Fast food

AROUND the world are some very weird and wonderful McDonald’s and now, some of the best in Turkey have just been revealed.

They have been selected by McDonald’s itself, with one in particular being selected for its incredible views over the Turkish Riviera and it even has evening DJ sets.

McDonald’s has put together a list of its best restaurants in the country calling them the ‘7 Wonders of McDonald’s’.

The seven restaurants were picked for their stand-out architecture, location and overall experience.

One that stands out is one in Yalıkavak on the Bodrum peninsula which was picked for its beautiful views across the ocean.

McDonald’s said: “The restaurant combines the atmosphere of the Aegean with stunning sunset views.

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“A remarkable option for those seeking a restaurant with a view in Yalıkavak, it offers a spacious setting for those wanting to take a break for a meal or coffee around Yalıkavak Marina.”

It proves to be popular with visitors too and the McDonald’s has made several appearances on social media.

One visitor made a TikTok about the spot and called it the ‘most luxurious McDonald’s’.

As she walked through, she showed off the beautiful views across the Turkish Riviera with yachts in the marina.

Some of the best views are from the rooftop terrace where guests can dig into their meal while overlooking the marina.

Another TikTok revealed that when the sun goes down, a DJ takes over the terrace and turns the evening into an event.

In the comments, one person wrote: “Wow, make McDonald’s premium.”

Another visitor called the restaurant the ‘best McDonald’s in the world’.

They added: “The restaurant needs to meet the sea view and nature uniquely. I love the landscape and mill; history, nature and sea are a perfect place. The most beautiful McDonald’s restaurant in the world.”

Guests can tuck into McDonald’s classics like hamburgers, chicken burgers and chicken nuggets.

But there are other specialities that you don’t get in the Köfte Burger, the Adana Style Meatball Wrap, onion rings, ice cream sundaes and churros.

There’s also the option to buy McFloat drinks which are Coca Cola and flavoured sprite with ice cream on top.

SLUMPED in a chair in his hotel room, eyes blood-shot and his mood low, comedian Mo Gilligan is a shadow of his normal self.

His mission — to eat only fried chicken for 28 days in a bid to discover what it does to our bodies — had at first sounded like a fast-food dream come true.

But the challenge quickly took its toll, piling weight on the happy-go-lucky entertainer, sending him into a depression, increasing his chances of developing diabetes and leaving him barely able to recognise himself in the mirror.

Addressing the camera in his dimly lit room, a visibly broken Mo says: “I’m eating this food and I don’t feel like myself.

“I look in the mirror and I don’t look like myself. I feel so low.”

Mo, 38, has teamed up with Netflix for a new special, Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy, which echoes Morgan Spurlock’s 2004 documentary Super Size Me, in which he munched only McDonald’s grub for a month.

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In one harrowing scene from Mo’s documentary, he breaks down in tears as he struggles with the physical and emotional effects of his diet.

During the show, he travels to visit so-called food deserts where grub is limited and pop-up takeaways are the only option.

Chicken is often seen as a healthier alternative to a burger. But in reality, more and more natural and artificial flavourings and preservatives are being added to fried poultry, which can lead to dire health consequences.

Some has even been found to contain dimethylpolysiloxane — an ingredient used in kids’ silly putty and the manufacturing of condoms.
Mo tells the film: “I’ve met a lot of experts over the last couple of days.

“You know, one of the ingredients, they also put it in condoms for lubrication. Who knew that went into a burger? So many things go into it that are artificially engineered to give you a better experience and get you to come back for more.”

Speaking exclusively to The Sun ahead of the show’s release on Wednesday, Mo said he felt it was crucial for viewers to see how far the TV experiment pushed him — even when he desperately wanted to switch the cameras off.

He explained: “Being paid to eat fried chicken sounds like the dream. In my head I was like, ‘Well, I like eating fried chicken, I want to know more about it’.

“But it quickly turned into a nightmare.”

Mo — who is a judge on ITV’s The Masked Singer with regulars Maya Jama, Jonathan Ross and Davina McCall — continued: “Look, I do a job that’s very front-facing and in the public eye. I’d be lying if I said I don’t care about my image, especially if I’m eating fried chicken every day.

“Eating the food was something that I was a bit self-conscious of, but also knowing that in the space of a few days, I went from a large in my T-shirt size to an extra large because of what I’m eating.”

Mo underwent a medical assessment before and after the TV experiment.

Over the 28 days, he gained 1½in around his stomach, felt his mood skydive and saw his chances of developing diabetes increase. But despite no longer fitting into some of his clothes, Mo insists he will not use fat jabs as a quick slimming fix.

Shockingly, one spicy chicken sandwich from US chain Popeyes, which came to the UK in 2021, contains a massive 142 ingredients.

Health Professor Laura Schmidt said: “These companies are doing everything they can to make it cheap, make it convenient and to make it taste irresistible. If you see 45 ingredients and they are chemicals you don’t recognise, it is ­probably ultra-processed.”

She added: “Natural and artificial flavours. That’s the question mark, as it’s a bunch of chemicals they don’t have to list and those chemicals may not be regulated as there is a loophole in the federal regulation in the US. Even in Europe, when they go to regulate a chemical additive, they ask the company to prove it’s safe. In the US they don’t. The companies decide what is safe. These foods promote chronic disease. This is the big concern for our health.”

Mo, who has been touring America, insists that if anything, doing the documentary has made him more committed to his fitness.

But the comic — who played football when he was younger and now enjoys running — stressed that, regardless of your diet, nobody needs to go to extremes to benefit their health.

He reveals: “I do love my fitness, man. I love it, especially because I travel a lot on tour.

“All I need is a gym, some equipment and some gym shoes. I think when it comes to exercise, people think you must be doing a 5k. But you don’t have to be totally extreme to lose weight. As I learned, a ten-minute walk can burn calories.”

Sales of fried chicken have exploded since the 1960s.

In the UK, we spend an incredible £12million on it every day.

Britain now boasts more than 6,000 fried chicken shops, with London Road in South London ­having some 20.

In comparison, Tesco has 3,010 stores and Sainsbury’s has 1,485. In the doc, Mo says: “I only remember one chicken shop growing up.

“Now, one road alone has more than 20.

“In central London, you have your more gourmet ones, something from the US. Then the further you go out, they don’t even have names any more.

“DFC, MFC, we know the FC is fried chicken, but what is the M?

“PFC. What is that? Perfect Fried Chicken? . . . I have no idea.

“This bird is big business.”

Big Chicken: A Fast Food Conspiracy has been created by documentary maker Louis Theroux’s team.

And Mo is proud of showing his emotions on film.

He said: “I think men do need to be more comfortable speaking about how we feel in the moment as well with our other friends, other guys.

“It will definitely break the silence. As men, we need to speak up and be like, ‘I feel low in myself’ or, ‘I don’t look how I want to look’ or, ‘I don’t feel how I want to feel’.

“It’s really important for me to be my authentic self on camera.”

Last week, Mo was confirmed for series eight of The Masked Singer.

And he insists he is not making a concerted effort to crack America.

He says: “When I think of America, I always say they are great at exporting entertainment and fast food. I’m quite fortunate that I’ve had three Netflix specials and they go all around the world.

“So if it lands me in America, I’m here for that. But if it takes me to Australia or Africa, it’s equally good for me.

“I’m really fortunate I’ve been able to tick off doing all the things I wanted to do and some of the things I never thought I would be able to do as well.

“Now, being in this space and making hopefully an impactful documentary . . . 

“I really enjoy this subject and seeing where it goes and telling it to the rest of the world.”

Meanwhile, away from this serious project, Strictly Come Dancing and I’m A Celebrity regularly try to recruit Mo as a contestant.

He said: “They do come knocking. Yeah . . . not just yet. But never say never.”

TICK off a plethora of UNESCO stunners, feast on incredible street food and slurp the best coffee – all on this unforgettable tour, says writer Donna Smiley.

Hopping on to the back of the scooter, I slip my arms around the driver’s waist as we weave through the narrow streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter – a dizzying rush of colour, noise and scent.

I’ve only just arrived in Vietnam’s chaotic capital, so a Grab taxi, £1.40 for 40 minutes, turns out to be a great way to loop this kilometre-square maze of 36 streets and get my bearings.

Every corner is packed with vendors selling everything from fresh fruit and steaming bowls of pho, to clothes, silver and stacks of cooking utensils.

The air is thick with the scent of broth and grilled pork drifting out from hidden alleys.

Down each passageway lies another surprise — an ancient temple, a bustling market, a tiny coffee house or a tucked-away shop.

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Initially, crossing the road feels like a death-defying act as hundreds of scooters stream past without stopping.

But soon enough, I’ve stopped flinching and I’m ready to begin my G Adventures X National Geographic 13-day tour, which will whisk me from the country’s north to its south.

First off, my nine fellow explorers and I delve into Vietnam’s past at Hoa Lo Prison – known to American prisoners of war as the Hanoi Hilton – a place that’s as fascinating as it is harrowing (Hoalo.vn).

Later, we visit the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh, one of the nation’s most influential political figures, and learn more about his life at the Presidential Palace, a grand French-colonial building.

That afternoon, it’s time to leave city life behind for Mai Châu, a valley just over two hours’ coach drive away, and one that is framed by verdant hills and dotted with traditional houses raised on stilts belonging to the White Thai ethnic communities.

Our home for the next couple of nights is the lush, peaceful Mai Châu Hideaway Lake Resort (Maichauhideaway.com).

On one guided walk, we spot workers planting rice seedlings, water buffaloes grazing lazily, and children playing along the paths. It’s nothing short of idyllic.

It may be another long bus ride to get to UNESCO site Ha Long Bay – four hours to be precise – but an overnight cruise here on a traditional wooden junk boat is simply unmissable.

We stare in awe at the hundreds of towering limestone karsts, their rainforest-topped peaks rising dramatically from the emerald water, before bedding down in a cosy cabin.

The next morning, we take a small boat to explore Sung Sot Cave – it’s the bay’s largest, best-known cavern with vast, illuminated chambers, which we explore by foot.

We then set sail again to Thien Cung Cave, famous for its intricate, mythical-looking rock formations.

Once back in Hanoi, we fly to Vietnam’s former imperial capital, Hue, just over an hour away.

This UNESCO-listed city is where one of the Vietnam War’s most dramatic battles took place.

We tour Hue’s walled citadel, exploring its lavish palaces, serene gardens and courtyards, its shrines and colourful gates – some scarred by bullet holes from the fierce fighting – before entering the ruins of the Forbidden Purple City, once reserved for the imperial family.

Later, we stroll along the Perfume River to the magnificent tombs of Vietnam’s emperors close to the water.

That evening, craving one of the country’s most iconic street foods, bánh mì – a light, crispy baguette stuffed with meat, pickled veg, herbs and creamy spreads – I head to local favourite Bánh Mì Truong Tien O Tho on Tran Cao Vân for a pork roll. It’s utterly mouth-watering and costs just 25p!

Vietnam also has the best (and cheapest) coffee I’ve ever tasted.

As salt coffee is a Hue specialty, I seek out Cà Phê Muoi on Dang Thái Thân Street, to give the robust Vietnamese coffee made with condensed milk, £1, a try, and the lightly salted whipped cream delivers a delicious sweet-and-salty hit. I’m instantly addicted.

After an early-morning, four-hour drive, we arrive in Hoi An, another UNESCO spot.

The Old Town’s narrow streets decked in colourful silk lanterns that sway gently above the crowds are instantly enchanting, but as night falls, its riverfront is truly magical.

Bridges glow in vivid colours and hundreds of candle-lit lanterns drift along the Hoai River.

We hop on a boat to release a paper lotus lantern, a tradition symbolising peace and good fortune – as I light my lantern, I think of a loved one and watch the tiny flame float away.

Even surrounded by so many tourists doing the same, it is incredibly moving.

Our last stop is Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon and home to 14 million people.

Alongside iconic sites, such as the Notre Dame Cathedral of Saigon and the ornate Central Post Office sit communist-era landmarks and futuristic skyscrapers, which light up at night and dominate District 1’s skyline.

The War Remnants Museum serves as a powerful reminder of the atrocities committed during the Vietnam War (Baotangchungtichchientranh.vn), as does Independence Palace – the site marking the end of the war (Dinhdoclap.gov.vn).

Come dusk, rooftop bars glow and I find myself back on a scooter for the Ho Chi Minh: Food Tasting & Sightseeing Tour, from £24 for four hours.

Zipping through the city, we venture into neighbourhoods I’d have struggled to find alone – stopping first for the delicate beef stew at Quán An Cô Liêng on Võ Van Tan Street, a humble spot in the Michelin Guide that’s packed with locals (Getyourguide.com).

From here, we cruise through the vibrant Ho Thi Ky flower market, filled with the scent of jasmine and marigolds, before stopping at a nearby food market to sample an array of delights, including Vietnamese pizza and chè chuoi – a warm, creamy dessert with bananas and rich coconut cream.

It’s safe to say this whole trip has certainly been one incredible ride.