My favorite Japanese restaurant, Takara Sushi in Whitestone, just closed. I had been going there for more than 20 years. It was almost a ritual that every time we went there we had a tempura-fried banana to end each meal. While not an exact substitute, Trader Joe's Thai Banana Fritters will have to get me through until I find a new place.
The taste
Sometimes dessert is best served warm. I opted to use the air fryer to test these. And yes, the directions here for the air fryer are pretty much spot on. In about 5 minutes these went from the deep freezer to out of the air fryer. And yes, please pre-heat your air fryer.
Considering these were fried they weren't very greasy at all. Yes, there was maybe a smudge of grease, but nothing like the Tempura Shrimp that Trader Joe's sells that often leaves behind a small puddle.
If you follow the directions, then you will be rewarded with a reasonable portion of fried bananas. The batter gets nice and crispy lending itself to something soft like whipped cream, chocolate sauce, or even a bit of berry.
The batter has a subtle yet present taste of coconut. I'm no fan of coconut but I didn't find myself minding it here. And while I was going through the ingredients, I noticed that sesame seeds were mentioned but didn't seem to lend much in terms of flavor. The batter here is a bit thinner than tempura but seems to have more flavor because of the coconut milk and shredded coconut.
But each bite was reminiscent of a tempura-fried banana. It was crisp, just sweet enough to hold its own, but each bite wouldn't mind a touch of something extra. On its own, it didn't need anything else.
The bananas themselves are halved and keep a good ratio between the fruit and the batter. The bananas seemed to be sweet without being overripe. They added the right level of sweetness to contrast with the batter.
And if you are craving dessert and just need a little something each bite is really solid. Especially when a serving is somewhere between 3-4 pieces. It was satisfying and made me look forward to the next time I would heat them up.
The packaging
The fritters do come in a plastic bag as these are a bit greasy which is probably why they haven't eliminated the plastic here.
What to serve with this
The following items seem like they would pair well with this:
- whipped cream
- powdered sugar
- chocolate sauce
- berries or berry sauce
Overall
I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious these came out. This was very well done for a frozen item and was only slightly greasy.
For $3.79 these are reasonably priced but not quite as cheap as those $0.19 cent bananas. But far less mess is involved here too.
Would I buy this again? Yes, I would buy Trader Joe's Thai Banana Fritters again.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
A visual rundown of this product
The box:
The nutritional information, ingredients, heating directions:
Out of the package you get:
After being cooked you get:
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The Bottom Line
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Trader Joe's Thai Banana Fritters
Product Name: Trader Joe's Thai Banana Fritters
Product Description: This is a tasty frozen dessert that reminds me of tempura-fried bananas.
Price: $3.79
Currency: USD
Availability: Discontinued
Summary
Trader Joe's Thai Banana Fritters are a new delicious frozen item to keep an eye out for.
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Taste
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Value
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Worthy of Repurchasing
Pros
- Quick, easy, and delicious
- Easy dessert ready in no time
- Almost reminded me of a tempura
Cons
- If you aren't a fan of coconut flavor then skip this
Alek says
I make banana foster with these!! Butter, Brown Sugar, Vanilla, Cinnamon, and rum. So good! A new twist on banana foster. I don't like fresh bananas but this won me over. You can do vegan route for sure; just use vegan butter and a scoop of any of the amazing vegan ice cream that TJ's sells.
KingOfBeacon says
I got these a few weeks ago but haven't had the chance to try them yet. All the reviews seem positive but I also don't have an air fryer. Would they hold up well baked in an oven?
becomebetty says
I think it will be fine as you would need to bake it just a touch longer. Let me know how they turn out!
Andrea Wayda says
Your comments are spot-on but you forgot to mention yet another great feature of these banana fritters—namely, they are gluten-free but taste as good as any gluten-containing fritter!
becomebetty says
Andrea you are absolutely right! Thanks so much for sharing that!
Amia says
I absolutely love these so much. I was pleasantly surprised.
becomebetty says
Same here! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on this!