Good morning, my neighbors! Yeah I could've started this review off with any number of Coming to…read moreAmerica quotes, but I wanted to try to keep this review PG. Though really, there needs to be a little more focus on the whole point of this adventure and that was to eat at the one and only McDowell's!
Okay, maybe there actually isn't a one and only McDowell's and the fact that a few friends and I had to drive to Cherry Hill, New Jersey yesterday didn't exactly make sense with the whole Queens aspect of the "actual" location. But even so, this restaurant pop up was still a ton of fun, and it all started as soon as we got there.
The "employee" who greeted us was a barrel full of McDowell's info, asking us to make sure we knew the difference between their fast food setup and that other golden-arched location (ya know, because they have the golden arcs at McDowell's). Once inside, the setup was hilariously awesome with Cleo McDowell's office/desk (complete with burger phone and McDonald's operation manual), a Zamunda throne and flag, a setup of Akeem's apartment (damn shame what they did to that dog), and a couple of mops and buckets scattered about the place (Akeem's favorite).
Beyond the photo ops, it was time to dive into the actual reason to come to McDowell's and that's to have the Big Mick! Remember, that's two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions, but McDowell's buns have no seeds. Pair that with some fries (a little skimpy on the amount) and a strawberry shake (not bad) and I had a meal fit for a king (of Zamunda perhaps?). I mean, truth be told, the food wasn't anything special, and though you might consider that a let down, it wasn't a massive one. Though that aspect, pieced together with the random rock and new wave pop being played instead of some Coming to America soundtrack music, could've set the mood a bit more. Having said that, the experience was still a blast.
Plus, beer always makes things better. When you think of garbage, think of Akeem, but when you think of breweries, think of Josh G. (me) who was ecstatic to learn a local Jersey brewery (Forgotten Boardwalk) concocted up two beers specifically for this pop up. Setting up a nice little beer garden outside of McDowell's (complete with a massive Soul Glo bottle and ad) created a little bonus to the afternoon. Thirsty? If so you'll have the opportunity to buy cans (or a pint to go along with your meal) of the Queen to Be "Zamunda Style" Cream Ale and/or the Soul Glo Hazy IPA. I got a sample of each while at McDowell's (both tasted relatively solid), though full cans were purchased and shall be consumed at a later time.
Overall, McDowell's pop up is/was pretty awesome. Even though the food wasn't anything special (seriously, I shouldn't have expected it would be) and perhaps the setup lacked a tad more tightness on all aspects of the Coming to America movie, the fun of getting to basically go to McDowell's for real was totally worth it. Seeing some "props" and hearing quotes being thrown around by people just added to the humor and joy of this event. So if you can grab some tickets and head to Cherry Hill, NJ in the next few weeks (it won't be here for long!) then you too can experience the Big Mick and McDowell's for yourself. As Akeem says to Lisa McDowell "No journey is too great when one finds what he seeks." You, my Yelp neighbors, should be seeking out McDowell's...now!