Deen, Author at Sardeenz!

Sunlee Sardines in Tomato Sauce

These Sunlee Sardines in Tomato Sauce came from one of a handful of Asian markets I've been patronizing recently, in search of both tinned fish and chili crisps. They appear to be among a trio of brands commonly sold in Asian markets, at least the ones around here, that includes Sumaco and Marock. These Sunlee differ in that they are sourced from Thailand, and are a Western Pacific variety of sardine, Sardinops sagax. Of the three, these were the cheapest at $1.39.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.6/5.

It looks like there's some room for another fish in there. I see no scales nor tails, but that's common with these Western Pacific sardines. There's not much in the way of aroma. The sauce has a pallid caste to it, and a very homogenous texture. No oil has separated. A sip of it is unsurprisingly bland.

Here We Go

Digging them out, they are tender enough to start to break when lifted with a fork. I'm surprised to find there are actually five fish in there. This type is more slender than a pilchard, so they're apparently easier to fit in this deeper tin. I still think one more could have squeezed in.

There was quite a bit of sauce left in the tin, and I poured about half over the fish and rice. It's thin and watery.

The meat yields easily to the fork, and is moist and tender. I can't say if the strange flavor note I'm getting is from the fish or the sauce. Probably the latter. The salt level is a moderate 340mg. sodium, and isn't adding anything to the mix.

A look at the ingredients reveals no oil used in the packing sauce. "Thickening agents" including modified tapioca starch and sodium carboxymethylcellulose are responsible for any body it might have. Tomato paste, sugar, salt and paprika as a coloring agent provide the main flavor and appearance. All in all, just kind of blah.

I finished three fish before hauling out some Mishima Chef Troy's Recipe Crunchy Garlic Chili Sauce. It, like this fish, is also from Thailand, so I hoped for some type of synergy. At the least, it perked up some otherwise blandly seasoned sardines.

Main Takeaways

No scales or tails
Tender, moist fish
Uninspired tomato sauce

I tend to think these inexpensive sardines in tomato sauce could easily up their game and their sales numbers by simply packing in a spicy tomato sauce instead, as other more premium brands have done successfully. If it added another ten cents to the cost, I don't think anyone would care.

Brand: Thai Lee Foods / Sunlee
Description: Sardines in tomato sauce
Species: Sardinops sagax
Country of Origin: Thailand
Source: FAO71, Western Central Pacific
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: <$2

Marock Sardines in Tomato Sauce

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These Marock Sardines in Tomato Sauce were purchased at the same time and place as the Sumaco that I found quite disappointing. These were ten cents cheaper, but I'm holding out hope that these will be better. Let's see if they are.

The package color scheme and graphics are eerily similar to the Sumaco. Despite that, there is no outward indication of commonality of sourcing.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.

There is only a little tomato aroma. A taste of the sauce is expectedly bland. The ingredients list only fish, tomato sauce, salt. What oil the sauce is based upon is not specified.

The initial appearance is also similar to the Sumaco. Probing with a fork, I don't find anything near to the Sumaco in the way of scales, even though it looks like it. The can's best by date is 12.31.28, just 22 months away, so I'm thinking that what I'm seeing is skin breaking down in a can that's probably been lingering in a warehouse or stock room for quite some time. Maybe the tomato sauce has exacerbated that.

Diving In

Pulling them from the tin, the fish are tender enough to want to break apart somewhat. There are five fish total.

The sauce remaining in the can has bits of grey floating around in it, which I've already identified as skin, not scales. Still, I use a spoon to avoid pouring that part over the fish and rice. The color of it is kind of deep, like it might have additional seasoning in it, but it does not.

From the initial bite, I get a perception of an earthiness I can't explain. It waned as I continued. The fish are moist enough, with a tender texture I attribute to the extra time spent in the tin.

They're not that salty, but I didn't find myself wishing they were any saltier. Sodium is listed at 400mg.

Main Takeaways

Most, tender fish
Vintage quality, if only by happenstance
Disintegrating skin, but at least no scales

All in all, these beat the Sumaco, maybe not hands-down, but enough to warrant a second can.

Brand: AH USA Group / An Hing / Marock
Description: Sardines in tomato sauce
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Morocco
Source: FAO34, Eastern Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.37 oz.
Price Range: <$2

Sumaco Sardines in Tomato Sauce

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I got these Sumaco Sardines in Tomato Sauce on a trip to a large Asian market across town. I was actually looking for some different chili crisps to try, but found some unfamiliar sardines instead. The back of the tin calls these "Sumaco Super Sardines in Tomato Sauce". They're Moroccan, so I figured, even at only $1.79, they couldn't be all that bad.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.

There's a hint of tomato aroma. The sauce appears thick and the oil hasn't separated. I see some scales and maybe some fins, but can't say for sure, as the sauce obscures a lot.

A taste of the sauce is bland, a little sweet, but apparently only from the tomato paste in the sauce. There are no other seasonings listed besides salt. The sauce is made with soybean oil.

Let's See What We've Got Here

Pulling them from the can, the fish are tender enough to want to break in two. I'm seeing more scales than I'd like. There are four fish total, one a little larger than the others.

There was about two tablespoons of sauce left in the tin, and I poured most of it over everything, trying to leave the scales floating in it behind.

The meat is tender enough, giving easily to the fork. They could have used a little more salt, even though the tin listed a reasonably moderate 480mg. of sodium.

The scales, however, are a persistent problem, numerous enough to peel off in swatches of multiple scales. Patches of them were sticking to the roof of my mouth. By the time I finished, I had a line of scales perched along the rim of the bowl. I had expected better from them simply by being Moroccan sardines, but I guess not at a $1.79 price point. I'm now regretting having bought a second can only because of how cheap they were.

At least I found a new chili oil to try.

Main Takeaways

Tender enough, but the amount of scales is a deal breaker
Bland tomato sauce
Needed some salt or other seasoning to liven things up

Further Investigation

I thought it was odd that there was an add-on label with nutritional information on a can already printed entirely in English. That's usually only seen in cases where the package is in some other language. I couldn't find a best by date, not even under the label, but verbiage on the can says, "To be consumed preferably before the date on the tin." As you can see, all that was under the label was a logo for "L.A. Lucky Brand", but nothing about them. The only real info was about the Moroccan source, "Packed by Conserval UE 3147".

Edit: I did manage to figure out that some numbers separated by colons weren't a timestamp, but rather the best by date, "31:12:28".

Brand: Sumaco / L.A. Lucky / Conserval UE
Description: Sardines in tomato sauce
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Morocco
Source: FAO34, Eastern Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.37 oz.
Price Range: <$2

Sea Tales Sardines in Spicy Tomato Sauce

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These Sea Tales Sardines in Spicy Tomato Sauce were on sale at Whole Foods. I had to go twice, as they often don't have sale items stocked ahead of time in support of the ad. My recent interest in sardines in tomato sauce, in addition to the fact these are also spicy, made me eager to try them. Let's see how they were.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.

Some nice-looking pilchards. It appears to be a five count. There are the pepper and pickle right on top. So far, so good. The aroma is vegetal, tomato-y. A sip of the red-tinged olive oil is similar, with a moderate hit of heat at the back of the throat. I see no fins or scales.

Time To Eat

I was ready this time. I knew from previous tins packed in tomato sauce that there is a tendency for the oil to separate. After I placed the fish and spicy bits over rice, I used a plastic fork to whisk the remaining liquid in the tin back together before pouring it over everything.

The fish are meaty and tender, with no impression of dryness. The tomato sauce as reconstituted is milder than anticipated. There is a sweetness to it, plus a little tang from cider vinegar. There is still enough flavor to it that I wouldn't characterize it as over-cooked.

I tasted the pickle (a real pickle), and the pepper, which still had some heat to it. There was also a fragment of bay leaf, but it didn't stand out in the flavor profile. I didn't find things overly salty, the sodium was a relatively low 290mg.

All in all, I liked these and am glad I bought two cans. I'll get them again, hopefully on sale. Regularly $5.49, the sale and Amazon Prime member benefit brought them down to $4.25.

Main Takeaways

Tender, meaty pilchards
Well-balanced seasonings
Could have been a little spicier

Brand: Sea Tales
Description: Sardines in spicy tomato sauce
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $5-6

Patagonia Provisions Smoked Wild Pink Salmon With Pastrami Spice

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I went to Whole Foods looking for some sale items, and was pleased to find this new, unadvertised Patagonia Provisions Smoked Wild Pink Salmon With Pastrami Spice in stock. So new, in fact, it's not even listed on the Whole Foods website yet. And it was on sale!

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.8/5.

The pastrami spice aroma hits you immediately, along with a distinct smokiness. There is a modest amount of liquid in the can, typical of smoked salmon in this format. At an even 3 oz. it's a fraction of an ounce lighter than similar entries from competitors Fishwife and Wildfish Cannery. I could see some room in the can for a little more fish.

Let's Try It

My bad. I should have checked the photo before I ate. It's a little fuzzy.

Anyway, there's some nice bronze skin, and I detected no bones. The meat is firm, but flakes readily.

The flavor of the pastrami spice is just right, It could have been overwrought and overpowered the flavor of the fish, but thankfully no.

The ingredients list: Wild pink salmon, organic brown sugar, salt, organic pastrami spice blend (black pepper, coriander, caraway, garlic, onion, mustard), natural wood smoke. As I ate, there was an impression of tanginess I thought might be from vinegar, but as you can see it's not included.

I was pleased the salt level was not as high as might be anticipated, clocking in at a reasonable 530mg.

Main Takeaways

Well-seasoned slow smoked salmon
Pastrami spice well-balanced
Not overly salty

The Whole Foods list price was a competitive $9.99, but the sale brought it down to $7.64 for Amazon Prime members. There was also a "slow smoked with brown sugar" version. I bought a can of it, too, and will review it shortly. By comparison, the only difference between the two ingredient-wise is the pastrami spice.

More On Marketing

I had to check out the Patagonia Provisions website to see if this was truly new or something I had just overlooked. It appears to be new, as of this writing. I found it odd the cartons didn't match, the website showing packaging more in keeping with the rest of the current line. You can see the carton I purchased above is leaning in to the whole eye-catching graphics trend for tinned fish cartons. They've forgone the unnecessary printing of the inside of the box, though. The whole package has a recycled content feel, for which they are to be commended.

Brand: Patagonia Provisions
Description: Smoked Wild Pink Salmon With Pastrami Spice
Species: Pink salmon
Country of Origin: WA, USA
Source: FAO67, Northeast Pacific
Skin/Bones: Yes/No
Net Wt: 3 oz.
Price Range: $10

Espinaler Galician Mussels in Pickled Sauce 13/18

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These Espinaler Galician Mussels in Pickled Sauce 13/18 came with my first order from Caputo's, about a year ago. I often look at the box and think, "I should really open those", but something else always seems to get in the way. Well, today's the day.

This carton says "mussels in pickled sauce". You may also encounter the same labeled in Spanish as "mejillones en escabeche" or in French as "moules", both of which will likely have a label applied with the particulars in English.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 5/5.

It's one of those cans where you pull up the ring and the packing liquid erupts all over the top of the lid and the rim before you can even get it fully opened. Pardon me while I go get some more paper towels.

Some beautiful, appetizing-looking mussels. The pickled sauce is tinged red with unnamed spices. The aroma is sweetly vinegary. A sip of it gives the impression of apple cider vinegar, but it's listed as wine vinegar. The oil is sunflower.

I had these straight from the tin, appetizer-style. The flavor and texture are of a sweet, meaty shellfish. I suggest using a spoon with a rounded bowl to get some of the sauce included with each mussel. It's like slurping a spicy morsel off the half shell, and doesn't let all that tasty sauce go to waste.

The 13/18 means to expect 13 to 18 pieces per tin, and this one had 14. The price on these rises exponentially when the mussels are larger, with the 7/10 count currently costing almost triple what these did a year ago.

Main Takeaways

Tasty, sweet mussels
Mildly tangy spiced sauce
Good QPR at this size

Unfortunately, these have increased in price since I bought them about a year ago. Now they're $8, up from $6.50. Although another place I (still) don't order from wants almost $11, so blame inflation (or tariffs).

Brand: Espinaler
Description: Mussels in pickled sauce
Species: Mytilus galloprovincialis
Country of Origin: Spain
Source: FAO?
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4 oz.
Price Range: $6-7

Bulldog Sardines in Hot Sauce

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I got these Bulldog Sardines in Hot Sauce from a local international market. The paper label on the otherwise-unmarked can leads me to assume these are just imported from some unknown cannery and distributed generically through similar market channels. Because nothing says yummy sardines like naming them after a canine, right? Wish me luck.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.5/5.

There appear to be five fish total. These are from Thailand, so I'm assuming one of the Western Pacific species of sardine (Sardinella gibbosa?). There are some scales, but no tails or fins. The hot sauce is watery, with a pale, bland color.

The aroma is subtle, maybe a hint of vinegary pepper. A taste of the "hot sauce" is disappointing. The liquid is thin and tastes more like tomato, even though none is listed in the ingredients. The label says soybean oil, but it's way down the list, so I would characterize these as being packed in water with flavoring.

Here We Go

After digging them out and transferring them to the rice bowl, there were about four tablespoons of the "hot sauce" left in the can. I poured about half over everything.

The thing that hit me first about the fish themselves was the dryness. They appear to glisten in the photo, but that's just the watery "hot sauce". And by dry, I mean like sawdust. I added the remaining liquid from the can, but it didn't help.

About halfway through, honestly, I just lost interest and didn't care if I finished them or not.

I bought another can in just soybean oil at the same time. I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt, and see if they are any better. After all, these were essentially just packed in flavored water, and sardines packed in water are last on my list.

Main Takeaways

Visually unappealing
Hot sauce not so hot
Desert-in-your-mouth dryness

Oh, well, they were only $1.69, so I'm not out that much. I wasn't expecting to be impressed.

For reasons unknown, I attempted to get a little more info on these. I had seen that older cans referenced a company called Bulldog Seafood, but the web URL for it is a dead link. The Web Archive crawl of the site shows it active from 2010 to 2016. The latest image still had "coming soon" verbiage.

Brand: Prefer Products / Bulldog
Description: Sardines in hot sauce
Species: Sardinella gibbosa?
Country of Origin: Thailand
Source: FAO71, Western Central Pacific
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 3.75 oz.
Price Range: $2