They Came from Bags: Dang Panang

Prepare yourselves for the most positive Shameless Consumer new product reviews to date.

Dang Panang
I spotted Trader Joe's Tuna in Red Panang Curry Sauce at the sample counter. Even though they weren't giving out any samples of the stuff, and in spite of my reservations about off the shelf meat products, I figured that for less than 2 bucks, it was worth a shot.

Like Tastybite meals, Trader Joe's Tuna in Red Panang Curry Sauce is magically sealed into a metallic bag. Apparently there's no irradiation involved. I simply snipped it open and poured the contents into a dish. Oh joy! It didn't smell fishy like canned tuna (I have only tasted canned tuna twice in my life, the smell repels me so). After a quick irradiation of my own, lunch was ready. It was delicious. The tuna's texture was a bit stringy, like overcooked chicken, but the sweet, mildly hot succulent sauce made up for that. The sauce could hold it's own against any served by the average Thai restaurant, at least in my city.

The greatest flaw was the product's lack of complete mealness. The portion was a bit too small for this big strapping American. They could have thrown in a little packet of rice in for the worker on the go, but I could have easily added this tuna to some noodles or a salad for a fast dinner.