The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a national nutritional watchdog group, just released their annual list of the most shamefully caloric items on menus across American chain restaurants.
Titled the Xtreme Eating Awards, the list aims to inform Americans of the amount of calories, cholesterol, fats, sodium and sugars they consume when eating out.
Top honors went to The Cheesecake Factory — no stranger to lists of culinary shockers. It’s Pasta Napoletana took the “Worst Adapted Pasta” award for its 2,310 calories and 79 grams of saturated fat and shocking 4,370 milligrams of sodium — a full three days worth of the daily recommended salt intake.
The dish was the brain child of Donald Moore, Chief Culinary Officer at TCF who asked in a Facebook Live video in March, “How can we turn a meat lover’s pizza into a pasta?”
Moore and TCF might have been successful in their pursuit, creating a dish comprised of Italian sausage, pepperoni, a meatball, bacon and mushrooms atop a parmesan cream pasta, but the results are enough to make you want to check with your waiter for the closest cardiac care unit.
The Cheesecake Factory also took top honors for “Worst Cocktail.” The Flying Gorilla chocolate banana milkshake uses dark chocolate and banana liquors to deliver a 950 calorie bomb directly to your gut.
Other items to be avoided at all costs include Dave & Buster’s Carnivore Pizzadilla which won “Worst Original Appetizer” and Buffalo Wild Wings’ Cheese Curd Bacon Burger with fries which won the “Worst Cheese in a Leading Role” award for its strange and unappetizing use of cheese chunks atop a greasy burger.
Uno Pizzeria and Grill’s Ridiculously Awesome, Insanely Large Chocolate Cake , Chili’s Ultimate Smokehouse Combo and IHOP’s Cheeseburger Omelette served with three buttermilk pancakes are also guaranteed by the Center for Science in the Public Interest to blow your belt and add ache to your arteries.
