Trader Joe's Wild Alaskan Black Cod Sablefish with Miso Marinade

I like regular cod quite a bit, so why not black cod? Don't think I've ever had that before. Sablefish? I guess that's just another name for the same species. Man, that's one ugly fish.

Fortunately, it tastes way better than it looks. For ten bucks, you get two servings of Alaskan sablefish, complete with a miso marinade. We opted for the "sear and bake" heating method, and our fish turned out great.

The sauce is tangy, salty, and sweet. It blended wonderfully with the flavor of the fish, which is buttery and rich. Never had such flavorful fish without a hint of "fishiness." It's such a clean, neutral flavor—among the highest quality whitefish I've ever had.

Texture-wise, the outer portions of Trader Joe's Black Cod Sablefish were slightly firmer and darker than the inner portions, due to the searing process. The bulk of the fish was soft and delicate. "Buttery" could describe the texture as well as the flavor, honestly. The skin just fell right off the meat, and there were thankfully no bones at all. The dish paired perfectly with rice, although you could also toss it on a salad or serve it with noodles, I suppose.

Our only complaint? For $9.99, there's not nearly enough food to make it a good value. I mean, you get what you pay for, and this is some very delicious fish, but both Sonia and I were pining for more. There's imported stuff at TJ's for a fraction of the cost of this product, and last I checked, Alaska was still part of the good ol' U.S. of A. I guess there's some high demand for these fugly fishies.

Would we buy it again? You betcha. Found in the frozen section, we'll totally buy it again and complain that there's not enough of it again. Maybe we'll try heating it in the air fryer next time. Eight and a half stars from both the beautiful wifey and me for Trader Joe's Wild Alaskan Black Cod Sablefish with Miso Marinade.

Bottom line: 8.5 out of 10.

Trader Joe's Blonde Bar

Trader Joe’s knows exactly what they're doing by parking the Blonde Bar right in the checkout lane where your willpower is already halfway out the door. Priced at $2.69, this Italian import practically whispers “You deserve a little treat,” and into the cart it goes.

Marketed as “caramel flavored white chocolate,” the Blonde Bar immediately raises expectations for creamy decadence. Instead, it delivers a bit of an identity crisis. It looks like white chocolate’s tan cousin, but flavor-wise it’s basically caramel doing a convincing chocolate impression. If you’re a white chocolate fan hoping for that buttery vanilla sweetness, you may find yourself squinting and asking, “Wait, where did the white chocolate go?”

Texture-wise, the bar snaps like standard chocolate, smooth and firm, then melts into a sweet caramel-forward flavor that’s pleasant but not exactly mindblowing. There’s no actual caramel inside, yet it somehow tastes like someone condensed caramel into chocolate form. It’s clever, but also a little confusing.

The cookie crumbles promise extra excitement, but they show up more like background extras than featured performers. They’re small, sparse, and deliver only a faint crunch. They're just enough to tease you into wanting more. If those crumbs were bigger and more plentiful, this bar might have gone from “nice” to “now we’re talking.”

Overall, Trader Joe's Blonde Bar is undeniably sweet and perfectly snackable, especially when you’re already in checkout mode and feeling impulsive. There’s nothing here to complain about: no weird aftertaste, no major texture issues, no regrets. But it also doesn’t quite stick in your memory once the wrapper’s gone. 

It was easy enough for us to finish the bar, but we won't exactly be dreaming about a repurchase. I’m throwing out a respectable seven out of ten, while Sonia will go slightly higher with a seven and a half. Not a must-buy in our opinions, but if it hops into your cart, you won’t be mad about it.

Bottom line: 7.25 out of 10.