Arby’s recently teamed up with Top Chef star Kristen Kish to revamp a classic menu item. They released the new French Dip Royale sandwich and it got a lot of people talking. I decided to head over and try it myself to see if it really lives up to expectations.
What Exactly Is The French Dip Royale
This new sandwich takes the regular Arby’s roast beef and adds a bunch of fancy extras like provolone cheese and sweet caramelized onions. You also get some garlic aioli and steak seasoning and it comes with a side of beef stock for dipping which sounds pretty intense but fun.
The Price Might Make You Think Twice
I ordered the full meal which comes to around fifteen dollars and that feels a little steep for fast food these days to be honest. It costs about two dollars more than the standard french dip but you are paying for those upgraded ingredients so it might be worth it for you.
Taking The Very First Bite Dry
I always like to try a sandwich on its own first before I start dunking it in any kind of sauce to see what it actually tastes like. I was really worried the roast beef was going to be super dry but the melted cheese and the creamy garlic aioli totally saved the day and kept it moist.
The Steak Seasoning Really Pops Out
One thing I noticed right away is that the peppery flavor from the steak seasoning is super strong and it kind of hides the aioli flavor. It actually tastes really delicious if you like a nice pepper kick but some folks might find it just a little bit overpowering if they prefer mild food.
Then I Finally Dipped It In Au Jus
Man let me tell you dipping this thing into the beef stock completely changed the whole game for me and made it so much better. It added so much moisture and brought out this deep savory flavor that made the sandwich taste absolutely amazing.
It Is A Very Heavy Meal
You definitely need a big appetite if you plan on eating this entire thing in one sitting because it sits really heavy in your stomach. I actually had to save half of it for later but having some tasty leftovers is never a bad thing in my book at all.
You Cannot Forget The Curly Fries
Kristen Kish actually mentioned in an interview that she loves the curly fries here so I obviously had to get them on the side with my sandwich. They came out perfectly crispy with the right amount of seasoning and you just really cannot argue with a classic fry like that.
The Onions Add A Nice Sweet Touch
Fast food onions can be a hit or miss sometimes but these caramelized onions added a really nice subtle sweetness to the salty meat. It balances out that peppery steak seasoning perfectly and shows they actually put some real thought into the flavor mix instead of just throwing things together.
It Feels Like A Fancy Upgrade
A lot of places are trying to make their old sandwiches seem fancy right now and I think Arby’s actually did a pretty good job here. It still has that classic fast food vibe we all grew up with but the extra toppings make it feel like a nice treat when you want something different.
Catch It Before It Leaves The Menu
If you want to try this out for yourself you should probably hurry because it is only going to be around until late May. I personally thought it was a fun twist on a classic and I would recommend giving it a shot if you love a good hearty sandwich.
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