By Flavor & The Menu
May 6, 2021
Adrian Sanchez
Fried Cheese. Queso Frito. In any language, the words translate to craveable indulgence. Pincho understands that while there are times when guests are drawn to an item with a health halo, other days they want an irresistible excuse to give in to temptation. This enticement is served up every day at the burgers-and-kebabs fast casual.
“We use what is called queso blanco,” says Adrian Sanchez, Director of Culinary. “It’s a semi-hard cheese that is naturally salted, and its firmness allows us to fry it without breading.” The kitchen team receives the cheese in a block and simply slices or cubes it and then fries to order, pairing it with burgers, rice or salad bowls, or on its own with a housemade guava ketchup. Once fried, “it creates a natural brown, crunchy outside layer, while keeping the inside very soft and gooey,” he says.
Sanchez salutes the product’s versatility. It has graduated from an LTO to multiple uses across the menu; it’s featured on the Fritanga Burger and as a build-your-own Pincho Plate option, for example. It also inspired Pincho’s National Fried Cheese Day campaign held during the early days of the pandemic.
