Tag: Chips

REVIEW: Ruffles Korean-Style Sweet & Spicy Chili Potato Chips

Vin 4 Comments

I’m not an envious person by nature. I don’t “yearn” for much. I try my best to be satisfied with what I have… but that all changes whenever I see the chip flavors they get over in Asia.

Before my Impulsive Buy days, I wanted to start a blog called, “Lay’s for Days,” where I’d seek out and try every crazy chip flavor from around the globe. In my delusional brain, I’d start by dropping a small fortune eBaying crazy flavors, and I’d get so popular that people would willingly send me bags to try.

Once I realized I no write no good and couldn’t even figure out Blogspot, the short-lived dream died.

Thankfully, the Frito-Lay corporation has slowly let some interesting flavors trickle out over the years, and it’s not impossible to find international releases if you know where to look.

Enter Korean-Style Sweet & Spicy Chili Ruffles, a chip with all the hallmarks I’ve been looking for. Asian-inspired flavors? Check. A super long, intriguing name? Check. RRRidges? Check! These have to be good, right?

Right. They’re pretty damn good.

Sweet chili is elite. It never fails. It should be a standard flavor across all snacks. If you like sweet chili, these are for you.

These have a heat level I’d put a tick below “Flamin’ Hot.” Props to them for ignoring the siren call and not slapping those two words on this bag like Frito-Lay seemingly does with everything else. Like an annoying guy describing Vegas, it’s a “dry heat” and tolerable, leaving a slight afterburn on the back of the tongue.

As I was eating and enjoying myself, I started to get nervous because I didn’t really know how to articulate the flavor. I don’t think my initial thought of, “This tastes like Asian food,” would’ve been kosher, literally or figuratively. I can’t condense an entire continent into one chip, but I sometimes have difficulty distinguishing international flavor.

These instantly tasted more Chinese-inspired. I’ve had more Chinese food than Korean food in my life, so maybe that played a role, but the spice profile just reminded me of a vague Chow Mein-style sauce you’d get slathered on some protein and vegetables. As I chomped on, I started to convince myself I might be tasting some kimchi and settled on what they ultimately reminded me of – Korean BBQ. Yeah, wow, very descriptive, huh? I actually thought of Korean Chicken Tacos more than anything.

The ingredient list is basically all the usual suspect spices you get in a chip like this with nothing distinct standing out. That, mixed with the pronounced chili flavor and “dryness,” just made me think of Asian-inspired BBQ chicken.

Either way, these are pretty complex and taste really good. The sweetness is there, but it’s not distinguishable from anything beyond, I guess, a pinch of brown sugar?

I won’t say these are as good as purple bag Doritos or the G.O.A.T. Sour Cream and Cheddar Ruffles, but they’re not far behind either. Grab ’em if you see ’em. Hopefully, you find a sale because I might as well have eBay’d these at the price I paid.

Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: 8 oz
Purchased at: Acme
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (About 13 Chips) 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 140 milligrams of sodium, 15 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of total sugars, 1 gram of fiber, 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Lay’s Honey Butter Potato Chips

Marvo 3 Comments

Finally!

So here we are with Lay’s offering honey butter-flavored potato chips in the US, almost a decade after the flavor’s height of popularity in South Korea. Ugh. Has it really been THAT long? This is the first time a potato chip flavor made me feel old. However, before you run out to find this, you should know it is/was only available at some Costco locations in Northern California. Yup, an exclusive AND regional Lay’s flavor.

How popular were honey butter-flavored potato chips? Well, when it first came out in South Korea in 2014, it sold out in stores. But you could purchase bags from online sellers for several times more than their original price. When I tried to acquire a bag back then, they were going for $50 on eBay. I guess you could say it’s the most viral potato chip ever. Sorry, Lay’s Wavy Milk Chocolate Dipped Potato Chips.

So, is it worth flying to Northern California to buy a bag or buying one on eBay for three times the original price, like I did? Of course not. But I think it’s good enough that I’m using this review to convince Lay’s to make this flavor available to everyone throughout the country, but with a slight tweak.

If you’re in Camp No Sweet Chips and have raised your eyebrows at those holiday Pringles that came out years ago or the Lay’s IHOP chips that were on Walmart shelves earlier this year, Lay’s Honey Butter won’t be for you.

The chips looked like original Lay’s, but after handling a few, a layer of white seasoning accumulated on my fingertips. Their flavor hit all the right sweet and savory notes that make me think of all the honey butter-flavored chips I’ve had over the decade from Korean and Japanese brands.

It starts off with a nondescript sugariness, but then the honey flavoring comes around. The underlying butteriness hits about the same time as the honey, and it’s somewhat reminiscent of what you’d taste with buttered popcorn. But the taste leans more towards sweet than savory. Honey and butter are listed as ingredients, but above those two is sugar, which might explain the initial sugar burst.

However, there needs to be more consistency in the application of the seasoning. A notable number of them lacked the sweet and savory punch that others had, which makes me think these might need more seasoning.

Despite the minor issue, Lay’s Honey Butter Potato Chips are quite tasty and I hope Frito Lay decides to roll out the flavor nationwide and not exclusively.

Purchased Price: More than one should pay on eBay
Size: 23 oz bag
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (about 15 chips/28 grams) 160 calories, 10 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 2 grams of sugar (including 1 gram of added sugar), and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Fritos Flavor Twists Queso

Sean 3 Comments

One of the biggest mysteries emanating from the chip aisle is why the hell aren’t there more Fritos Flavor Twists flavors? Originally released in 1992 in the now-beloved Honey BBQ, as well as two others I never had the pleasure to try — Cheddar Ranch and Jalapeño Cheddar — these twirly, crunchy corkscrew corn chips are inexplicably delicious to anyone who enjoys a sweet but smoky BBQ flavor. Yet for how excellent the form factor is, Frito Lay has sat on its hands for over TWENTY years without adding any new flavors aside from two limited regional drops in the early 2010s…until now! Fritos Flavor Twists Queso originally came out last year as a Dollar General exclusive (again, why the limited distribution?!), but are now making their way to most stores that carry the brand.

The reason why Flavor Twists are so fantastic is that fusilli-adjacent shape really does lock in a ton of flavor while delivering an exciting, crunchy, yet light and airy texture. This is coming from someone who loves regular Fritos, too, both the smaller and Scoop varieties. In fact, I think original Fritos are the most underrated “plain” chip in all of chips, but the Twist shape is better in every way aside from scooping. Frito Lay may have unlocked the ultimate cheat code in the early 90s and has criminally under-utilized it since, but this beautiful purple-accented bag of Queso Twists is a promising sign of things to come.

These new-ish Flavor Twists have a solid amount of seasoning that will leave your fingers decently caked after enjoying a couple handfuls. The flavor reminds me of Chili Cheese Fritos without the cumin-y funk. They have a solid cheese-forward burst in the front, followed by the classically strong and iconic Fritos corn taste, and then finish with just a teeny tiny bit of spice. I don’t think I would even call the finishing note “heat,” and it isn’t noticeable until you have eight or so in a row; it’s a nice round peppery spice that sits pleasantly beneath the salty cheese-prominence.

Queso Flavor Twists aren’t nearly as dynamic as their Honey BBQ sibling, but they are still a really tasty chip. They channel a big bowl of Fritos Scoops next to salsa con queso at a party, minus the mess. While they aren’t quite as good as getting a big scoop-full of meaty chili cheese on a thick salty chip, they are a fun new addition to the Fritos family that’s worth grabbing a bag in hopes that they stick around with more Twists to come.

Purchased Price: $2.69
Size: 3 1/2 ounces
Purchased at: Walgreens
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (23 pieces, 28g) 160 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Doritos Flamin’ Hot Mystery Flavor

Marvo 1 Comment

Doritos Flamin’ Hot has a mystery flavor, but the original Flamin’ Hot seasoning has always been a mystery to me. Is it peppers, garlic powder, and Lucifer’s nail filings? Or is it Lucifer’s dry ear wax? I could read the ingredients list, but like IKEA instructions and stories with clickbait headlines that end with “…may kill you,” I’m not going to look at it. While I’ll never solve the mystery behind Flamin’ Hot, I think I’ve figured out this Walmart-exclusive mystery flavor.

While they look like they’ve been sprinkled with Lucifer’s dandruff and are more ominous than regular Flamin’ Hot, these chips don’t seem as spicy as regular Flamin’ Hot snacks. Oh, don’t get me wrong, these have a torrid temp that timid tongues will want to turn away from, but these are easier to eat, even though my head is sweating a little as I type this. I was concerned that the spicy seasoning would overwhelm whatever the mystery flavor was, but that’s not the case. When I opened the bag and sniffed, I had an idea of what it could be.

SPOILER ALERT: Turn away now if you want to avoid knowing my correct (or most likely incorrect) guess.

Along with the famous Flamin’ Hot spiciness, there’s a savoriness that instantly reminds me of chicken-flavored instant ramen, so I believe the mystery flavor is Spicy Chicken Instant Ramen or Spicy Chicken Cup Noodles.

Mystery solved.

(Dusting off Flamin’ Hot seasoning from my hands)

There’s also a noticeable sweetness that cuts through the spicy seasoning, which is perhaps why these don’t burn my mouth like regular Flamin’ Hot products do. But that sweet flavor sometimes causes my taste buds to wonder if they’re eating a spicy Thai curry, which I noticed more in the aftertaste. But I’m sticking with my original take as my final answer, Regis.

Because these Doritos Flamin’ Hot Mystery Flavor chips remind me of a spicy version of my favorite instant ramen variety and don’t punish my mouth with too much heat, I love them very much. I’m not sure if Doritos already revealed the mystery, but whatever it is, it’s surprisingly great, and I wouldn’t mind experiencing it again. In fact, I’d love to see Doritos introduce a new mystery flavor annually.

Purchased Price: More than one should pay on eBay
Size: 9 oz bag
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (about 11 chips) 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 18 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Takis Waves Dragon Sweet Chili and Blue Heat Potato Chips

Marvo 4 Comments

Blue 1 Lake food dye needs to be in more potato chips beyond these new Takis Waves Blue Heat. Yes, Takis Blue Heat and its color have been around for years, but despite eating all kinds of snacks for decades, this is the first time my eyeballs and mouth have experienced it. And after seeing the color in person, it makes me want to see it with more chips. Did I mention blue is my favorite color?

If you’re also unfamiliar with Blue Heat, which would be an excellent name for a Smurf fan fiction cop drama, they have an unassuming aroma, but that’s the only restrained attribute. They look like what I imagine would happen if Gargamel finally got his hands on a Smurf and used his recipe for Smurf jerky. It starts with a strong peppery flavor with a hint of lime hitting taste buds a bit later. Also, I swear there’s some soy sauce hiding among the chili peppers. It’s a tasty combo, and I understand why it’s a standard Takis variety. The packaging says these have “Extreme” heat, and while they are spicy, they’re not so hot that the flavor gets lost. My eyes are fascinated with Takis Waves Blue Heat Potato Chips, and my mouth needs something cool after trying them.

My eyes are less impressed with the new Takis Waves Dragon Sweet Chili, which come in a color we’ve often seen on cheesy or hot chips. The flavor debuted with the standard rolled Takis last year, which I enjoyed. They’re noticeably less spicy than the Blue Heat ones but are as flavorful. Here’s how I described the seasoning when I tried the rolled tortilla chip version:

Their initial flavor reminded me of Fritos Honey BBQ Flavor Twists, which is my favorite Fritos variety and not at all spicy. However, by the third chip, the taste morphed into something a bit more unique, with the garlic powder and cayenne peppers making themselves more noticeable. Throughout it all, the sweetness remained and helped cut through the spiciness.

With these potato chips, I didn’t get that initial taste that reminded me of my favorite Fritos flavor, which is understandable since these have a potato base. Instead, I immediately tasted the garlic powder, cayenne, and the seasoning’s sweetness. It too was a tasty combo.

Dragon Sweet Chili and Blue Heat are fantastic additions to the Takis Waves Potato Chip line. If you’re a fan of either or both flavors, they’re worth picking up.

DISCLOSURE: I received complimentary product samples from Takis. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 0.59 oz bags
Purchased at: Received from Takis
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Dragon Sweet Chili), 8 out of 10 (Blue Heat)
Nutrition Facts: (1 package) Dragon Sweet Chili – 90 calories, 6 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 9 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein. Blue Heat – 90 calories, 6 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 110 milligrams of sodium, 8 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.