cost £10.49, around $13, and didn't include a drink. We found it was more expensive than other fast-food restaurants such as McDonald's, where large meal deals cost around £6 or $7, for example.
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Although ordering the food at Jollibee was quick and easy, we had to wait in line for around 30 minutes.
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We were hungry by the time the food was ready, but were initially impressed with the portion size.
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The tater tots looked more appetizing in real life, but there weren't as many in the tub as we expected. They were crispy and piping hot, and we thought the crunchy spring onions added enough sharpness.
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The tater tots were tossed in hot honey and caramel. Rushen said the sweet flavors from the honey were a homage to the Philippines, where sweet flavors are often used in cooking.
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Dipping the tater tot into the smoked chili burger sauce added to the delightful explosion of flavor. There were sweet, spicy, and tangy undertones in every bite.
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Rushen said he decided on tater tots for Jollibee's menu because he didn't know of many other restaurants that served them. He said he gave the tots a "Filipino flare," by using these sweet and spicy flavors.
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The meal deal came with Jollibee's "Legit Spicy" spicy chicken sandwich, which definitely lived up to its name. The burger, which came with two slices of fried chicken, was very hot but the sauce worked well with the crispy chicken and lettuce. Importantly, the burger-to-sauce ratio was spot on.
Kate Duffy/Insider
Despite us finding Jollibee's meal deal rather expensive, the tater tots were full of flavor, and the sauce complimented the dish. The burger was an afterthought as the tater tots stole the show; we hadn't tasted anything like them before.
