REVIEW: ALDI Fremont Fish Market Sweet & Spicy Crispy Battered Shrimp

It's an ALDI Thing: I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with ALDI shrimp products. Sometimes they're great, like the Tempura Shrimp, Shrimp Skewers and the Wild Caught Argentine Red Shrimp. Sometimes they're not, like the Boom Boom Shrimp, Dynamite Shrimp, Popcorn Shrimp, and Creamy Wonton Stuffed Crispy Shrimp. I could go on.

So, when my daughter and I swung into ALDI to grab brownie ingredients, something for dinner, and a quick appetizer for that evening's neighborhood happy hour, these caught my eye. They're not even on the ALDI website yet, so I think my store might have been a little premature in putting them out in the case. (It wouldn't be the first time. They jumped the gun a couple weeks ago and had the faux Filet-O-Fish patties out a few days ahead of time.)

Anyway, I knew I was risking my Happy Hour Appetizer Guy reputation by bringing something that I hadn't tried or read any reviews of, but I wasn't bringing the stuffed clams (might as well just make some Stove Top), the Reuben Bites scared me a little, and while the Chicken Momos were excellent, they would have required too much work.

Turns out the Fremont Fish Market Sweet & Spicy Crispy Battered Shrimp were far easier to make than to say. (What a mouthful!) I bought two boxes, preheated the oven while I cracked a beer, and saved half a box since my wife wasn't going to make it to happy hour. (After I have a few random bags of leftover uncooked apps in the freezer, I'll throw them all on a pan for an appetizer assortment.)

After ten minutes in the oven I turned the shrimp over, warmed up the sauce packets (two per box), and got my serving tray ready. 10 minutes later the resulting shrimp were definitely crispy and battered, but hidden inside were plump, tasty shrimp and the chile dipping sauce gave them the promised sweet and spicy kick. So, in retrospect, I guess the product needed all those words in the name after all.

Verdict: The Fremont Fish Market Sweet & Spicy Crispy Battered Shrimp (whew) were a big hit and were quickly devoured by our Happy Hour Crew. Even the most judgmental attendees gave them a raised eyebrow, appreciative nod, and a return visit to the tray. Leftover sauce was also used for dunking whatever else was around the table. – Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is the editor/publisher of The Hungover Gourmet (new issue out now!) and his Happy Hour Appetizer Guy reputation remains intact.

REVIEW: ALDI Journey to Nepal Chicken Momos

IT'S AN ALDI THING: Bought these Journey to Nepal Chicken Momos on a whim yesterday while picking stuff up for dinner. We love dumplings, pot stickers, etc., so I figured these would be right up our alley. 

Turns out I was correct! I didn't feel like pan frying them or hauling out the air fryer, so I ended up steaming these (half a bag at a time) for the recommended 12 minutes. 

The resulting momos were tender and delicious, and they are as packed with ingredients as the packaging suggests. Also, it's super fun to say "momo". 

Naturally, these are an ALDI Find so grab them while you can. They're also available in a vegetable version and they come with a sesame dipping sauce. 

$6.50 for a bag of 12 with dipping sauce. 

Momo. – Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is the editor/publisher of The Hungover Gourmet. Get your copy of our latest issue at our store!

REVIEW: ALDI Bremer's Frozen Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Okay, I was skeptical. Frozen grilled cheese sandwiches? How lazy am I? So it turns out that on a dreary football Sunday with nothing in the fridge that appeals to me I can be pretty lazy. 

These are an ALDI Find so once they show up at your local store there's no telling how long they'll last. And once they're gone, well, better luck next time. (If there is a "next time.") 

Prep is simple. Remove plastic (duh), microwave, and pop in the toaster. The result is a tasty, perfectly acceptable grilled cheese sandwich in a quarter of the time it'd take you to make one and with no muss, no fuss. 

I'm not gonna lie. I might pick up another box. (B+) — Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is the editor/publisher of The Hungover Gourmet. He is a proponent of mayo on the outside of his homemade grilled cheese sandwiches.

REVIEW: ALDI Buffalo Style Mini Chicken Rolls

Our weekly neighborhood happy hours (five years and still going strong!) have become our ALDI/Lidl appetizer testing grounds. Bought these on a whim the other day to go with the Goat Cheese and Fig Pizza and they were a huge hit! Just enough of a buffalo sauce kick they went great with the dipping sauce I whipped up with sour cream, mayo, Worcestershire, salt, pepper, and blue cheese crumbles. Only complaints are that there's only 10 per box and they're a limited time find. So when you see them, be sure to grab two. Also, a product of our friends from Canada. — Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is editor/publisher of The Hungover Gourmet. Issue #13 will arrive this spring along with a bound collection of the first 11 issues of the zine (plus bonus content) this fall! Stay tuned to this blog, our website, Facebook, Instagram and Blue Sky for more info.

REVIEW: ALDI Fremont Fish Market Dynamite Shrimp

Not to be confused with their Boom Boom Shrimp, the Fremont Fish Market Dynamite Shrimp is ALDI’s latest frozen appetizer aimed at fans of Bonefish Grill’s Bang Bang Shrimp. Like me. 

When we had a BG near us, Bang Bang Shrimp was my favorite dish—a heaping helping of crispy fried shrimp tossed in a creamy sauce with a kick. Unfortunately, the dish is tougher to replicate at home that you’d think. Believe me, I’ve tried. So, when these appeared in our freezer case, they were a must buy—especially with a Thursday night Eagles game screaming for apps and cheesesteaks. 

I followed the directions for conventional oven cooking but after the specified time the shrimp looked anemic and not golden brown (not to mention undercooked), so I left them in a little longer. Meanwhile, I warmed up the sauce packets in some water and waited for the magic to happen. 

When I removed the cooked shrimp from the oven it became clear disaster awaited. Even the slightest movement caused the coating to slide off the shrimp, and once tossed with the sauce we had a bowl of slightly coated shrimp and slightly coated shrimp coating. Too bad, since the sauce was tasty, even if it wasn’t anything like Bonefish Grill’s signature sauce. 

The box also includes air fryer instructions, but did not specify if that preparation was recommended over conventional oven prep. If I was to get these again (and that’s a big if), I’d go the air fryer route. Personally, I think the Boom Boom Shrimp are much closer to the big chain fave and will be on the lookout for them in the coming months. — Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is the editor/publisher of The Hungover Gourmet and is still accepting contributions for issue #13 (due out in Spring 2025). Visit hungovergourmet.com or email editor@hungovergourmet.com for more info.

#Aldi #frozenfood #appetizers #review #foodie #hungovergourmet

Review: ALDI Buffalo Mozzarella & Spinch Pizza and BBQ Chicken Thin Crust Pizza

Thanks to ALDI, I have become the de facto pizza/flatbread provider for our Friday night neighborhood happy hours. Oh sure, I might go crazy and bring Tempura Shrimp or Everything Pigs in a Blanket, but most weeks I’ll swing by ALDI after our round of golf and select some options for that evening. 

This week, we sampled the Buffalo Mozzarella & Spinach Pizza alongside the BBQ Chicken Thin Crust Pizza. Both items were in the freezer case and though cooking temps were slightly different, I put them in the oven together (I don’t recall what temperature I settled on) and cooked for about 12 minutes. Some folks had remarked that the crème fraiche sauce on the Spinach Pizza could be watery, but we did not have that issue. 

After cooking and cooling slightly, both pizzas were sliced into smaller portion slices than advertised and hustled across the street to my neighbor’s garage where the crew was ready. Based on the empty platter, the BBQ Chicken Pizza (which featured white meat chicken, red onion, cheese and a tangy BBQ sauce) was the winner as it was almost gone before I could grab a slice. The Buffalo Mozzarella was a slightly slower mover (maybe not everyone loves spinach as much as me?) and I ended up bringing a few pieces home, which my wife and daughter scooped up for lunch the next day. I would definitely purchase both again (the $5 price points are hard to resist) but in typical ALDI fashion I believe both are already out of the rotation. – Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor is editor/publisher of The Hungover Gourmet and a quarter-carrying ALDI Evangelist. You can find him at one of his local ALDI outlets on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. And the occasional Monday, Wednesday and Thursday on his way home from work.

#ALDI #aldifinds #itsanaldithing #aldipizza #foodie #foodblogger #foodreview #hungovergourmet

Battle Flatbread: Sausage and Kale (ALDI) vs Chicken Bacon Ranch (LIDL)

We had a Battle Flatbread at our weekly happy hour last night. The Sausage and Kale (left) came from ALDI, the Chicken Bacon Ranch (right) was picked up at LIDL. Both were easy to prep (10 minutes or so at 400 degrees, directly on the rack) though we did have some drippage on the bottom of the oven that prompted us to blast the vent fan on high for a few minutes. I was afraid people would be turned off by the presence of the divisive kale but everybody dug it. I have to give props to LIDL, though, their flatbread was a big hit with the crowd and had a little extra creaminess thanks to the ranch sauce. Personally, I preferred the Sausage & Kale (love that jaunty packaging, too) but an informal survey of the crowd suggested that they leaned towards LIDL. In a surprise move, my buddy *also* brought a Sausage and Kale flabread. In the end, all three were pretty much devoured and everybody went home happy. So aren't we really all winners? Flatbreads run about $5.50 at both ALDI and LIDL. — Dan Taylor

#Aldi #aldifinds #aldivslidl #FlatbreadFriday

(Almost) All ALDI Fish Tacos

I've been having a hankering for fish tacos but didn't feel like waiting for fast food either last night or this afternoon.

So I scoured my pantry, fridge and freezer and found I had the ingredients on hand to make a quick, tasty and filling Friday lunch.

• 1 Beer Battered Cod Fillet (ALDI)
• About a cup of thinly sliced red cabbage
• 1 tbsp. mayo (ALDI)
• A splash of white vinegar  
• 2 Small Flour Tortillas (ALDI)
• Sriracha Mayo

Cook fish fillet according to package directions. In the meantime, mix mayo and vinegar together in a small bowl and add to cabbage. (This can be done ahead of time and placed in the fridge.) Take fish out of the oven and cut in half lengthwise and then break each half into two pieces. Warm tortillas over a low burner until warm and a little charred (about 30 seconds each side). Place a layer of cabbage slaw on each tortilla, top with two chunks of fish each and drizzle with mayo. I wish I'd had some lime handy to add a splash of citrus but I'll remember it next time. – Dan Taylor

FOOD COURT: PA Man Sent Over the Edge Due to Crushed Chips

According to police reports, a Pennsylvania man was "having a bad day" when he was sent over the edge by an indifferent cashier who bagged canned goods atop his chips.

A flip remark from the cashier...

set Bower off and he allegedly put his hand around the cashier’s throat and pushed him against a cash register, all while shouting, “You idiot!”

I would advise against this guy ever shopping at ALDI where certain cashiers fling your yogurts, canned goods, meat, paper products, pepperoni snacks, block cheese and more into the cart like they're trying to establish some sort of land speed record or just "tryna clock out".

Read about the whole grisly affair at Huffington Post or the York Dispatch. – Dan Taylor (Thanks to Dave Wright for the tip!)

Dan Taylor is the editor/publisher of The Hungover Gourmet and points to things like this when asked why he prefers to bag his own groceries.