Organic Sunshine Barbeque Veggie Burgers
While a lot of veggie burger companies try to mimic the taste if meat, Organic Sunshine does what I've long thought should be done - stress that their patties aren't meat substitutes but rather a unique taste all their own. But are the Organic Sunshine Barbeque veggie burgers "an excellent flavor sensation" like their box says? Not really. But they have a lot going for them nonetheless.
The first thing you notice about these patties is their outer coating. As you can see from the following picture, they have a noticeable shell. This makes the patties fairly rugged and able to stand up to flipping on the grill, but pan-frying them causes the shell to become extra hard and chewy.
As far as being a self-proclaimed "flavor sensation," these veggie burgers are actually pretty dull tasting. They're fairly low in sodium, and it's noticeable. Oddly enough, however, it turns out to be a bonus. Their lack of distinct flavor ironically gives them the perfect base that melds with whatever flavor condiments you put on them. These patties are supposed to be "barbeque" flavor, but taste nothing like it. I added some swiss cheese and barbeque sauce to mine, and it became an excellent BBQ alt-burger.
If I had to rate these patties based on taste and texture, I'd go with 3 stars. But due to their magical melding abilities and the fact that their ingredient list is impressively short, soy-free, gluten-free, vegan, and all organic, they get an extra bonus star.