In the latest attempt to boost sales -- and reel in the meatless and Friday fish-eating Catholic customers -- McDonald's has introduced McFish Bites. I decided to bite on this latest innovation, and recently visited the McDonald's at 3350 Colorado Boulevard -- one of my favorite stores, since it's decorated all bougie with a sitting parlor and live goldfish swimming around in decorative bowls. The goldfish didn't seem to mind the McFish Bites advertised everywhere.

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McFish Bites are offered in three sizes: "snack," "regular" and "shareable." (There's even a McFish Bites Happy Meal for the kiddoes.) I ordered the sharable size ($5.49), a paper tub of McFish Bites that opened at the top to reveal two sauce slots. I was pleased to discover that the tartar sauce was the dill pickle-heavy goop that also adorns Filet 'O Fish sammies. The nuggets were square, breaded with the same stuff used on the fish filets, and filled with smoking hot chunks of "wild-caught Alaskan pollack." That fact is also advertised everywhere, but in truth, pollock is no more classy than cod, the usual fish stick filler. Still, the bites were delicious, like tiny Filets 'O Fish missing only the cheese slices and buns.

McFish Bites are supposedly available for a limited time only, but we all know that if they sell well enough, McDonald's will either add them to the permanent menu or bring them back regularly, the same way it does the McRib.

After all, this chain knows how to bait a hook.

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