Central Market - Green Curry Shrimp (5.25/10)

Summary

• Price: ~$4.00
• Overall: 5.25/10.   I definitely wouldn't recommend this dish.  It really had no flavor and the texture was awful.  I had trouble finishing it.
• Healthfulness: 6/10.  The quality of Central Market's ingredients are always high, but this is not a balanced meal.   Very high in carbs relative to the protein and fat.
• Portion Size/Filling:  7/10.  On the larger end of Central Market's offering (500 calories).  The lack of protein and fat prevent a long lasting full feeling though.
• Flavor: 5/10 (Spiciness: 6/10).   Not good.   Nothing about the flavor of this meal was even remotely close to any green curry dish I've had at any Thai restaurant.  I could taste the basil though.
• Texture: 3/10.  It felt as though there was a layer of oil on top of the green curry part of the dish.  Maybe it was the coconut milk.  It really felt like you were eating mostly oil with some other ingredients mixed in.  The shrimp was very nice though.

Beer Pairing - Pete's

Numbers

• Calories:500
• Fat: 13g (0g Trans Fat)
• Carbs: 84g
• Fiber: 6g
• Protein: 13g
• Sodium: 540mg

Details

Healthfulness:  I can never complain about the quality of Central Market's ingredients.  However, the balance was out of proportion in this meal to give it a high score.  The carbs were way too high relative to the protein and fat content.  Maybe it's ok if you're planning to workout a few hours afterwards, but not a good choice for a mid-day meal.  (6 out of 10)

Portion Size/Filling:  The portion size is relatively large (500 calories;  about the same as a 12" Subway turkey sandwich).  However, the protein portion is relatively low which may not give you that long-lasting full feeling.  No shortage of rice though, which is good if you're a big rice fan.  (7 out of 10)

Flavor:  I was not happy with the flavor at all.  I could taste the basil, which was good.  But the other flavors were very muted and washed out by the overwhelming amount of oil and/or coconut milk.  The rice was very nice.  The meal did have some bite to it, but frankly I expected it to be even spicier.  (5 out of 10 for overall flavor. 6 out of 10 for spiciness.)

Texture:  Wow, this was bad.  It was almost so bad that I couldn't finish the dish.  There seemed to be a layer of oil, maybe it was coconut milk, on top of the curry.  I tried mixing the curry furiously to mix the oil with the rest of the curry, no better.  I tried mixing in all the rice into the curry to soak up the oil, no help.  I couldn't escape the overwhelming oil/coconut milk.  The shrimp were very plump and juicy though, with no tails.  The rice was very fluffy also. (3 out of 10)

Central Market - Pad Thai (7.25/10)

Summary

• Price: ~$4.00
• Overall: 7.25/10.  A large, but barely above average attempt at Pad Thai.  The quality of ingredients lifts the overall score here.  I wouldn't bother buying this meal based on the flavor and texture alone.
• Healthfulness: 8/10.  It's hard to beat the quality of Central Market's ingredients.   Surprisingly high in protein for a Pad Thai dish, I guess from the shrimp and tofu.
• Portion Size/Filling:  8/10.  A pretty hearty portion size (520 calories) with a decent amount of protein.  You should plan to be relatively active afterwards due to the high carb content.
• Flavor: 7/10 (Spiciness: 0/10).   The flavor was above average, but not great.   It didn't bring back memories of Thailand, or even Thai Kitchen.
• Texture: 6/10.  Probably the worst aspect to this dish.  I prefer for the noodles to be soft and saucy.  These noodles were dry and sticky.  Maybe I overcooked it.  The tails were left on the shrimp too.  The crushed peanuts were a nice touch though.

Beer Pairing - Singha

Numbers

• Calories: 520
• Fat: 15g (0g Trans Fat)
• Carbs: 73g
• Fiber: 4g
• Protein: 20g
• Sodium: 820mg

Details

Healthfulness:  The quality and purity of Central Market's ingredients are really top notch.  There's nothing surprising or foreign in the ingredient list and you can really taste the quality.  The only drawback is the relatively high portion of carbs compared to the protein and fat.  You'd probably want to be reasonably active after eating this many carbs.  (8 out of 10)

Portion Size/Filling:  This is among the larger of Central Market's frozen offerings (520 calories;  about the same as a 12" Subway turkey sandwich).  There is a decent portion of protein, although a little low in fat and fiber, which helps to keep you full.  Because of the high carb portion, don't hit the sack after eating this meal.  (8 out of 10)

Flavor:  The flavor was ok, but it definitely couldn't be mistaken for an offering from a decent Thai restaurant.  The flavors were mild and muted.  Definitely edible, but don't expect to be licking the bowl.  (7 out of 10 for overall flavor. 0 out of 10 for spiciness.)

Texture:  The texture was not great.  The noodles, the main part of the dish, were dry, sticky and clumpy.  I like my Pad Thai noodles to be loose, saucy and soft.  The rest of the ingredients were similarly ok.  The shrimp were shelled but still had the tails on.  (6 out of 10)