RawSpiceBar Subscription Box Review + Coupon – February 2016

I would love to sign up for a subscription to rawspicebar, but their web site is not working.

I placed an order in early February but too late for the February shipment so had to wait for The March shipment. Received an email March 8th that my shipment was sent but after a couple of weeks, emailed them because I hadn’t gotten it yet. Being new to the subscription, I didn’t know how long it would take to get it. Reply 3 days later indicated they were still sending out shipments and I should expect mine within several days. Still no shipment and no response from my second email. Does anyone have a phone number for customer service? Can’t find one anywhere on the web

I subscribed in early February and never received a box last month. I contacted customer service and they assured me that my March box would arrive. It has not. Has anyone else had this much trouble receive this subscription?
They did refund me for the Feb. box but I really wanted my spices 🙁

I never received my box and when I emailed them it was sold out. They did offer me a refund. I wanted the chicken 🙁

For any vegetarians stumped on how to use this month’s spices, I found a fantastic looking recipe for Vegan Char Siu Bao (made with tofu). Click on my name to follow the link. I can’t vouch for the recipe itself, but the pictures look fantastic & you could easily add some of the spices into the filling!

This was my first month for the sub and at first, the region selection underwhelmed me, only because my grandfather is from here and I’m quite familiar with the spices. So this month’s spices lacked novelty for me.

For those who are wondering what you can sub instead of mushrooms/broc/meat. I’ve had a lot of success sub broc with green peppers, sub meat for seitan or firm tofu (had wonderful restaurant made cha shui with seitan). Sub mushroom for diced tofu or minced pork. Just adjust cooking times.

When you think about it, broc isn’t indigenous to China, so you can easily take another hearty green (not leafy) veg and forge ahead. And white mushrooms aren’t indigenous either.
I appreciate the creators picking ingredients that are readily available in local western grocery stores through.

I’m so frustrated with RSB! This was my first month and I JUST got the box this past Friday after MULTIPLE conversations with ‘Uly’ that I felt went nowhere.
I’m also vegetarian and bummed to find I can’t use half my spices ?
Hoping March fairs better for me or I’ll be cancelling.

Thanks for the detailed review! I quit this sub last year after too many mistakes in recipes, but I’m keeping an eye on it and may re-subscribe if it keeps going like this. I would also like to see more vegetarian recipes to use with the spices as we don’t eat much meat.

I am so tempted to buy this box so center I love Chinese food. However, being Chinese, I think the “home made” recipes my family has passed on wil suffice.

I would like to add some recommendations for the char siu. I haven’t tried making it with chicken, but here in the DC area, where I know Lindsey is in (like me), a good place to get the pork is at the Asian supermarkets like Great Wall. It can be a little intimidating but look for the “pork butt” – that’s typically what makes the best char siu. You’ll also notice that they sell char siu, premade and it’s much redder than a homemade version would be. Don’t worry, because they add red food dye. If you cut it into smaller pieces, the end product will be very tender and have more of that sticky glaze!

I just love this subscription! We made this meal with a pork tenderloin – just wonderful. I’m sure it’s great with chicken too.
This really is my favorite subscription, I wish I hadn’t missed out on the Japan spice mixes.

Funny story… my very first panic attack was induced by Sichuan peppercorn. I was eating hot pot with friends. The broth was full of these and I was gobbling it up. I had noticed the build up of tingling in my mouth, but then all of a sudden it hit me like a bomb. My whole body felt numb. And hot. I freaked out, drank some water which didn’t help, then bolted outside to stand in the cold Chicago winter. My body was so hot and numb, I couldn’t even feel the cold. It took me about 30 min to relax. I take it easy on the Sichuan peppercorn these days.

This month was kind of a fail for us.

They never put up a vegetarian alternative for the main dish that I could see.

The noodles were a bust because I cannot eat mushrooms (I mean they activate my gag reflex like nothing else — hate, hate, hate them) and my fiance doesn’t like broccoli. We may make the green beans at some point. (I don’t think the recipe said to do this, or else the picture didn’t match the recipe, but snip the ends off the green beans before you roast them. Otherwise it feels like you are eating sticks.)

We used the mushroom powder (texture isn’t there when it’s powdered…) to make a stir fry with tofu and vegetables and we ate that over brown rice Pad Thai noodles. But, neither of us really cared for that one. Normally my fiance loves Asian food, too.

That’s the first time I’ve seen anyone trying char shiu on a chicken before. Glad it turn out great! Char shiu is so tied with pork in Chinese cuisine, that I can’t imagine on any other meat. I would suggest, if you have any spices left, try it on pork next time. You find that the flavor is different.

Great review. I’m very hungry now!

I think this might be a nice box to try out so I can make some new recipes. I love the idea of Hello Fresh, etc. but they are expensive. This would kind of force me to try out new things.

I wonder if I order now if I will get this batch of spices?