Apocalypse Food Review: Pad Thai

By Elina Shatkin Tue., May 17 2011 at 4:47 PM

After batting 0 for 2 in our series of Apocalypse Food Reviews thanks to a "mocha mousse pie" that was more like weak, gelatinated hot chocolate and huevos rancheros that were a hot soupy mess, we had to give Backpacker's Pantry one last chance. After all, we want to believe there's someone in the BP test kitchen actually trying out these concoctions before they're mass-produced and shipped out across the country. Figuring we might as well swing for the fences, we chose Pad Thai, cornerstone of Thai takeout.

Well, it's not bad. It's got a strange, sharp, chemically high-note we can't define. (Dehydrated lime juice? Powdered cilantro? Who knows.) But at least it's the right consistency. The noodles are recognizably noodles. They may be a touch too al dente, but what do you really expect when you're cooking out of a foil packet? There's not much spice no spicy-ness, but we didn't really expect it. Flecked with red and green bits, presumably tomatoes, red bell peppers and green onions, it looks nice, though it doesn't pack much flavor.

The dish is surprisingly peanuty, the result of a packet of straight-up peanut butter you mix with the hot water as well as peanut chunks you sprinkle on top. Compared to anything approaching authentic Thai food, it's terrible, but grading on the Apocalypse Food Scale, it's inoffensive and, therefore, edible. This stuff is either low-end Los Angeles takeout or mid-range camping food. Either way, with only four days left until Judgment Day, we can't be too picky.

Tags:

Apocalypse, Backpacker's Pantry, Elina Shatkin, Judgment Day, Pad Thai

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LilDetroitMama

Mr. Smith, I very much appreciate you responding to this critic, and it is good to know you are such an ethical company, that you try to use USA products whenever possible, your focus on organic to be kind to our planet as well as our bodies, and your use actual ingredients instead of chemicals. I have tried a lot of freeze dried foods and have always been pleased, but have only tried 3 Backpacker's Pantry items to very mixed results. One Backpacker Pantry item I tried was the Pad Thai, and I thought this reviewer was actually very gracious. The other entree I tried I did not care for and did not eat. The third item, the cold veggie noodle, salad was superb!From the first two entrees I tried, I would not have purchased any other flavors, however after trying the excellent cold veggie noodle salad I was again tempted to try my luck again. I love global flavors, and am excited by the offerings in your product line. Additionally, your company's ethics really have me wanting to support you, but I had such a mixed experience. All people's taste buds and food preferences are different. I know a favorite of mine may not be a favorite of the next person. I found this review by searching "Backpacker Pantry reviews", hoping to narrow down a few more highly rated items to try, hoping to have more positive results as the cold pasta salad. Might I suggest, if your company would have a discounted large sampler pack.. ideally one of each flavor, or perhaps a sample pack of the most popular items, it may help people to test more than a couple items and find out which items they like. I think this would be very helpful to boost sales.Again, I really appreciate Backpacker's Pantry ethics. I know it is not easy to do all that you are doing, while keeping your product competitively priced. I will try again, mostly based on these ethics.. and the cold noodle salad. Please consider a large sample pack that would help consumers on a tight budget be able to test your product offerings. I know you have an extensive product list, but I would love to be able to try them all as I feel strongly about the importance in community care and investing in ourselves and our futures.Thank you,Nikki BoertmanMemphis, TN

Rodney

I can't help myself so I apologize before I even begin torespond to this poorly written, ridiculous review of Backpacker's Pantry. Firstly, Backpacker's Pantry was born in South Central L.A. in1951, so we have been around the block more than once. Being LosAngelenos ourselves, we understand the catty back-handedness of the L.A. foodcritic, and how nothing, unless you are a celebrity chef, is ever quite goodenough, so we’re not too surprised by your negative reviews. Backpacker'sPantry uses the highest quality ingredients available to us; we sourceeverything possible from the USA and always use natural and organic ingredientswhenever possible. For instance, the lime flavor you taste in the PadThai is dehydrated organic lime juice. The peanut butter is organicpeanut butter. And, the noodles are Chataboon rice sticks - the very sameauthentic noodles you’d find at any Thai restaurant. Given the fact thatyou only need to add boiling water to make this nutritious, large-portion meal,I along with many others would say it is pretty amazing that we come close tosomething so authentic. As someone who has eaten Pad Thai in L.A. and allover the world, I can say with confidence that this is a pretty damn goodproduct. I would appreciate that if you are going to write about my food,you at least: read the ingredient list before you write that our food contains“chemicals”; honestly consider what you are getting for the ease of preparationand price; and properly follow the cooking instructions before you slam ourfood on your blog (i.e. Huevos Rancheros). All of the chefs on my stafflove this meal, but we’re always open to honest customer feedback. Ifthere are holes in the flavor, we would like to know what they are specificallyso that we can address them and improve our food to make it top-shelf. Iwould say that your writing style, which is thick with negatives andridiculously inaccurate remarks (like "chemical taste", sorry nochemicals in our foods) could do a lot better with a more balanced opinion andsome fact checking behind it.Thank you,Rodney SmithPresidentBackpacker's Pantry