Trader Joe's Thai Yellow Curry Sauce

Since the drive to a decent Thai restaurant is a relatively long one from our current home, Sonia and I have gotten into the habit of picking up what Thai-inspired products we can from Trader Joe's. Here's a good example of one. It's been on the shelves of Trader Joe's for many, many years. And those of you familiar with TJ's know that not every product stands the test of time there. Those that do tend to be pretty good.

This product is no exception to that rule. It's got a great sweet oniony, garlicky flavor with a coconut milk base and hints of ginger. But like its Thai Red Curry Sauce cousin, it's a little wanting in the heat department—if anything, this yellow selection is ever so slightly spicier than the red, but make no mistake, neither product will scorch your tongue by any means. Fortunately, lack of heat does not translate to a complete lack of flavor.

It coats food well and flaunts a nice thick, creamy texture. We served it with white rice, roasted potatoes, and the previously-reviewed Trader Joe's Tofu. It worked pretty well with those comparatively neutrally-flavored foods. The yellow sauce was definitely the most flavorful element of the meal, but even so, I wouldn't say it's particularly pungent. Even the garlic and onion essences don't really knock you in the teeth. They're there, but not overwhelmingly so.

I think this sauce could be quite versatile if you wanted to get a little more adventurous than we did. The bottle mentions it works well with meat, poultry, or veggies. I can totally see that. We just might pick it up again and do some more experimentation with it. Our only complaint is that it could use a little more "oomph."

Bottom line: 8 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Salted Caramel Coconut Cookies

Although the What's Good at TJ's team has seen one or two coconut macaroon offerings before, we've seen a whole slew of salted caramel or "sea salt and caramel" products. I'd say it's getting up there with cookie butter, mango, and pumpkin spice in terms of what I'll call Trader Joe's brand "identity flavors."

And it's great to have these "safe" stand-by type flavors always around—ones you know TJ's routinely gets right. But I personally feel like it gets harder and harder to impress me with the same flavors over and over again. I'd rather see something bizarre, even if it's a little risky. 

And I know it's a completely different medium and has nothing to do with what I'm talking about here, but it's the same principle that makes Stranger Things a superior production to Fuller House in every way (even though Netflix knew I was going to watch each and every episode of that zany Tanner family like I did circa 1990). So logically, as Netflix and Trader Joe's are both well aware, the best course of action is to offer safeness and weirdness side by side.

Predictably, I gobbled up a couple of these cookies right after unboxing them. They're good. They're moist, coconutty, and sweet. There's a significant glob of caramel right in the center of each cookie, and it adds a nice extra bit of creamy texture to the coconut shavings, but I'd still say the "salted caramel" flavor is wanting. Sonia agrees. She tasted very little caramel, and insists that there was practically no salty flavor at all. Maybe we're being picky...or maybe that salted caramel bar is just too high for us now.

More impressed with the coconut macaroon part of the cookies than I was, Sonia says she would buy these again. I, personally, wouldn't. I don't regret buying this box, however, and I'd recommend coconut macaroon fans check them out. I'm in for three stars on this one. Put Sonia down for four.

Bottom line: 7 out of 10.