Doritos Spicy Garlic

Same name, different color and flavor!

The Attraction

Umm, Doritos, hello? It also doesn't hurt that it's a flavor you can't get here in the US. I quickly plunked down my converted Taiwanese dollars and brought this baby home for a sampling.

The Review:
One of the more exciting parts of traveling aboard is hitting all the markets and hording all the interesting snacks that you just don't see when you are back home. Every trip I take outside of the US, I make it a point to scope out every snack aisle I come across to locate treats that light up my face the same way snacks did when I was a chubby teenager. That's the true litmus test as to if I should review it. If I'm that exciting to buy it, it's going to get reviewed. One such snack that I was excited to come across while in Asia was these Doritos Spicy Garlic flavor chips.

You may know my cousin, Cool Ranch

Being a true snack enthusiast, Doritos easily makes my snack Top 10. Hell, it might even make my top 5.  I am also not alone in my love for Doritos. The crispy corn chip crunch with a generous dusting of nacho cheese flavoring has been providing years of empty calories for happy Americans for decades. In more recent times, they've expanded the product line to include flavors like Cool Ranch, Spicy Sweet Chili and Spicy Nacho, but for me, Nacho will always be king.

With that said, I occasionally dabble in the other flavors like Cool Ranch and Spicy Sweet Chili, to break it up sometimes, so when I saw this new offering of Spicy Garlic, I knew I couldn't pass it up.

..or my other cousin, Sweet Chili?

When I finally got back home from Asia, I cracked open the bag and noticed a slight garlicky scent.

"As promised", I thought to myself

I grab a lucky chip out of the sea of Doritos in the bag and crunch down on one.

I'm happy to see that the Doritos signature crunch extends to products overseas as well. Flavor-wise, the people over at Doritos were smart to not make the garlic flavor too intense. It's a bit more subtle than I was expecting. It wasn't like garlic powder on a chip. The flavor was more of a kiss of garlic-ness that wasn't very salty. I think if it was saltier, it would have made the garlic flavor more pronounced, but by downplaying the salt factor, you can get the essence of garlic without it overpowering your taste buds.

It was only after the garlic flavor began to fade away when the spicy part of the flavor namesake came into play. It's something I've noticed with many "spicy" snacks. They layer the heat on the latter part of the flavor profile and it works well because it doesn't distract you from the other flavors. It acts like a spicy cleansing of the palate. The trade off is that if you are accustomed to that more forward, aggressive spiciness, the heat this snack punches may feel more like a love tap.

The Sweet:
Consistent Doritos crunch no matter the flavor. Exicting flavor deviation

The Bitter:
However interesting the flavor is, it's not enough to really distinguish itself

Conclusion:
It's tough being a Doritos product. I suppose to a degree, it's similar to being the offspring or relative of someone very famous; you are measured against this really high bar because of the name you carry when all you want to be is yourself.

That's the curse of this product; because the Doritos brand is so beloved, it takes something really special to stand along side the enduring Doritos flavors. I'm glad that they continue to experiment in all parts of the world and perhaps the Spicy Garlic flavor will resonate to other snack lovers in other regions, but for me, it didn't make enough of an impression to occasionally give up the space in my shopping cart that I would normally reserve for the Doritos flavor that will always have my heart, Nacho Cheese.

Video of the Week

Which Philly Cheese steak is really the best?

I've seen so many food shows on TV blowing smoke up some Philly Cheesesteak's owners butt about how good their specific cheesesteak is, but I never really get a straight answer about which ones are really good. Finally, the good people over at Bon Appetit sent someone out to taste 16 cheesesteaks in Philadelphia in 12 hours. I don't know if I will ever eat that many cheesesteaks in one visit, but I won't need to now that I know which they liked the most. For those not familiar with what a Philly Cheesesteak is, you can learn more about this iconic sandwich here.

Doritos Hot Honey

 Yellow Doritos bag?
Could it be cheddar flavor?

The Attraction

As part of my plunder on my last trip to H-Mart, I scored these "exotic" flavored Doritos. I wasn't quite sure what flavor they were when I bought them, but I just knew it said Doritos on it and it was different....that was good enough for me.

The Review:
After doing some digging on the interwebs, I discovered that this yellow bag of Doritos is actually "Hot Honey" flavored. I can't be certain, but I'm willing to bet this may have something to do with the recent influx of honey-flavored snack items into the market following the honey-butter craze in Korea. (See here and here). I'm just thankful these chips aren't honey-butter flavored as well.

I also do observe that in the upper-left hand corner, it's noted that Lotte, the fine makers of classic Asian snacks like Choco-Pie and Toppo Coffee and Vanilla Ice Cream Flavor produced this Doritos product. This will be interesting.

I tear open the bag of chips and take a deep inhale. There isn't an obvious scent, maybe one of fried corn chips, if you inhaled deep enough. That could be a good sign as it wasn't too sweet or too spicy to the point where it was obvious even without taking a bite.

I pickup a well formed chip and take a bite. It's every bit what you would expect from a Doritos-branded chip; nicely formed corn chip with a great crunch, but in terms of taste, it reminded me of something that I haven't had in awhile. Something that wasn't even a snack, per se. More on that in a minute.

Looks like a pale Dorito

The initial flavor of the sweetness strikes first and as slowly as that flavor begins to fade, there is a slow burn towards the back of my throat. I'm beginning to like this type of spicy. It's a much more laid back spicy. I've been so accustomed to the forward-vinegary heat of things like buffalo wings and certain kinds of beef jerky that when you have something that attacks your spicy zones in a different way, it's really interesting. Most of the spicy items I've had seems to impact the front-to-center part of your tongue. This sweeter heat seems to hit from the back and then the sides of your tongue. Don't get me wrong, you have enough of these and your mouth won't care where the heat is coming from, it just knows it's on fire..but in the most pleasant kind of way.

In terms of the sweetness, I was surprised to discover that the initial sweet hit reminds me of McDonald's Sweet and Sour sauce. Yes, that's right. The very sauce you use to dip your McNuggets into. Shocking, but true! There's even a slight hint of smokiness in there which gives it almost gives it a bbq twist. Turn up the dial a few more notches and you could possible mistake this for a sweet bbq-flavored product.

Pale does not mean no flavor

The Sweet:
Great Doritos crunch with a tasty sweet and spicy flavor dusting.

The Bitter:
If you aren't used to sweet-flavored chips, this may take some time to adjust to.

Conclusion:
I was never totally won over with the honey-butter craze from a little while back. All those products were fine, but it never got me to the point of going from store to store trying to locate my next "hit". These Doritos Hot Honey chips won't quite get me to that point either, but if anything, it made me wonder why this product couldn't be as big.

I prefer the thicker corn chip with the associated crunch that this snack offers. The heat also provides a "cleansing" affect from the first sweet flavor wave and clears the deck for another chip to follow...and believe me...another chip will follow.

Video of the Week

What could possibly go wrong? (hehe)

Ah...what can be more beautiful than a couple's wedding day? A day to celebrate all the love and joy that will culminate out of the union of two people. Sometimes when you see two people, you aren't totally sure if they belong together. In this case, I'm sure they do because the only thing better than her reaction is his equally intellectual reaction. Blessings to you both...you will need it.

Lay's Szechuan Chicken

Here they go again...

The Attraction

Lay's has been doing this new flavor thang for awhile...and I've been buying it hook, line and sinker

The Review:
Part of the fun of these new flavor experiment is waiting to see what new and interesting flavors Lays releases. In this wave, one of the flavors they release is Chinese Szechuan Chicken, along with Indian Tikka Masala and Brazilian Picanha and Greek Tzaziki. Being that I've had my fair share of Chinese food in my day, I was curious as to what exactly Szechuan anything taste like in snack form.

As I tear open into the bag, I can smell some "spice" emanating from the bag. One thing I do know about Szechuan cuisine is that is it very aromatic and has many strong flavors. It is anything but bland. So far, so good.

Who knew all those spices
had so many different colors?

I dip my hand in and pull out a chip. I take a good look at a chip and I see the various colored spices in the chip. OK, it looks and smells legit, but what does it taste like? I take a big bite and immediately a wave of flavors comes flying at me; pepper, salt, some five-spice? and I swear even some MSG. At first, it almost taste like potato chips that have been sprinkled directly with the flavor packs that you get with your packages of instant noodles (ramen), but after a few seconds, the flavor deviates and never quite hits that exact level of saltiness, but rather it leaves you with a spicy finish. As for the chicken component...what chicken component? I only even mention it because it's in the flavor name, but otherwise, it's completely meaningless.

This piece looks like an upside-down taco

The Sweet:
It's a new flavor, which always means the potential for something exciting

The Bitter:
In this case it's booooorrring. It's a new flavor, but really nothing to write home about.

Conclusion:
I'll always support Lays and their great idea to release new and experimental flavors. It just so happens that this flavor, Chinese Szechuan Chicken, falls flat. I'm not even totally sure it taste like anything "Szechuan" to me. Either way, it doesn't strike enough of a cord to make me want to add this into my snack rotation.

Video of the Week

"Hey Ma, my tattoo not only says something
about who I am, but I can also play video games with it"

 

Ever see people with those temporary metallic tattoos? Well imagine one day being able to use those types of tattoos to control things like a video game or use it to show your mood or even better yet, store information on it! Well, the folks over at Duoskin are working on it.





Lotte Toppoki Snack

That's one big mouth dog

The Attraction

Maybe it was the red shiny dog on the outside of the packaging or it was the unusual amount of hits I got from people checking these dukbokki snacks I previously reviewed. Anyway, I thought it was fine time to try see what a spicy version of what that snack might taste like. 

The Review:
I must apologize; I know I've been doing a lot of Asian snacks lately, but it's been awhile since I found a snack that caught my interest at the local supermarket. (I can see my friend Gabby's eyes roll as she sees this product. I'll work harder to throw some more diversity to my snack reviews, OK, damnit?!

I open this bag and immediately there is a sweet / fried smell creeping out of the bag. It's almost as subtle as that shiny red dog on the outside. I take a peek inside and I see these "chips' that look like mini-churros or penne. Interesting. hopefully they taste like dry, uncooked pasta.

I pick a lucky toppoki from the bag and give it a bite. There is a nice crunch and as expected, there is a sweet flavor that comes through first and at the very end...a slight spiciness.

Pasta time

"What!? That's it?! That's the 'Crazy' heat indicated on the outside of the bag?!"

I must have become the Superman of spicy snacks if that was considered spicy. I plop down in front of my computer and start to form my review while continuing to munch on these snacks.....next thing I notice is about 7-10 pieces later the heat has built to the point where I'm starting to salivate a good amount. That is what is tricky about the spicy-sweet combo....sometimes it just sneaks up on.

The heat seems to build steadily at about 10% increments until it gets to the point where your brain finally tells you, "Hey, this is sorta spicy, homey"

I'm a hottie (when I'm with my friends)

The Sweet:
Great snack if you like a sweet / spicy mix

The Bitter:
Need to string a bunch of these together to start feeling the Bern, burn.

Conclusion:
If the heat you were getting from the other Korean style snacks like this wasn't doing it for you, start munching on a few of these and it's only a matter of time before your mouth starts sweating. It's actually remarkably similiar tasting to other dukbokki / toppoki snacks, but this item punches up the heat about twice that of other similiar products I have tried.....all doing it while it's slightly sweet flavor gives you a false sense of security. This is like that date you meet on Craigslist that joins you for dinner, have great conversation with, only to have them ruffie you and take your watch later; it's stealthy, but good.

Video of the Week 

How quickly can we get to Shanghai?

Now, I don't know the movie Tron terribly well, however, the visuals are quite memorable. That's why without even seeing the movie or it's sequel, I would consider flying to Shanghai to check out this ride in the Disneyland over there. That and check out it's skyline and eat like a beast. Did I mention the food?

Honchos Peach Habanero

Cause you just couldn't wait to scratch
that "peach habanero" itch

The Attraction

Just because it's not everyday you see this combination. I can't wait until they release their next flavor, "banana dingleberry". 

The Review:
I really wasn't looking necessarily to review something quite so "out of the box", but I have to fess up, this flavor combination caught my eye. It's not everyday a chip manufacturer add a fruit flavor to something savory and then tosses in some spice on top of that. Whether it's a hit or a miss, one thing is for sure; I doubt I will say, "Oh, this taste just like..."

After wondering aloud if the flavor is "peach habanero" as in a type of habanero or "peach + habanero", I figured out that I've never heard of peach and habanero used together, so it much be peach + habanero. I know, I know, who doesn't know that there isn't such a thing as a peach habanero? Come on, there are banana peppers, so is a peach habanero really that far of a stretch? I digress...

I open the bag of chips and peer inside. As sure as the photo illustrates outside the bag, these chips bare a striking resemblance to the big "D". Down to the color. Actually, they are a little more cool ranch color than the nacho variety, but could they possibly be as tasty?

"Umm...have we met before?"

I pick up a chip and dive in. The first flavor that steps up is a slightly sweet flavor. It remarkably starts off exactly like a "Cool Ranch D", but just as quickly as I can place that flavor, the sweetness keeps going and exceeds that of a standard nacho chip. It then turns savory before the habanero drops the leg on you. It's not an exceedingly spicy flavor, it's more of a "back-of-your-throat" burn, but it's present. This schizophrenic flavor ride is delivered to you courtesy of a crispy corn chip that is identical to that of a....a...(I promised myself I wouldn't say that snack because that "snack" is such a favorite of people's, including myself, that almost no snack similiar could live up to that expectation) 

"Oh,no. You must have mistaken me for
someone else."

The Sweet:
Intriguing flavor combination, yet...

The Bitter:
...it's an emotional rollercoaster for your taste buds

Conclusion:
It's almost like dating someone that looks like your first love. On the outside, they sort of look the same and could actually pass for the person, but once they start talking and interacting with you, it's clear they are not the same hunk or babe you were crushing on way back in the day. That's a good and bad thing for these Honchos. I respect them for being bold and not going down that well treaded snack path littered with cheese flavors, but at the same time, this combo was just too ambitious for my taste buds.

Video of the Week 

That's why I have such strong forearms!
Phew, I thought it was from all that exercising
(I really want to put quotes around exercising, but this is a family website)

This week's video involves some of the extra things we have grown out of as humans have evolved. Unless we are around a buffet, in which case all bets are off and all those animal instincts come back instantaneously, but that's a video for next time.

Lay's Potato Chips Thai Spicy Crab

I've been dying for a Thai Spicy Crab chip...not!

The Attraction

I love international flavor variations of conventional products that we have here in the States. It was only natural when I saw a Thai Spicy Crab version of Lay's potato chips that I felt compelled to give it a shot. Besides, who can turn down a Thai spicy crab flavor chip? ( I don't even know what it's supposed to taste like)

The Review:
I wasn't too keen on trying these chips because, well, I've never gravitated toward seafood flavored anything in a snack, but I thought, there can always be a first time for everything. I open the bag and there was almost no smell emanating from the package. No spicy, no seafood, no Thai (whatever that smells like).

Looks normal to me,
but people also once said that about Kanye

I pickup a chip and go to town. At first there's a sweetness to it. I wasn't expecting that, but once the sweetness peaks, it quickly kicks into it's salty 2nd act and then casually gives way to the spicy finale, all while the seafood flavor lays in the back snapping it's fingers keeping the pace for the rest of the players. The crunch is consistent with what you would expect from a Lay's chip, being international or domestic (although I do find the Asian international version to be less oily and slightly thicker).

As I go through several more chips, I start to try to remember what I reviewed recently that tastes like this. Ahh! I got it! It's like a less crunchy and seaweed-ish version of Tao Kae Noi Hi Tempura Seaweed Spicy Flavor. So if you are looking for something like that, but not seaweed based, you may have found a winner here!

Like Kanye, it's far from normal!

The Sweet:
Nice sweet heat delivered on a bed of seafood essence.

The Bitter:
Not everyone loves seafood flavor.

Conclusion:
It's clear that this was another marketing move to give a product a much more desirable flavor name than just "Spicy Seafood Flavor". Although I'm not a super seafood fan, "Thai Spicy Crab Flavor" sounds much more appetizing to me than the former.

For all the clever marketing ploys, it still boils down to the flavor. For me, I'm just not inclined towards seafood flavored snacks, but even with that, I did enjoy these chips. If you are a fan of such flavor, this could very easily find a spot in your snack pantry, perhaps next to your roasted seaweed and spicy dried squid.

Video of the Week 

They are coming...to eventually make us make them cars.

In case the video I shared with you a few months showing a robot on four "legs" running and bounding over obstacles without much issue didn't make you want to soil yourself, this week I present, Atlas, the biped robot that will stop at nothing to accomplish it's goal (watch the box lifting demo). Now substitute the box with you and put an Arnold face mask on the robot. Commence bladder release.

Tao Kae Noi Hi Tempura Seaweed Spicy Flavor

Aside for the fried and salted part,
does this qualify as a healthy snack?

The Attraction

I've seen this on the shelf several times before, but never compelled to buy it. Then recently a friend of the Little Lady's was kind enough to buy me a bag after I asked her what she enjoys snacking on. Consider my horizons expanded.

The Review:
I stared at the bag for a bit as I was initially not super excited to try these, but I had to know what this gal was talking about. I open the bag and the smell of seaweed comes to greet me. OK, no mistaken what this snack is about. Its seaweed and it wants you to know it's in town for the weekend.

I pick up a curious looking piece of seaweed which somehow they manage to dip into tempura. I'm not sure how someone would think of it, but the seaweed seems rather crispy in my hand.

This doesn't light my fire

I proceed to take a bite and a monstrous crunch comes echoing out of my mouth. The salt and seaweed flavor comes at you first and as you continue on in your bite, the spicy sidekick sneaks up on you and let's you know it can carry it's own weight.

At first, I thought they reminded me of fried shrimp chips, but as I ate several more pieces, it was definitely more seaweed in flavor than shrimp. What was surprising was the crunch I was able to generate from these fried and tempura-ed chips. These are no Doritos, but they aren't too bad.

...or does it?

The Sweet:
Great savory spicy flavor with a chip-like crunch.

The Bitter:
If you don't care for seaweed, you won't like these.

Conclusion:
Granted, these weren't at the top my list of snacks to try, but when I did, I was pleasantly surprised. Though they were better than I expected, I don't see myself picking up a bag of these on the regular. I've had seaweed based snacks before like...well, roasted and salted seaweed. They were good, but for me, seaweed just isn't a snack that I gravitate towards. So if you love seaweed, you will enjoy these. If you are indifferent or less than interested, you would probably be better served looking down other aisles for your snack fix.

Video of the Week 
In this week's video, a woman finds protein in her prepackaged salad. Good thing it's been triple washed otherwise she would have really been grossed out.

 As if we needed another reason to not eat salad

Snyder's of Hanover Hot Buffalo Wing

Rest in Pieces

The Attraction:

I don't hit Walmarts very often, but when I do, I usually see snacks there that I don't see in my usual supermarket. Last week, I came across a few products that I have never seen, like this one. I recently reviewed another Snyder's of Hanover product, Peanut Butter Pretzel Sandwich and was so pleased with that item, I was receptive to try another snack of theirs.

The Review:
As of late, I've been snacking my way through a bunch of products that have tried to emulate "animal" based foods such as Pringles Tangy Buffalo Wing, Kettle Brand Maple Bacon Chips, and Lay's Cheddar Bacon Mac and Cheese. Some did a better job than others, but I was convinced that these snacks would never be able to get over the texture chasm of eating an animal based protein no matter how crunchy or thick the chip was. That feeling is just too hard to emulate. With that said, I went into this with an open mind, but with low expectations.

I tear open the bag and a stand back for the scent to hit me...and it eventually does. The smell of a vinegar-based spice is very buffalo-wingesque to me, and these certainly deliver that much. I take a look into the bag and see the pieces in which these pretzels come in. After pulling several pieces out and examining them closely, it's obvious why these are in pieces; the seasoning that are applied won't stick to the pretzels outer shell, but will stick to the interior, non-baked sides of the pretzel. Brilliant idea and it makes total sense, but it takes some getting used to. You can't help but feel like someone has stomped on your bag of pretzels and you are left to literally pick up the pieces. I digress; enough of the science of this snack, we need to know how does it taste!

I pop in a few pretzel shards into my mouth and suddenly things get very familiar. The saltiness of the pretzel, the spice and alkaline flavor from the buffalo wing seasoning all bring to mind a night out with friends at the local watering hole with your favorite beverage in hand. The flavor is unmistakable and remarkably on target. What is even more astonishing is how well it works with pretzels. The hard multiple crunches needed to polish off a pretzel does a good job of tricking your mind into thinking it's chewing something more than just a carbohydrate with seasoning to make it taste like something else. The pretzel just makes it far more satisfying somehow.

On the heat-o-meter, this rates pretty mild. You won't be pouring water on your face to put out the flames, but it moves the needle.

Looks like the USPS handled these

The Sweet:

Great hot buffalo wing flavor. As close as the real thing I've had.

The Bitter:
Still takes some getting used to eating pieces of pretzels. It's almost like eating discounted snacks.

They got the color just about right

Conclusion:
One of my biggest gripes with these savory snacks that try to mimic actual "meat" products is the texture issue. It doesn't quite seem right because typically it's difficult to capture that mouth-feel of an animal product, but when you toss in the flavor you usually associate with such a dish and the texture and density of a pretzel, it is the surprising convincing. Short of carrying a buffalo wing in your pocket, this is as close as you are going to get to having the real thing in a snack form.

Video Rant of the Week
Usually I like to share an interesting video that I've come across that perhaps my readers would be interested in watching. This week, I'm doing the opposite. I'm posting a video that I absolutely hate. (and I hope my readers avoid)

Last week, there was a new trailer released for the upcoming "Superman Vs Batman: Dawn of Justice" movie. I was really excited to check it out, but when I did, I was extremely disappointed.

Why you may ask?

They reveal too much in the damn trailer!

Now, if you haven't seen the trailer, please avoid it if you plan to see the movie next year, cause I sure wish I did. Actually, I hate this trailer so much, I might avoid seeing the movie altogether to spite it.

Without going into too much detail, from the trailer you can sort out parts of the battle between Superman and Batman, why and approximately when they stop fighting each other, the origin of one of the villains, and when another superhero officially makes an appearance with them. I feel like I've actually seen the movie already. Arghh! I'm so angry just writing this.

If you must.....youtube it. I won't link it here.

Kettle Brand Buffalo Bleu Potato Chips

It must be fancy if it's spelt "Bleu"

The Attraction:

Sandwiches go together with chips like PB +J, burger and fries, and Batman and Robin, so when it was lunchtime recently at work, I had to pair up my sandwich with something. That's when she walked in through the "out" door (out door)

The Review:
I was a bit apprehensive with this bag of chips after I tried one of Kettle Brand's other products, Maple Bacon Potato Chips. It wasn't awful, but it didn't set my world on fire from it's snack goodness. I decided to give this another go with a new flavor.

I open the bag and wait for any amazing snack smells to greet me. They did not this time, so I leaned in and got a good hint of a barbecue chip aroma. I was surprised as the flavor "Buffalo Bleu" seems to suggest buffalo chicken wings with bleu cheese, but the smell was more just plain bbq. Well, it's only a smell.

"..but what about the taste, Paul?"

I take a bite out of one of those hefty chips that are almost identical to the ones I had in the Thick and Bold Carolina BBQ flavor chips. Taste-wise, think traditional barbecue potato chips a bit more on the vinegary side with some heat towards the end and some cheese flavor thrown in to boot. Not bad, but not enough to really burn a snack hole in my soul. I can't say at any point I thought it tasted like Buffalo Wings with Bleu cheese.

-

A crinkle cut tunnel

The Sweet:

Subtly spicy bbqesque flavor built into a crunchy potato chip 

The Bitter:
Maybe I'm not built to like crinkle cut chips...

Taco shells aren't this rigid

Conclusion:
The flavor itself is interesting. It sort of feels like a mashup of a bunch of traditional potato chip flavors; the sweetness and smokiness of a barbecue chip, the cheese flavor of a cheddar chip, and the slight heat of a...well, a spicy chip. In my mind, I thought this would be what Ruffles All Dressed Up was supposed to be. Although intriguing flavor-wise, the thicker crinkle cut of the chip was the final straw. I'm just not a fan of a thick crinkle cut chip, which unfortunately also makes me not a fan of these Kettle Brand Buffalo Bleu chips.

Video of the Week
I had a few choices this week, but I decided to go with a sweet story of how a man raised a gorilla for years, released him back into the wild and then tracked him back down some time after that to see how the gorilla was doing. It may only be a matter of time before Disney or Pixar picks up the option for this story.

"Hello. It's me.

I was wondering if after all these years you'd like to meet"

Doritos Dinamita Chile Limon

If only I knew what Dinamita meant...

The Attraction:

While roaming the aisles of a Asian grocer that stocks their shelves with some snacks that I haven't seen at some other places, I came across this oddity that I didn't even know Doritos released. Odd shape, new flavor and it says Doritos on it....was there ever a chance I wasn't going to try it?

Edit: I forgot to mention that the folks at Doritos probably noticed the popularity of a snack called Takis in Latin American countries and decided to jump into that market with a remarkably similar product. Coincidence? I think not.

The Review:
I was so excited to find out what this new line within Doritos was that I took this bag home and immediately cracked it open. I take a deep inhale and the only this I could detect was that slightly fried smell that you get with chips sometimes. No heat, no lemon or lime smell. That's OK.

I then take a good peek inside and see this color that I've never seen in nature before. It's like a radioactive red. "How hot are these suckers?", I think to myself. I pick one up and inspect it. It looks as though they took a regular Dorito chip and rolled it after they fried it. Interesting approach, but how does it taste?

I finally take a bite and the crunch is not unlike what you would imagine a rolled up Dorito would be like...and that's a good thing. Oddly enough, despite the intense red color, the first flavor that seeps into your taste buds is the slightly salty flavor of lime. It reminded me of these Tostitos, but milder. It's not quite tart enough to be lemon. Then towards the middle to end of the bite, the heat starts to kick in and it's a nice burn. It's not a meek, "Umm, hi. Is Bobby home? May I speak to him?". It's more of a, "Yeah, Bobby live here? Tell him to get his ass outside!" kind of a heat. You know it means business. Even with that, something doesn't quite seem right.

Can this color be real?

The Sweet:

Extra crispy crunch with some serious heat.

The Bitter:
Somehow the "limon" and "chile" flavor doesn't quite totally hit the snack taste bud spot

Yes, this is the color!

Conclusion:
Although the folks over at Doritos did an interesting thing by rolling their nachos up to create a new and crispier crunch, this specific flavor misses the target. I enjoy the spice and the "limon" flavor, but it came across flat. It's missing a stronger flavor element. The heat itself is a great peripheral flavor, but the flavor of lime isn't strong enough to hold a snack lover's attention. Perhaps their other flavors like Nacho Picoso or Mojo Criollo might do a better job of it or maybe I'm not their primary market, but for me this first sampling of the Doritos Dinamita series left me feeling like this was more of a bust than a boom.

Video of the Week
This really isn't a video, rather more of a website. In my never ending quest to match-make people, here's a website devoted to matching up zombies and or zombie lovers. Yes, this is a real site and no, I received no compensation for showing this to you. Besides, isn't knowing that such a thing like this actually exists payment enough?

Zombies need love too

Pringles Xtra Tangy Buffalo Wing

I've been fooled by "hot" claims before!

The Attraction:

I've been on the hunt for a good spicy, savory snack lately. I've tried a few like Cheez-Its Hot and Spicy, Wheat Thins Spicy Buffalo, and Pop Chips Crazy Hot. Though some were better than others, none really brought the heat the way the scary artwork on the packaging would suggest. Let's see if these Pringles can actually deliver the goods....( I don't feel too optimistic about this)

The Review:
I dig Pringles and even though I don't love all their products, (see here and here), I enjoy their products enough to give them a chance when I see a new flavor that might work. Let's "pop the top" and find out where this flavor stands.

I break the seal on the can and I catch a hint of tabasco. Yes, that tabasco. OK, the product doesn't claim to actually use the brand Tabasco sauce, but it sure smells like it. I take chip out of the narrow canister and toss it in my mouth. "Oh yeah, vinegary like Tabasco too.", I think to myself. If it ain't Tabasco, it sure taste a whole lot like it and that is a good thing. Once the initial vinegar hit subsides, you can feel some of the advertised heat start to rise in your mouth all while tasting the familiar Pringles flavor.

The spiciness works really great in this instance. It adds another dimension to the flavor of the chips. If you love Asian noodles in soup like I do, a good analogy might be that Pringles by itself is like a noodle soup and Xtra Tangy Buffalo Wing flavor is what happens to your noodle soup when you add sriracha or hot chili oil to your noodle soup.

Looks innocent enough...

The Sweet:

Classic Pringles taste with a enough heat to make you stand up and notice.

The Bitter:
Not for the faint of heart "mild spicy"eaters.

Whoa...did you feel that too?

Conclusion:
Pringles didn't mess around when they said Xtra Tangy Buffalo Wing. Surprisingly, they brought the heat and didn't water down this snack. It's a bit more of a cumulative affect, but you'll get there. I'm not sure why it took so long to find something that hit the spicy spot just right. Perhaps the other snack makers wanted their product to appeal to more of the masses, so they tone down the heat index on their items. A part of me understands the business decision behind that, but the spicy snack lover in me can't help but feel alienated and bamboozled when I buy into the claims of "hot" snacks. I know the term "spicy" is very subjective from person to person, but surely, I can't be alone in saying that some of these claims of "spicy" or "hot" just fall completely by the waist-side when I eat them.

Well, search no more.

Video of the Week
Who said eating at fast food joints aren't good for you? Take this guy for example. In addition to be "bennurished", he has developed a skill that will pay dividends for at least a few minutes.

Move over Calvin Harris, there's something meatier...

Cheez-It Hot and Spicy

They spent the money to use the Tabasco name!

The Attraction:

Who doesn't love Cheez-Its? For awhile, they were one of the few savory alternatives I had to potato chips. How can you improve upon cheese-flavored crispy crackers? How about tossing in some spice? Count me in...

The Review:
Early this year I reviewed one of Cheez-It's line of Crunched products. Although it left some things to be desired, I was open to see if the Hot and Spicy variation would translate better to it's original cracker.

As I open the box, I could smell the scent of the jalapenos exuding from the Cheez-Its. My fear of the Cheez-It's people just throwing some spicy red pepper flakes or paprika on it and calling it Hot & Spicy seem to dissipate after that. Just the smell alone would lead me to believe they put some more time into this. I shove my hand into the box and pull out a cracker and take another good whiff. If that's not the smell of jalapenos, I'm not sure what is. It's not quite the smell of Tabasco, but this might be better than I was expecting.

I take a bite and the flavor is far more complex than the sprinkling of spicy seasoning on a regular Cheez-It. The "Hot and Spicy" flavor seems to be really incorporated into the cracker itself. One second it's the familiar Cheez-It flavor, the next its a new and unexpected twist towards spicy and then the original Cheez-It flavor returns again. It's more than just a "Hot" Cheez-It; they took the time to focus on the spicy part as well.

Its like a handful of Sunshine!

The Sweet:

The Cheez-It flavor and crunch you've come to expect masterfully incorporated with spicy flavoring that adds depth and complexity.

The Bitter:
If you are looking for the type of spice and heat to set your face on fire, you won't find it here.

How can anything the size of a stamp taste so good?

Conclusion:
Cheez-It Hot and Spicy is an intriguing product; I've come to expect these spicy variations to be just the same as the original plus heat, but this variation takes the flavor profile to another level. Instead of creating Spicy-Nacho Doritos from Nacho-Cheese Doritos, the finish product tastes something more like a whole new flavor altogether. It's a pleasant surprise and one that will give me pause the next time I want Cheez-Its; how will I decide which flavor to reach for?

Video of the Week
I recently was listening to Prince's new album HITnRUN Phase One, specifically the smooth grooving 1000 X's and O's when I decided to do some digging around the Net to see what other little treasures I could uncover by him. That's when I came across this video of James Brown performing at the Beverly Center. Towards a break in the performance, he calls to stage Michael Jackson and then Prince! MJ does a little something and then Prince comes on stage and just about brings the house down, just not quite in the way you are thinking.

If I didn't see it, I wouldn't have believed it

Wheat Thins Spicy Buffalo Flavor

Announcement!

This summer I've collected so many snacks that I need to increase the rate at which I review these items. So with that said, starting this week (September 9), I'll be updating the blog on Sundays and Wednesdays. Please check back twice a week to get your SneakASnack fix.

In addition, do you have any snack suggestions? Do you like it when I review more international snacks or do you prefer for me to keep it domestic? Enjoy the videos of the week? I would love to hear your thoughts on that and more. Please share them with me by completing the contact form on the lower right. I promise your email address won't be circulated anywhere.

Thanks! Now on to the review...

This looks like the spiciness could hurt me!

The Attraction:

Way back in December of last year, I reviewed another flavor variation from the Wheat Thins line. It made such an impression that when I casually came across the Spicy Buffalo flavored version of this favorite snack, I couldn't resist.

The Review
Upon opening the sealed bag these Wheat Thins were in, I couldn't detect a spicy smell. I grabbed a chip and quickly threw it into my mouth. I could tell immediately it wasn't like an ordinary Wheat Thin. The initial flavor was different; it was slightly sour and vinegary, which then gave way to the signature Wheat Thins flavor. It was only towards the end that I could sense a slight "burn" from the spicy buffalo flavor. After having a few more "thins", the heat level increased, but even at that, I still wouldn't call it spicy. If molten lava was the equivalent to the hottest thing you've ever had, this was more along the lines of that thing you put your coffee cup on at work in order to keep it warm. I was hoping for a XXX night and what I got was a peck on the cheek.

Please understand; although I enjoy eating spicy snacks on occasion, I certainly am not that guy that loves eating jalapenos raw or piles on tons of that spicy red sauce from the local halal stand. I would consider myself as a slightly spicy to medium spicy tolerant eater, at best, so when I say the Spicy Buffalo is mild, you can believe me when I say that it is. The heat is more like a mild irritant at the back of your throat when you finish the bite. It's anti-climatic, to say the least.

Slightly red tint on these Wheat Thins.

The Sweet:

The folks at Nabisco are able to keep the characteristic "Wheat Thins" flavor without having the spicy buffalo flavor dominate your taste buds. They are able to emulate the vinegar and slightly sour portion of a "tabasco"-like sauce.

The Bitter:
Despite the "scary" spicy artwork on the box promising some heat, the spicy buffalo is rather unremarkable.

It's only a matter of time before there is a 

bacon-flavored version like everything else, no?

Conclusion:
Oddly enough, having the Spicy Buffalo variation of Wheat Thins made me miss the original flavor more. Maybe it was because the spice wasn't particularly pronounced and it served as more of a distraction from the Wheat Thins-flavor that I came to love. In the end, Wheat Thins Spicy Buffalo flavor suffered from not being enough; not spicy enough, not different enough and unfortunately, just not good enough to earn a return visit to my snack cart.

Video of the Week
In a previous post, I mentioned how I wished to become a professional matchmaker. Admittedly, up to this point, I haven't exactly been setting the world on fire in that regard. Although I'm still hopeful, here's an idea that would perfectly tie two of my favorite things together; food and matchmaking.

Free food and a potential date? Who wouldn't sign up?!