Convenient, vegetarian pad thai!
Please note that this review was not paid for or sponsored by any third party. However, I was given a free sample of this product to review. The opinions in this review are strictly my own. I am not affiliated with Costco or any of its suppliers. I am just a fan of the company. I write these reviews to help my fellow shoppers.
Authentic Asia was kind enough to send me a free sample of the Authentic Asian Vegetable Pad Thai that’s currently available in the San Diego region and hopefully will one day make its way to the rest of the United States and Canada. If you read the blog, you know I have lots of love for convenient, freezer items from Costco so I was absolutely thrilled to try this.
Taste
This isn’t bad for a microwaveable pad thai! Definitely not as good as freshly made Thai restaurant pad thai but overall enjoyable! There’s rice noodles, scrambled egg, carrots, edamame, bean sprouts, sesame, garlic, green onions shallots and water chestnuts in the pad thai. There’s also fish sauce which definitely gives off a pretty strong fishy aroma when you microwave this. The flavor is definitely pretty sweet and slightly tangy, you can taste the garlic and there’s a slightly fishy flavor. There’s a bit of heat too that you don’t notice initially and lingers a little after swallowing your bite, not overly hot or spicy though. The noodles after microwaving are delicious and their texture is perfect, not too soggy and not hard or chewy. I liked the little bits of scrambled egg throughout the pad thai.
Cost
There are six pad thai bowls in the box and the cost is $11.99 USD.
Convenience
The best before date is about a year from the date we received the box of pad thai. These are the epitome of convenience! All you do is pull the plastic film off a bit and microwave the pad thai bowl. If you’re a meat eater you can add a little pork, chicken, beef or shrimp to the pad thai. These make a quick and convenient dinner or an easy to bring to work lunch.
Nutrition
One bowl is 400 calories, 10 grams of fat, 920 mg of sodium, 70 grams of carbohydrates, four grams of fibre, 23 grams of sugar and 10 grams of protein. There’s a lot of sugar and carbohydrates in this but most noodle dishes have tons of carbohydrates so that’s to be expected. If you’re diabetic or really watching your sugar intake you may want to eat less or skip this dish.
Overall I enjoyed how convenient this pad thai is but wish it were slightly less sweet, I found the sweetness a little overpowering. I like meat so I added a little meat to mine but if you’re vegetarian this is right up your alley!
Taste: 7.5/10
Cost: 8/10
Convenience: 10/10
Nutrition: 2/10
Would you buy this? Why or why not?
I will probably purchase this, but I am concerned about the soybean oil and the palm oil in the product. Americans get way too much Omega-6 and not enough omega-3s. I have learned a lot of the cheap seed oils are responsible for this. Too bad Authentic Asia can’t use some better quality, healthier oils. Even expreller pressed oil would be an improvement.
Delicious but loads of sugar!! Just bought this at the Orillia Costco.
I bought this last month and really liked it. It coms with 4 pouches, so easy to make meals for one person. I live near three (yes 3) Costcos and they don’t have them any more.. At least Technoogy didn’t have it. I came home and checked on line. None listed.
I have this at my costco now, as of June 29th, 2022, just picked it up today, looking forward to trying it!
I just sent an email to Costco Canada, asking them to reconsider and to once again make it a stocking item.
I loved it -and added cashews to make it even better!
I just bought it from the Barrie location, so it’s back in Canada!
Lol these made me violently ill. I don’t have any food sensitivities/intolerances, etc. and I love pad thai so much so I don’t know what went wrong here. Same happened to my spouse after eating one of these bowls
I miss these. Why are they not at Costco anymore? I like to cook in microwave just to thaw. While thawing, I fry up an egg (keep yolk runny). I throw the contents of bowl into pan with fried egg with 1/2 cup of Kimchee (also from Costco). My wife and I share this as a meal. So yummy….but cannot find at Costco anymore. Please bring back this veggie pad thai.
I just bought this from my Costco in Peterborough, Ontario Canada.
It was delicious and just the right size for a senior! I hope my Costco continues to carry this product.
Very disappointed not being able to get Pad Thai Bowls. I thought it was just one store but every Costco I’ve tried no longer carry it. Not happy
I also have not been able to find this in any Costco since Early March 2022.
Boisbriand
This is a miss for me. Not really sweet or tangy, but bland yet peppery. Sesame flavor stuck out for me..not in a great way. Kind of a waxy finish. 13% saturated fat, 25% cholesterol, 23 grams of sugar, and a whopping 920 mg (40%) sodium! Maybe I took my crazy pills, but I was thinking this would be a reasonably heathy option. It doesn’t taste good.. something this unhealthy should taste amazing. Will be my 1st Costco food return. Wife tried one noodle and said “nope”.
For the person who asked .. microwave (1100 Watts)
1)Peel back corner film to vent
2) Microwave on high for 2 1/2 minutes
3)carefully peel back film..stir..lay film back and microwave on high an additional 1 – 1 1/2 min.
4) let stand 1 – 2 min.. remove film.. stir gently and enjoy.
I don’t know about enjoy though.. 🙂
I threw away the outer carton, can any one provide instructions on how to cook this on microwave?
I have no microwave so boil it with frozen broccoli and cauliflower.
It’s very tasty
I have no microwave either but did not notice it saying on the package:: do not prepare in conventional oven or toaster oven’s do not reheat bowl only instructions for microwave so you said boil it do I add a liquid? I am all about adding the broccoli so basically just warm it up and a stove top pan?? I know there’s no meat or fish in there so you’re not worried about certain things cooking all the way through it’s noodles and veggies
Im very disappointed that my local costco stopped carrying this! It was a favorite of mine, and it’s low cook time coupled with cheap cost and delicious taste played a huge factor in my student budget. I wish there was a way to bring it back.
I’m with you. I’m disappointed to not be able to buy this product at my local Costco.