These Eva Adriatic Sardines in Olive Oil were purchased at the same time as the Eva Adriatic Sardines in Vegetable Oil with Lemon. These were $1 more, presumably due to the olive oil. Let's see how they fare.
Initial impression upon opening the can: 4/8.5.
Not too bad looking. Skin a little rough. Tails, as expected, and a few fins. No scales apparent. The aroma is a bit fishy, maybe a little less fresh than I'd like. A sip of the olive oil is unimpressive, and has taken on hints of the fishiness.
Let's Eat
There appear to be six fish. They want to break up a bit getting them out of the tin. I flicked off the tails as I went. That's just my preference, they're not prickly. I poured most of the remaining olive oil over everything, more to enhance mouthfeel than for flavor.
Working my way through the lot, I note they are tender but not mushy. They are also sufficiently moist. I did, however, end up encountering a few scales as I went
I'm finding them a little bland, though. For better or worse, the fishy aroma hasn't translated to the taste.
Again, I find myself wishing they were a little saltier. To that end, I added a little Lao Gan Ma Fried Chili in Oil to the last fish. It's not excessively spicy or salty, really, but it added a little oomph that was lacking. I also realized the last fish was actually two stuck together, so a bonus there.
I'm not terribly disappointed in these, they were worth the try. I'm glad I already went back and bought four more tins of the lemon variety, which were a dollar cheaper and far better, IMO.
Main Takeaways
- Tender, moist fish
- Good seven count
- A little bland, needed some salt
Brand: Podravka USA / Eva
Description: Sardines in olive oil
Species: Clupea pilchardus (Sardina pilchardus)
Country of Origin: Croatia
Source: FAO37, Mediterranean Sea
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 3.5 oz.
Price Range: $3