Filet-O-Fish

What is it?

Breaded white fish fillet, usually pollock in the UK, sits in a steamed bun with tartare sauce and half a slice of processed cheese. Steaming rather than toasting makes the bun softer and more pillowy than most burger rolls, which changes the whole texture of the sandwich. Inside the lineup, it's one of the few fish options and the only one built around that steamed bun format. Fish is coated in crumbs rather than batter, so it stays fairly neat to eat, while the sauce brings a creamy, sharp note. Friday sales still rise around Lent, which says a lot about how long this format has stuck around. It's a simple build that hasn't changed much since arriving on UK menus decades ago.