Ati Manel Sardines in Olive Oil with Lemon, another entry in the quest for lemon-y sardine goodness. To date, the JOSE Gourmet have been the ones to beat. I thought the Ati Manel spiced sardines were really good, and I hoped these would be, too.
Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.6/5.
A few fractions deducted for the roughed up skin. No scales noted. There was a brief whiff of lemon when the lid was cracked. A sip of the oil was not promising, however. First impressions can sometimes be wrong, though.
The first bite was a bit of a revelation. The lemon was there, and it hit just about right. Fishing around in the can, there was a small half slice of lemon. The pulp still retained its acidity. My thought as I worked through the rest of the can was how consistently the lemon flavor had infused the fish, right down to the last bite. And that was without consuming any of the lemon pulp with the bites of fish. Lastly, just the right amount of salt, coupled with mild-tasting, tender fish, made these a real winner.
It's hard to say if these bested their 100 Misterios lemony stable mate, JOSE Gourmet, but they are a definite re-buy, and a dollar cheaper.
Main Takeaways
- Lemon not initially apparent
- Mild tasting, tender fish
- Lemon infused consistently throughout
Competitively priced in lots of three at Amazon.
Brand: 100 Misterios / Ati Manel
Description: Sardines in Olive Oil with lemon
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $8