Description
Ingredients: mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis), olive oil, garlic, and chili.
WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm — www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/food
The terms “spiced” and “spicy” are used pretty much interchangeably in the tinned fish world, to mean two different things: with a hot pepper (or hot pepper flavor), and with cloves/bay/carrot/hot pepper. There are many examples of both terms being used to mean both things.
We are so frustrated by how widespread this confusing inconsistent usage is that we’ve gone through our entire product line to correct the incorrect ones such that our description of “spiced” or “spicy” will always indicate which it really is, regardless of the packaging. “Spicy” = with hot pepper flavor. “Spiced” = with the cloves/bay/carrot/hot pepper flavors.
Hream McDan (verified owner) –
WOW, a gem. At this price, buy one before you read another word of this review.
Absolutely great tin, best spicy mussel I’ve had. High, high quality medium-sized mussels with perfect texture, no grit and no chewy bits … insanely flavorful and spicy oil that leaves you wanting for nothing … not only garlic flavor, but also 5-6 garlic *slices* in the bottom to add to your bites?! Unreal. I’d put the heat level in the 2.5+ range out of 5, it’s wonderful. Perfect to eat on mini-toasts.
An immediate, immediate favorite that ranks up there overall with much more expensive tins of mussels. It’s in my top 5 mussel tins, mayyybe even top 3 considering the price. Buy, buy, buy.
Anne Martin (verified owner) –
This was a great tin to share with family who wanted to try mussels from a can. The mussels were plump and smooth and the flavor of the mussel was not buried by the sauce, which was a nice addition. We added these as a pizza topping, using the sauce as well, to great success. This was not overly vinegar-flavored, as some sauces can be. Worth keeping on your list to pick up when back in stock. Would not hesitate to buy again.
luke (verified owner) –
Wonderful rounded garlic and chile flavors with the softer aspects of the garlic coming through as opposed to sharp and aggressive. Really compliments the mussels and supports rather than overpowering them. The heat is on the back end and really comes through as a nice afterburn to let the mussels shine. The mussels themselves are plump and tender without being mushy. Great mouthfeel. And the oil is addictive. Not ashamed to admit I stopped it up with some toasted bread. I think it would be a great mix-in for some warm rice too. Will definitely buy it again, what a bargain and treat.
rsilver710 (verified owner) –
These mussels have an amazing flavor and not very fishy. I poured the tin over some linguine to make a delicious pasta. The mussels had a great texture and I could drink the oil they’re in.
emosberger (verified owner) –
This was a wonderful tin and a worthy contender for best chili-garlic mussels I’ve ever had. Cracking the tin I was presented with a decent garlic aroma and the mussels were beautifully packed in reddish oil. Not wanting to waste any I drizzled some on some brown rice with chili-crisp I prepared for lunch.
The mussels themselves were wonderful- ate almost half of them straight from the tin. Perfect texture with no grit or funk to speak of. Decent amount of spice, noticeable without being overpowering and the garlic completed the seasoning perfectly. Was pleasantly surprised to find several garlic slices in the tin – those went into the rice along with the rest of the mussels and oil. What a wonderful lunch that was!
Although I would still consider Ramon Peña the king of chili-garlic mussels, Don Gastronom is a worthy contender for the crown. And it’s several dollars cheaper for an almost identical experience. Worth getting again, especially at its price/quality cost ratio.
tarynmgawronski (verified owner) –
Top mussel tin so far! The garlic and chili come through in such a clean way without overpowering the tin, and the mussels really shine with the flavor combination! I’ve had mussels in the past that were mushy, and these really held their shape, flavor, and texture. I love spice, and while these definitely were lower on the spice scale then maybe I had hoped, they really were perfect and had a good amount of heat. Price for the quality is pretty hard to beat here, too. I honestly ate these straight from the tin and dipped some bread into the leftover oil goodness to soak it all up! Will absolutely buy again.
I also had a friend try these, who is hesitant about tinned fish, and she liked them and didn’t think they were too fishy. She also doesn’t like mussels usually because of the texture, and that was not an issue here! So also a good starter tin for those who may be a little timid when it comes to trying tinned fish!
Andrew Tolston (verified owner) –
This tin proved to be a delightful discovery and a strong competitor for the title of the best chili-garlic mussels in my book. Upon opening, a satisfying garlic aroma greeted me, and the mussels were expertly arranged in a luscious red-tinged oil. Eager not to waste a drop, I drizzled some over white rice topped with kari kari chili-crisp.
The mussels themselves were a treat—I couldn’t resist devouring almost half of them straight from the tin. Their texture was spot-on – no grit or unpleasant notes. The spice level was just right, providing a noticeable kick without overpowering the palate, and the garlic added the perfect finishing touch. Finding several garlic slices in the tin was also a nice touch, these were great to add into my dish and clearly imparted garlic flavor onto the mussels.
Another note – the cost-to-quality ratio makes this tin a compelling choice, and I would gladly repurchase, especially given its affordability and the excellent dining experience it delivers.
josephraa (verified owner) –
I had these as part of a seacuterie spread with family, including several tinned fish newbies. I haven’t met a tin of mussels I didn’t like and this was no exception. Great pairing with salt n vinegar kettle chips. The spicy oil was great too and definitely worth saving for future use or just soaking it up with a good bread. The whole group thoroughly enjoyed this tin and I would not hesitate to serve it again.
marshallprather (verified owner) –
We have purchased tinned mussels before and not always been a fan. These although were delightful, mild and not too briny. We served them on a platter with crème fraiche, potato chips and some bread. Would buy these again & the price is right!