It seems that Beyond Burgers have spoiled me and my expectations were too high when I tried Gardein Fishless Filets. Too be fair, it's easier to imitate the texture of ground beef than fish.
These were not bad, but the texture was too obviously processed. They would probably be better in tacos than by themselves. I think I would have also liked them more if I tried them blindfolded, because I was too distracted by how the texture looked on the inside.
These might be ok for people who are less texture sensitive, or people who are used to eating faux meat and not expecting the texture to be like real fish. But for people who are not fully vegan and trying to choose more vegan options, this is not what I would recommend.
Gardein Fishless Filet ingredients: Water, Canola Oil, Textured Vegetable Protein Product (Soy Protein Concentrate, Color Added), Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Tapioca Starch, Potato Starch, Methylcellulose, Yeast Extract, Degerminated Yellow Corn Flour, Natural Flavors, Sea Salt, Salt, Wheat Gluten, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Leavening (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Paprika, Soy Flour, DHA Algal Oil, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Spice, Sugar, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Spices, Turmeric. Turmeric Extractives.
Review: Gardein Golden Fishless Filets
First impressions: They smell more like fish than I thought they would, and the breading looks good. But when I cut one in half, the inside looked more like processed chicken nuggets.
Taste: It tastes better than I expected, and it does taste more like fish than chicken.
Texture: The outside crunch is good but the inside is too mushy and not flaky. It might be better if it was thinner.
Can you tell it's vegan? Yes, the texture gives it away.
Better than other vegan versions? I haven't tried any other vegan fish yet.
Worth buying again? I probably won't buy these again.
Overall: 3 out of 5.