Trader Joe's Organic Toasted Sesame Dressing

This post is dedicated to my local Japanese eatery that is now no more. It was probably the only restaurant in the area that is actually Japanese with a Japanese chef trained in Japan. And there was something really nice about the fact that the yelp reviews didn't really reflect how good this place was. And unlike every other Japanese place, they didn't serve their salads with the typical carrot ginger dressing that we've come to expect (love that stuff). Instead, their salads had a creamy sesame dressing. Not that I went there for salad but it was always a nice appetizer before a nice sushi meal. 

 

This dressing is one of three new-ish ones that hit TJ's earlier this year. They run $3.29 a pop, which is a bit pricey IMO for a bottled dressing but at least this one gives you 12fl oz per bottle. Oh and it's organic so I suppose the extra $1 is justified. (and plus points for packaging) :P

Just cuz it's organic doesn't mean it's better. In fact, I'm pretty skeptical that the label "organic" in this case makes it objectively better but whatever. If you're watching your diet, this probably is not the dressing for you but if you're in the market for a creamy dressing who-cares-about-the-calories, this is aiite.

"OMG I CAN'T BELIEVE A HAIR GOT IN MY SALAD!!!" Spoiler - it is my own hair. Pre-shower. Post-nightshift. I suspect a majority of people eat their meals this way - they dump food into a bowl, drizzle some dressing, and hey if your hair gets in there you pick it out and go on your merry way. 

1) Bottled dressing taste aside (you can just taste a bottled dressing apart from a homemade one. It has that fructose-y, thick taste that you just don't get when you make it yourself), this tastes pretty good. The dressing is a bit sweeter than I'd like (certainly sweeter than how I would make it myself) but you definitely get that nice sesame soy flavor, nearly reminiscent of that sesame dressing I would have at Josho. The sesame is the dominant flavor while the soy gives it that umami. 

2) It's creamy but not as creamy as a caesar or a ranch. I find that this dressing has enough flavor where a little goes a long way. 

3) I would use this on a simple salad, one where you aren't trying to highlight the flavor of a particular fresh ingredient just because it does have a strong flavor. But it sure tastes good on a whatever salad bowl of things you plucked from the fridge. 

TL;DR: Trader Joe's Organic Toasted Sesame Dressing. Creamy sweet and savory sesame dressing. Worth the calories methinks. 8 out of 10. Mantou Joe Repurchase? Sure why not.