Reviews - Page 2 of 27

Bulldog Sardines in Hot Sauce

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

Berthe Sardines in Olive Oil

DeenLeave a comment

These Berthe Sardines in Olive Oil are from a brand I've been interested in trying for a long time. Buying from a source I don't typically deal with would likely have involved paying more in the way of shipping. I found them on a 10% price reduction at Amazon. Let's see if they were worth the wait.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.

Nice looking pilchards, packed silvery bellies up. I see a few scales and some pectoral fins. The aroma is just of fresh sardine. A sip of the light golden-colored olive oil is neutral, and hasn't picked up any flavor of the fish.

There are four sizeable fish, and in picking them out of the can with a fork, I note each one has a "give" to it. They are soft, and barely make it to the rice bowl intact without breaking in two.

Time To Eat

Digging in, they are impossibly tender. I know I recently said I never encountered a sardine I could characterize as truly juicy, but these just might be it. You can see the moisture glistening from the cut flesh.

There were a couple tablespoons-worth of oil left in the tin, and I poured just half over the fish and rice.

Continuing on, I note they are just as tender in the mouth as the physical feel of them implied while getting them out of the tin. They are not mushy, maybe borderline "fall-apart-y" as some like to call it, but definitely melt-in-your-mouth tender.

If anything was lacking, it might be a little salt, although the listed 370 mg. sodium was by no means low. I'll note this for the next can, and make arrangements to deal with it, if need be. Because I will be getting these again.

Main Takeaways

Nice looking pilchards
Impossibly tender
Dare I say juicy?

See it at Amazon.

Brand: Ramirez & Ca. / Berthe
Description: Sardines in olive oil
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $9-10

Luças Sardines in Olive Oil

DeenLeave a comment

These Luças Sardines in Olive Oil came from Amazon. They're usually not well-priced there, but a temporary price reduction made a two-pack quite reasonable. I'm looking forward to trying them.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 5/5.

I know I always say I like my pilchards smaller, but these big boys are nice looking. No scales, no tails. The oil is golden-hued but clear enough to see all the way to the bottom of the tin. The aroma from the can is of fresh sardine. A sip of the olive oil is also fresh, neutral but very clean-tasting.

Let's Eat

They are firm, and lift out onto the bowl of rice intact. The appearance is very clean, with no off-putting bits. Luças is to be commended for their attention to this detail.

There were 3 to 4 tablespoons of the oil remaining in the tin, and I poured about half of it over everything.

Digging in, they are resistant to being divided into bites with a fork. Not tough, but a longer way to go through than smaller fish.

The flavor is slightly tuna-like, but like good, fresh tuna. I guess that's due to the larger fish. But it's not in any way a bad thing. Even though listed as a low 170 mg, the salt level is just right. No complaints there at all.

Main Takeaways

Big pilchards, but really good quality
Good flavor
Cleanly processed

I really liked these, and hope I can find a good source or a deal to get some more in this and other flavor varieties.

I didn't think these required any condiments, they stood that well on their own. But I had a good bit of rice left after the fish was gone, so I decided to try some Crunchy Chili/Onion Sprinkle Seasoning Blend I had just picked up from Trader Joe's. It has flavor elements similar to their Crunchy Chili/Onion condiment, but with the addition of a little dried Szechuan pepper. I cautiously added a light dusting to begin with, but ended up applying more. I'll keep it on hand for the next time a sardine or other tinned fish is a little bland or doesn't deliver on the spiciness.

Brand: Luças & Co.
Description: Sardines in olive oil
Species: Sardina pilchardus walbaum
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $7-8

Ferrigno Sardines with Butter, Garlic and Parsley

DeenLeave a comment

These Ferrigno Sardines with Butter, Garlic and Parsley came from World Market about three months ago. I don't know why it took so long to open them. This would be my first experience with sardines packed in butter; it's not all that common.

Ferrigno is known for whimsical artwork on its tins. Here, two chefs joust with pugil sticks and shields on platforms over water. The line at the bottom translates as, "Ready to be pan-fried!"

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.

From what I can see, these are some nice, hefty pilchards. There appear to be four in total.

Ideally, before opening, the tin should be held under hot running water or placed in a bath of hot water to melt the butter. Unfortunately, that wasn't convenient, so I'm relying on the heat from a bowl of rice to do the work instead. The butter is congealed at room temperature, and it made prying the fish out of the tin intact somewhat difficult.

The aroma is of butter and garlic, no surprise, but they mask any scent of the fish.

Butter Up

It took a moment for the butter to start melting. It appears to be clarified, which is a plus. Plain melted butter and seafood don't really go together.

Fortunately, the heat of the rice has allowed the aromas of butter and garlic to bloom even more.

Digging in, the fish are firm and meaty. The garlicky butter complements the fish well, adding an enhanced richness. The salt level is just right, and I'm certain the US English card insert listing just 20mg. sodium for the entire can is a typo.

I don't detect any scales, and the fish as a whole seem cleanly processed.

Main Takeaways

Meaty, flavorful pilchards
Well-balanced garlic butter seasoning

These were a bit pricey, but I think worth it. I'd buy them again.

Brand: Ferrigno
Description: Sardines with butter garlic and parsley
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: France
Source: FAO34, Eastern Central Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.05 oz.
Price Range: $7-8

Espinaler Sardines in Spicy Vegetable Oil 3/5

DeenLeave a comment

These Espinaler Sardines in Spicy Vegetable Oil 3/5 came with a Caputo's order from a few weeks ago. I'd had their baby sardines in spicy olive oil and their regular 3/5 sardines in olive oil, and found them both OK. I may have just added these to make the order a little bigger. They ship tinned fish orders for free, and I always like to get at least 6 or more cans at a time, out of a sense of fairness to the vendor.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.

The 3/5 means you should expect 3 to 5 fish. Here we have four. It's a deep can, so they're a large four. Nicely packed silver belly side-up, but I can see a few things I would rather had been cleaned out better during processing. There are no scales evident, but there are a couple tails. There are also a few bits of what looks like grass. The Espinaler in the blue cartons are their "classic" line, so they're not expensive as imported Spanish sardines go, but my previous experience with them has been of cleaner-looking fish.

The aroma doesn't reveal much. A sip of the mostly clear (sunflower) oil is neutral. I thought for a moment I detected a modicum of heat, but a second sip was confirmedly bland. The applied US label covering the back panel of the carton lists "sweet chili flavour", which I thought was odd for a tin labeled "picantes" (hot).

Let's Eat

Heaving them out over rice, they remained largely intact. I removed and set aside some things from the cavities that were visually unappealing. Don't get me wrong, I live in a part of the country with abundant, fresh seafood, and I eat some things folks from elsewhere probably wouldn't touch. It's not that I thought whatever these parts were was harmful, I just chose not to let them get in the way of my enjoyment, if you get my meaning.

Anyway, the fish are tender and moist. I wouldn't call them juicy, and honestly, I don't think I've ever had a sardine I'd characterize as juicy that wasn't really just mushy. These do have a good sardine flavor, though.

They're a bit on the salty side, even though the carton lists only 390mg. sodium. It's not a deal breaker.

The problem here is that there's no heat or spice. There's no physical pepper in the can, so I don't know if they just forgot to squirt whatever "flavour" makes them "picantes" into the can or what.

Main Takeaways

Tender, moist fish, but some visually unappealing bits I could have done without
A little salty
Where's the heat?

I've liked the other Espinaler tins I've had so far, so it's a bit disappointing this one didn't deliver as promised.

Brand: Espinaler
Description: Sardines in spicy vegetable oil
Species: Sardina pilchardus
Country of Origin: Spain
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.05 oz.
Price Range: $5

Maria Organic Mackerel Fillets with Organic Piri-Piri

DeenLeave a comment

These Maria Organic Mackerel Fillets with Organic Piri-Piri came from Caputo's a few weeks ago. It's been a while since I cracked open a can of mackerel, and I also wanted to compare this one to some from Minerva I had about six weeks ago.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 5/5.

Some really pristine looking mackerel fillets. I don't see any piri-piri pepper (yet), and the oil is a greenish gold rather than the expected tinge of red from the pepper. The aroma isn't revealing anything about the fish or the seasoning. A sip of the oil is similarly ambiguous.

Let's See What We Have Here

There are three hefty fillets. Each pulled from the tin intact. And there's the lone piri-piri pepper. (That Minerva I had before was spiced with the traditional pickle, carrot and pepper.)

A substantial amount of oil remained in the deep can. It's organic EVOO, and not wanting to let it go to waste, I poured it all over everything. Initially perhaps a bit of overkill, but in retrospect not.

The meat is firm but tender and flakes readily. The flavor is mild with only a very slight "tang". The salt level is enough to be complementary without being obtrusive. I'm ambivalent about experimenting with any condiments, but ultimately decide against it.

The thing that's lacking, though, is any real input from the piri-piri. In some cases, one lone pepper can really fire things up; in others two or three might do nothing. I don't suppose the heat potential of any pepper can be realistically assessed in the canning process.

I finished the fish, then ate the pepper, seeds and all. No flavor to it whatsoever. Fortunately, the mackerel stood on its own quite well, so the disappointment over the spiciness was minimal.

Main Takeaways

Beautiful mackerel fillets
High quality organic EVOO
Piri-piri spice MIA

Breaking down the carton for archiving, I noticed the date stamp indicated it was packaged December 2023. I was a bit surprised this can purchased in January 2026 had taken that long to sell.

Brand: 100 Misterios / Maria Organic
Description: Mackerel Fillets with piri-piri in organic EVOO
Species: Scomber japonicus
Country of Origin: Portugal
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: No/No
Net Wt: 4.2 oz.
Price Range: $8-9

Regalis Baby Sardines in Olive Oil

DeenLeave a comment

These Regalis Baby Sardines in Olive Oil came up during a search on Amazon for some other sardines, I think as one of those "you might like" recommendations you are often bombarded with there. At $10, they weren't cheap, but they were from Spain, and 16-20 count baby pilchards usually come at a premium. I was either going to be pleasantly surprised or deeply disappointed. Let's see which.

The carton I received said "baby sardines", and did not bear the MSC certification logo. There is nothing on the carton or can that I can decipher as a packing date. They are dated "best by" December 2026, a short ten months away. Most fresh tins right now are dated 5 years out, so 2031. This tells me these are not big sellers. Looking at the vendor information on Amazon, it appears they are a private label, original cannery source unknown.

An adhesive label covers the entire back of the carton, potentially obscuring any further information. I was able to remove it without damage to the underlying carton face. The only material differences were a restating of nutritional information based on the entire can being a serving, a slight change in verbiage re: harvest area, and the addition of the California Prop 65 warning.

Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.9/5.

The skin is a little rough, but they look firm. There are no scales and maybe one tail visible. And the aroma is still fresh enough. I'm taking that as a good sign that I might be enjoying some vintage baby pilchards without the vintage price. A sip of the lightly golden-hued olive oil is neutral.

In the deep can, there are twelve visible. Past experience with various brands of sprats sold as "two layer" or "12 to 22 fish" makes me wonder if there will be only a handful underneath.

Digging In

Wow! Not only was there a full second layer, there were 22 fish total, exceeding the 16 to 20 count promised.

All but one was able to be extracted from the can intact. About a tablespoon of olive oil remained in the tin, and I poured the majority of it over everything.

The fish are small enough to each be consumed in one bite. The texture is pleasantly firm, but the meat is tender and flavorful. They seem a little salty, and the carton confirms 670mg. sodium. A little on the high side, but not problematic.

After about two thirds of the tin, I added a little Micro Pharms Crunchy Garlic Oil to the rest. It's not salty at all, and its crunchy bits are on the larger side as compared to most products of its type. I found it complemented the fish well.

Main Takeaways

Tender and flavorful
A tad salty, but not a deal breaker
Vintage sardine flavor and texture

Buying an unknown brand can often be a crapshoot, but in this case it worked out very well.

Brand: Regalis Foods
Description: Baby sardines in olive oil
Species: Pilchards
Country of Origin: Spain
Source: FAO27, Northeast Atlantic
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4 oz.
Price Range: $10