It’s a spicy time across fast food land right now, not least at Popeye’s. Hot on the heels of their recent Ghost Pepper Wings, the brand very recently announced an all new limited time offer: Wicked Shrimp.
We first saw mention of these over on Thrillist, who wrote the following about the new shrimp dish, “marinated in a blend signature Louisiana-style herbs and spices consisting of salt, pepper, onion, garlic, cayenne pepper, bay leaf, and sriracha, fried up in a breading that’s dusted with a southern-style crispy coating for extra crunch.”
So, how are they, are the new Wicked Shrimp any good? First a look at them in pictures, alongside the new Smoky Garlic Tartar Sauce that launched alongside them:
The shrimp come fourteen pieces to an order, and are a mish mash of sizes and shapes. Honestly I didn’t count as I was too eager to dive in , but it seemed like more than fourteen to me. Indeed, it felt more like, “a box worth” or fried shrimp, which I was more than happy with.
The shrimp are fried up in a heavy batter with a visually pleasing golden finish as you can see above. Inside the shrimp is admittedly scant. If we’re being completely honest, this is more batter than seafood; more excuse to eat fried goodnesses than succulent shrimp. That’s a.ok with us though, the batter is excellent, reminiscent of the chain’s fried chicken, albeit with a tiny little shrimp after taste.
To our tastebuds there was zero spice going on here. I am sure there are those with extremely sensitive palates that might detect some, but when sriracha is mentioned in the ingredients, I hope for at least a gentle tickle, but no, nada. There wasn’t even a slight black pepper warmth.
The accompanying Smokey Garlic Tartar Sauce is a nice addition, it helps to break up the fry-fest which does start to get a little heavy after a box full (especially if you’re scarfing down fries too 😉
Overall, I have to admit to rather enjoying these, mainly as a way to gobble up fried batter more than anything. Spice lovers will want to look elsewhere for their kick though, or maybe bring their own hot sauce to proceedings…
Popeye’s Wicked Shrimp – the skinny
Price
- Dinner size with 1 Regular Side, 1 Biscuit, $5.00
- Combo size with 1 Regular Side, 1 Biscuit, 1 Drink, $6.00
Ordering
These are a limited time offer so move quick to secure some. They should be available nationwide for both dine in drive thru or delivery. You can get Popeye’s delivered via Door Dash. They usually offer some great free delivery deals for new users – plus we get a referral fee when you signup and make an order too.
Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you! I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic Salt Lake City, and a former freelance restaurant critic. I’ve worked extensively with local, regional and national food and drink organizations. I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have been writing about food and drink for more than fifteen years. I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand. I don’t mind admitting to a certain secret obsession with fast food as well – and that’s where Menu And Price comes in…