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Good To-Go Pad Thai Key Features

HIKEFULL Good To-Go Pad Thai Review

First impressions/Flavor

Chad: All that and a bag of peanuts!  I always find it a nice touch when the peanuts are bagged separately in a meal like this. This really adds to the finished texture. That said, bagged peanuts only go so far. 

Mike:  Yeah, they only go so far. Beyond the crunch of peanuts, I was anticipating  Pad Thai’s quintessential  sweat, salty, sour, and spicy flavors.  Instead, this Pad Thai seemed a little tame.

Chad:  Right out of the bag, this meal just didn’t look as appealing as other Pad Thais we have reviewed, appearing a little pale and lifeless. The sauce and veggies didn’t quite coat the noodles as expected.  

Mike: When I sat down with this meal, the memory of the highly recommended Good To-Go Thai Curry was still in my mind, so I had high expectations. This Thai inspired dish offers only mild spiciness, which may be preferred by some.  However, when I sign on for Thai flavors I’m looking to sweat, maybe even suffer, a little bit.  Instead, the overall flavor here is a subtle sweetness and something a little soapy, in a less-than-pleasant way.  Is it the heaping amount of carrots?  Is it some interplay between lime powder, tamarind, and cilantro?  Is it the powdered shrimp?  I can’t be sure of what it is or if I like it.  

Chad: I too thought the flavors here were a little underwhelming especially compared to their amazing Thai Curry.  Similar to the sight of this dish, the flavor also lacks a pop. I’m getting hints of tamarind and a sweetness.  There is a briny, seafood note from the fish sauce or shrimp powder. Beyond that, nothing else is really registering. 

Texture

Mike:  As per usual, Good To-Go’s dehydrated preservation method reconstituted very well. Kudos to Good To-Go for that. The short thin noodles came back to life, albeit they reminded me of those old school Lipton noodle packets..

Chad: Whoa, not so fast! According to the Good To-Go website, the noodles are actually “Traditional Banh Pho rice noodles”.

Mike: I didn’t say they were bad. 

Chad: Of all the Pad Thais, I actually thought this Pad Thai had the best textured noodles. That’s actually saying something.  Where this dish lacks in flavor and spice, it is somewhat redeemed by the noodle texture. That along with the separately bagged Peanuts are a home run and offer a great texture combination.  The “veggies” on the other hand weren’t really discernable from the rest of the sauce. I mean there are carrots, that’s for sure, but I wasn’t really sure what other ingredients were present.

Mike: On the vegetable front, only the carrots, the bountiful, heaping amount of carrots, even registered.  I can’t imagine what remains after a bean sprout is dehydrated, but the rehydrated version was nowhere to be seen.  The eggs or (or maybe the textured vegetable protein) were present as little specks throughout the dish. 

Final Verdict

Mike: If I had to retitle this dish, I would title it “Asian Inspired Carrot Slaw with Noodles and Peanuts”. Joking aside, there is a semblance of Pad Thai here by virtue of rice noodles, peanuts, and a generically Asian sauce, but it’s merely suggestive.  I would say this is merely palatable. Given the choice I would much rather pack the absolutely delicious and complex Thai Curry by Good To-Go.  If I was intent on Pad Thai in my backcountry kitchen I might opt for the winner of our 2023 Pad Thai Showdown. 

Chad:  I would say this Pad Thai is adequate but not mind blowing.  The flavor is a bit more refined than others I’ve tried, but that also means it doesn’t really stand out.  I won’t say it’s bland, it just a needs more of the flavors presented. Overall, you could do worse on the trail.  I mean we aren’t trying to fine dine in the backcountry after all. However, a good satisfying meal at camp is one of life’s great pleasures. And this one doesn’t really scratch the itch. This meal is just fine but I definitely enjoyed other Pad Thai a bit more.