DIVINA Dolmas Stuffed Grape Leaves

Update: Sounds as though these have changed. Certainly the price has (double?!). A recent reviewer says these aren't as good as the (supposedly) same product in the smaller cans. If so, what a loss. I have lived on these for years, have just finished the last can from my pantry (bought a ton of them at $17.34 last year), and now am totally at the mercy of the newer (low-quality?) version. Paying double for something less good? Very, very sad... OrIginal review, November 16, 2012: These Divina dolmas are superb, totally rivaling homemade stuffed grape leaves (which require an awful lot of work). These are delicate, fresh-tasting, and expertly flavored, leaving that exquisite melt-in-your-mouth taste and feel. Almost addictive, they're the same as the ones you buy at the deli at Krogers or at Fresh Market (both stores have shown me the can). The light sauce that flavors the dolmas is so good that you definitely won't want to throw it out -- use as a salad dressing or over grilled chicken or shrimp for a fabulous extra treat. If you have a can of these in the house, you're ready for a last-minute brunch or cocktail party for a horde, and they'll all wonder how you did it! Even better, if no one else is there, you can have them all for yourself (!). Apparently the price fluctuates widely on Amazon (today it's $17.79, but another reviewer mentioned seeing it at $32), so shop wisely. But if you love stuffed grape leaves yourself or look forward to wowing guests, these dolmas are a must! P.S. Upon opening the (huge!) can, I carefully spoon out the dolmas into small-sized food storage containers to make serving and storing easier. A very small square container (my guess is a pint i.e. 2 cups, maybe even smaller) perfectly contains 3 layers of 6 each, or 18 dolmas. If you figure 2-3 dolmas per person, that container serves 6-9 people for a cocktail party or appetizer serving -- or for me, I go through 1 1/2 layers at a time and forcefully put away the remaining half, or 9 dolmas, for another time before I eat all of them at one sitting! I can fill 3 such containers from one can, with enough left over to come close to filling a fourth container. Just to give you an idea. If you were serving the entire can, it would make a very impressive platter on a buffet, for 20-30 people or more (although it would disappear entirely if you had just 8 people like me!). Traditionally one allows 2-3 pieces for an appetizer serving per person or 4-6 for a main course. P.P.S. This can is thus extremely reasonably priced if you think how many servings you can make from it and then compare to the equivalent cost from the olive bar at Kroegers or Fresh Market, which I'm betting would easily be $40 or more. An incredible deal at the current $17.79!

If you like dolmades like I do, these are probably what you're looking for. The rice stuffing is tender, but not mushy. The wrappers are also tender and not tough to the bite like some other brands. I've not encountered any thick stems either. Nice flavors and seasoning throughout the stuffing, with the lemon, dill, mint, and onion perfectly balanced. Some people have asked about freezing them. To that I would say I don't recommend it. They will still be edible, but definitely lose something. After thawing, the rice will be noticeably watery and takes on a grainy quality. They are clearly better having not been frozen. In comparison to other brands, Divina stands out as a higher quality product than a competing brand like Galil. In addition to Divina, I've tried Galil and one other brand (which I don't remember now). Compared to Divina, Galil is drier and the rice is less seasoned. It seems the flavor is mostly in the wrapper, not the stuffing. It also seems like the wrapper is tougher and often has thick stems. I would put it in terms of wine. If it's just you eating them at home, Galil might be your table wine. Fine if you're not super picky. Divina would be a nice bottle wine that you'd serve to guests. One other thing I will mention based on other reviews. Yes, this 70 oz. can is from Bulgaria and the 7 oz. can is from Greece. One review said they could tell a difference. I however, could not. Both seem to be consistent in taste and quality. I will definitely order these again.

I ordered two cans because I wanted to put one in my pantry/storage room and package up the other can. I filled 8 containers with these things. I also added quite a bit of lemon juice to each container, after reading some reviews. This was a very good idea, as it only accentuated the taste. I had one container that had the remains, less then all the others. It's now lasted a week. The only negativity about this product is the gelled oil / fat. It's gross to me, but it comes off easily as well. Doesn't contaminate the dolmas at all. Update: As of this date, I still have not opened the second can. I know it will keep for me, so I'm not worried about it spoiling at all. The domoles from he first can, I still have four or five in the freezer. They are still edible, however, it does change the texture a bit. STILL worth the price. If you are considering these for a party or having a large family get together, opening and using right from the can is very yum. As stated earlier, I did add lemon juice. That was simply my choice and it made them taste even better. 5 stars all the way I have always loved Dolmades and ordered them often when at the greek restaurant back home. These are only a smidge different, that you barely can tell any difference. Five stars because it's very worth the price.

These stuffed grape leaves are flavorful and the leaves themselves are tender. Not quite so thick as the Galeil brand of Grape leaves. As far as taste, I prefer the taste of this brand over the other and as far as I can tell, they taste as good as any restaurant I have had them in. Lemony and rich tasting. Delicious. Now the way they arrived is a different story. The can was crushed on all sides and the ends too. The can should have been encapsulated in the air bags instead of them placed on just one side of the box. Others have complained of this but apparently Amazon has chosen to ship them inadequately protected. I was barely able to open the can due to the can lips being crushed and dented and ended up cutting my finger because of it. Luckily my blood did not get into the product or I would have had to throw the whole thing out. Major fail. Not fair. Unless they change the packaging, Amazon may want to skip the drone delivery with this item;-)

I have made dolmas many times and it is a time consuming task. These Divina vegetarian stuffed grape leaves are tasty and firm and keep their shape - and best of all, already made. The 4 lb. 4 oz. can is an excellent buy and wonderful for a party plate.

This review is almost word for word the same as the one I just did for the Galil brand but the results were the opposite! I discoverd That I LOVED stuffed grape leaves after trying the ones on the Kroger mediterranian olive bar. At $7.99/lb I decided to try to find them cheaper on amazon, my go to shopping site! The Kroger deli associate told me the ones they offer on the bar are the Divina brand. I was happy to find them on amazon for a much better price. I decided to also order the Galil based on price and reviews to compare. In my opinion there is no comparison between the Galil and Divina. The Galil are edible but I won't buy them again after I finish the ones I ordered. They are too salty, not lemony enough, the grape leaves are a little tough, and the oil they are packed in is not particularly tasty. I may rinse them and replace their oil with my own mixture of olive oil, lemon, and dill to see if that improves them. The Divina stuffed grape leaves, on the other hand, are perfect...tender, lemony, not too salty, and the sauce is good enough to eat with a spoon! I plan to try using the sauce from the Divina brand to cook chicken breasts or fish as other reviewers suggested. I haven't tried any other brands and I don't plan to...if it ain't broke don't fix it!

N D commented on the Divina compared to Galil, and that review was right on the money. The Galil product lacks flavor, and the leaves are larger, and therefore more fibrous and tough. The Galil dolmades are larger, but that's no benefit. The Divina were smaller, more tasty and somewhat more oily. So far, so good. They're addicting. However, the can says serve at room temperature and don't refrigerate. OK, but the next sentence says "Refrigerate after Opening". Then the oil congeals and you have to thaw them out so you can serve them. Cute. Bottom line, if you don't want to make your own, the Divina is a good steady product, and nice alongside of a plate of hummus with a side of black olives and a stack of pita bread. Enjoy. Worth the money, if you buy two to get free shipping. Do complain if Amazon doesn't pack them right,, though. You don't want dented up cans.

I've purchased this brand of dolmas five or six times before and have absolutely loved them. My most recent purchase was a different story. They smelled and tasted "off" after opening the can. At first I thought it was just my imagination, but then my wife came in the kitchen and said, "Let me smell those." Then she told me that they didn't smell right and she even noticed that some of them had a slightly brownish color rather than the dark green that we normally see. So, I contacted Amazon customer service and they promptly refunded my money. I'm hoping that this was a one time bad experience since I really love these dolmas. But, I am starting to get a little perturbed by how many times a week I run into a situation where a product I bought is defective or of poor quality.