Good & Gather Thai-Style Coconut Curry Salsa

Happy 2022. Back to the Good & Gather stuff again. Not sure if Target is switching products like this over to Favorite Day or if they'll keep some GAG stuff around for a while. Time will tell. Items like this one could use a repackaging IMO if only because the white type on light blue background is hard to read and even harder to take a decent picture of.

This is one of the more interesting GAG products we've seen over the years. It's Thai-style curry...but in the format of tomato-based salsa. Made me raise an eyebrow when I saw it on the shelf.

As far as a chip dip, I'm not sure if I like it as much as a more traditional Mexican or Tex-Mex style salsa. It's not terrible that way, but the coconut taste is just...unusual on my palate, along with tomato sauce, tomato chunks, and jalapeño. It's almost like Thai-Tex-Mex fusion.

It works okay as a regular salsa, but it's even better when applied to food in the manner of a Thai chutney or Thai relish topping. Take chicken or fish on a bed of rice, top with this stuff before serving. Scrumptious.

It's quite chunky with veggies and moderately spicy, thanks to those jalapeño peppers. I feel like the coconut cream really helps mitigate the heat, though. Garlic, basil, and lime flavors are all present but play second fiddle to the tomato and coconut elements.

$2.49 for the jar. I'd definitely consider purchasing again in the future, but I doubt I'll eat much of it just as a salsa on plain tortilla chips.

I give this condiment 8 out of 10 stars.

Good & Gather Panang Curry Simmer Sauce

Whether you're scared of the virus or not, dining out in 2020 is significantly less practical than it was in the carefree days of yesteryear. I'm not saying the wife and I don't go out anymore at all, but I'm saying we eat out somewhat less, as is likely the case with most of you.

So, logically, it behooves us to find tasty, gourmet-ish alternatives to our favorite sit-down restaurants. Sonia and I looove us some good Indian and Thai food, so curry is something we like to have on hand at home. We love all the curries: red curry, yellow curry, green curry, Tim Curry—and we both prefer his Pennywise to Bill Skarsgard's. Sorry, Millennials.

But in all seriousness, I was under the impression that most curries were Indian rather than Thai, so I was a little surprised to find out that this Panang stuff is actually not Indian. Technically, it's not Thai either, although you'll often find Panang dishes in Thai restaurants. Penang is an island right off the coast of Malaysia. But Malaysia and Thailand are neighbors, so...close enough, right? Also, there just aren't enough Malaysian restaurants in this country.

Anyway, my wife and I loved this stuff. It's mildly spicy. The base is coconut milk, cream, and peanut butter. It's thick and rich. The flavors here are so complex, yet so easy to appreciate. The notes of garlic, onion, and chili peppers come through, but don't overwhelm the sweet, creamy foundation of the condiment.

It says there are three servings in the container. We managed to finish it in two. This bottle was just enough for a single meal for both of us. We had it with tilapia and sliced bell peppers, served on white rice, and it was amazing. White fish is neutral enough to let the curry shine and be the centerpiece of the meal. We'd love to try it with veggies, shrimp, or chicken next.

This will absolutely be a repeat purchase for us. We're anxious to try the Pad Thai and Butter Chicken sauces in this Good & Gather line. Not sure if anything like this was available under the old Simply Balanced or Archer Farms monikers, but it gets a big thumbs up from me. I think this is the first thing we've tried from Good & Gather that really wowed us. The quality is top-notch and the flavor is restaurant-caliber all the way.

I give this simmer sauce 9 out of 10 stars.

Simply Balanced Thai-Style Curry Chicken Soup

I'm definitely not an expert on Thai foods. But I have had curry from legit Thai restaurants. And I've had pretty decent curry and curry-laden foods from other stores.

This "Thai-style curry" selection doesn't strike me as being particularly authentic. It's nothing like any of the other curries I've had. But I suppose there are many different types of curries from Thailand, and this dish could be modeled after one I've never tried before.

That's not to say there isn't something Thai-esque about it. There is a spice that's definitely not American hot sauce or anything jalapeño-based. It's a spicy Thai pepper for sure. And there is a subtle, but noticeable coconut cream taste present. But nothing else seems curry-ish to me—or "curry-ous," if you will. The heat level is nice. What might have been a very boring meal definitely has some kick to it, thanks to that Asian peppery flavor, but not to the point of pain.

Otherwise, it's basically a chicken and rice soup with a few chopped veggies. And unfortunately, it's mostly rice. There's a decided lack of vegetables, and I only discovered a handful of (maybe four or five) tiny pieces of chicken in the whole container.

The carton the soup is packaged in is novel and convenient. It's shelf-stable and relatively easy to open. Although this product has a nice big chunk of your daily sodium intake, it's much less fattening than other curry dishes I've seen. For the full nutrition information and ingredients list, please click here.

I give this soup 7 out of 10 stars.

Archer Farms Spicy Korean-Style Barbecue Chips

These are very similar to the previously-reviewed Sweet & Spicy Chips. There's just a very subtle difference between the two sets of seasonings. I suppose these do taste more...Asian than the Sweet & Spicy dealies, although these could also be described as "spicy and sweet."

These chips have rice flour and a couple of soy-based ingredients, which I guess pushes them in the direction of a Korean BBQ flavor. They certainly don't taste like freshly-seared bulgogi or ribs, but they're not bad for what they are. They flaunt a similar texture to the aforementioned Sweet and Spicy Chips or even the Garden Vegetable Ranch kettle-style chips. They're extremely crispy.

I think if you're looking for a spicy kettle chip, the Sriracha variety is the way to go. But if you want something with less heat, but that still has some kick and a nice bit of tang, these are a viable alternative. Anything's better than the Rib Chips, which I believe, thankfully, have been discontinued. Since those awful things, I haven't been terribly disappointed with any Archer Farms offerings in the chip department. You really can't go wrong in that aisle these days.

Leave a comment if you agree, disagree, or have anything to add! Also let me know what to review next! Anything expensive you've seen there in your Target's freezer that you've been scared to try? Let me know! Holla' at me, my fellow Archer Farms fans!

I give these chips 7 out of 10 stars.

Archer Farms Sesame Teriyaki Lunch Bowl

I almost gave up on the lunch bowls. They've been really bad. I took a long break from reviewing them because each one I tried grossed me out.

But after months of avoiding them, I decided to give them another whirl. I saw this happy little morsel staring back at me from the shelf at Target, the price was right ($2.29, though prices may vary), and I snatched it up for one of my lunches this week. And for the first time since we started this blog, I don't regret it. This is hands down the best lunch bowl we've seen from Archer Farms thus far. See also Bacon Carbonara, Kung Pao Noodles, and Southwest Couscous.

But saying this product is better than the other lunch bowls we've tried isn't really sayin' that much. This bowl still left a little to be desired. It was far too salty. And it could have used some add-ins or little herbs that float around in the broth or something to give the texture a bit more oomph.

I do have to say, though, the taste was very good overall. It tasted like teriyaki. Granted, it's pre-packaged, cheap store brand, dehydrated powdered teriyaki—but it's passable teriyaki nonetheless, and it comes closer to quality than most of these shelf-stable noodle dishes do. You can taste sesame, and there are plenty of noodles. I poured them in a ceramic bowl and ate them with chopsticks to cut down on the cheapo factor. It actually kinda felt and tasted like a civilized meal. Considering the price, I have to say this is worth a try. It definitely beats Top Ramen.

I give this product 7 out of 10 stars.

Archer Farms Zen Party Trail Mix

It's your moment of zen for the day.

This is the Asian equivalent of the previously reviewed Tex Mex Trail Mix. They're similar in that they both have sesame sticks, they're both really dry, and they both have random nuts in them. But I personally prefer this one, because I love wasabi and wasabi peas.

Peanuts wouldn't really have worked here, but the almonds and cashews blended in brilliantly. They added a meatiness to the trail mix that made it much more complete than it would have been sans nuts. Even the sesame sticks were a welcome addition, even though I complained about their presence in the Tex Mex Mix. I think sesame stuff just works with Asian food in general. It offsets the significant spiciness of the mix. And it's not just the wasabi peas that have some heat. The rice crackers seem to have a little kick to them as well.

The rice crackers are somewhat smooth, and they have a unique texture that's hard to describe. They're crispy and crunchy, but also delicate in a way. They do taste like rice, but it's not a bland flavor at all.

In terms of fat and calories, it's right in the middle of what we've seen so far with Archer Farms trail mixes. It's filling and easy to transport, but if you eat this stuff out on the trails, make sure you have extra water, because it'll make you hella thirsty. It's also the loudest trail mix we've ever reviewed. So don't be surprised if by eating it you scare away all the wildlife.

Sonia is a big fan of this mix, too.

I give this product 8 out of 10 stars.

Archer Farms Garlic, Ginger & Sriracha Cream Cheese Wontons

Over the last few years, I've grown to love Sriracha. It's a fermented hot sauce from Thailand, and it's delicious. It's also tangy, red, and very spicy.

But I'm not sure what it has to do with this product, because these appetizers taste nothing like the Sriracha I know. There's a hint of spiciness, but it's not even a fraction of the heat from one teaspoon of Sriracha.

But don't get me wrong, this product isn't bad. It just doesn't particularly taste like Sriracha to me. Garlic and ginger, yes. Cream cheese, yes. In fact, there are so many different flavors present, it's one of the most complex-tasting hors d'oeuvres I've ever had. It's spicy, sweet, sour,

garlicky, salty, tangy, and creamy all at the same time. It's an extremely complicated conglomeration of essences all coming at you at the same time.

I thought it would be less confusing for my poor tongue if I tasted just the wontons without the sauce. And it was. But I definitely like them better with the sauce. It's like shock and awe for the tongue.

You have to be pretty open-minded to try and enjoy something like this. The closest approximation I can think of might be the Habanero Lime Wontons. Not that they taste the same as these wontons, but both products are uncategorizable, unique, and pretty tasty.

I know I've been stuck giving every product a 7 or an 8 for quite a while now. And I'm torn between the two for these things. I think I'll go with a 7, just because I think I'd take the aforementioned Habanero Lime dealies over these guys. But I suppose you might like these better if'n you consider yourself a garlic kinda person as opposed to a habanero kinda person.

I give this product 7 out of 10 stars.

Archer Farms Kung Pao Noodles Lunch Bowl

I'll be blunt: these noodles taste cheap. And, well, they are cheap. Not quite as cheap as a $1 Bowl Noodles, but close. I paid $2 for this lunch, and well, you get what you pay for. 

They come with a separate package of peanuts that you add after everything else. I guess that helps prevent the peanuts from getting too soggy. There are whole dehydrated peas, some random vegetable bits, and a bunch of brown powder. It blends together ok with the noodles after heating in the microwave, but really, in the future, I think I'll steer clear of these $2 "international inspirations" and either do something like mac and cheese if I want to play it safe, or one of the $6 frozen dishes if I really want to splurge. 

The taste is a little spicy. The sauce isn't bad, but all of the other flavors just get lost in a soupy mush. Texture-wise, you can tell there's more than just noodles, but somehow I still found my mouth feeling bored. I think the peas help more than the peanuts with the overall feel of the dish, but neither one redeems it completely.

Since the $2 I spent didn't break the bank, I can't complain too much. But I also think there are better options for the money out there.

It's a noble effort in affordable foreign cuisine, but it falls a hair shy of the mark. Plus, it's got a ton of sodium. 

I give this product 6 out of 10 stars.

Archer Farms Indian Inspired Samosas

I'm starting to think the frozen section of Target's grocery might be host to all kinds of hidden culinary gems and well-kept secrets. In my many years as a Target shopper, I only recently had the guts to shell out $5 or $6 to try the items there. These little guys were only $4, so I decided to give them a whirl.

I bought the Crab Rangoon a couple weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised. Next up: Indian Samosas. I've been a big fan of Indian food since I first tried it some 10 years ago. And although I wouldn't go so far as to say these are restaurant-quality, they're not a far cry from it either.

My wife absolutely adored them. She raved about them for hours after eating them and suggested that we pick up more on our next visit to Target. She likes vegetarian dishes more than I do. I certainly don't mind eating veggies, but I do crave meat and poultry pretty often, so I wouldn't have minded if these samosas had been filled with chicken as well as the potatoes, lentils, green peas, and onions that you'll find in this vegetarian variety.

In addition to the aforementioned veggies, you can actually taste Indian curry, and the coating came out of the oven crispy and flaky. They're quite snackable. One problem: I felt they wanted some kind of dipping sauce, and they don't come with one in the package. We looked up what might go with vegetable samosas. One site suggested eating them with mango chutney. But lacking mango chutney, we perused our cupboards for a suitable alternative. We decided a leftover packet of Polynesian sauce from Chick-fil-a would have the closest approximation to the tangy sweetness of a fruit chutney, so it became our dipping sauce for these tasty oven pastries, and it worked surprisingly well. I would use it again next time we buy them.

All in all, I'd recommend these to anyone who likes Indian food and veggie dishes, and maybe to those who are simply looking to try something new and different.

I give them 8 out of 10 stars.