Impossible or Beyond?: Beyond

What the burger comes with: aromatic BBQ sauce, big fat onion rings, American cheese

As delicious as the Beyond Famous Star is, this newer entry on the Carl’s Jr. menu is significantly tastier, and all for the same price. After I ordered this, the cashier explained to a co-worker that this new item is “like a Western, but with no bacon.” The Western Bacon Cheeseburger includes American cheese, two onion rings, and tangy BBQ sauce, and this sandwich does indeed have all the same ingredients, swapping out a beef burger for a Beyond patty and nixing the bacon. You realize it’s truly a Western burger when you first unwrap it, mostly because a wave of strong BBQ sauce wafts up and smacks you right in the nose. In a pleasant way.

Like the Famous Star, this patty was grilled perfectly, and the BBQ sauce and onion ring combo is exactly what this Beyond Meat needs: a blanket of intense flavors to cover up any minor fake meat aftertastes from the patty. The intense tomato flavors from the BBQ sauce, the American cheese, and the fried onion ring overwhelm the Beyond patty so much, you could even convince yourself that you’re eating actual meat. Even though there’s no beef in it, it’s clear that the burger is not meant to be healthy -- this is a fast food indulgence for vegetarians and carnivores looking to take a break from meat. And it’s one worth picking up.