Lay's USA Wavy Greek Tzatziki

Here is #1/4 from Lay's current Passport to Flavor promotion; "Wavy Greek Tzatziki".

Quick Review: These are HELLA GOOD! The wavy cut chip adds a ton of potato flavor and the seasoning tastes like you've dipped a chip in a bowl or refreshing, bright, garlic-y, minty, Tzatziki. If you are a fan of the traditional Mediterranean dip, you will enjoy this flavor.

Long Review: See my post from this flavor when it was a Costco Exclusive.

Lay's USA Wavy West Coast Truffle Fries

Here's another bag from 2015's Do Us A Flavor contest, this bag lost the competition, but whatever let's discuss it anyways. This is "Wavy West Coast Truffle Fries".
So, here's my thoughts... If you like Fancy Truffle Fries, you will probably like these. If you are a little more low key, these may not be for you.
The Wavy potato chip adds some thick crunchiness and extra potato-y flavor. A good stand in for French Fries. But, the seasoning reeks of Truffle Oil. In my opinion, Truffle Oil tends to be over used in a lot of dishes, and the same can be said here. It gave the chips a bit of a bitter taste. This combined with a TON of Garlic, and Duck Fat, made the overall flavor a bit funky.
Were these horrible? No.
Were they brilliant? No.
They are what they are: An abundance of sophisticated flavors thrown haphazardly on a cheap potato chip.
That might sound harsh, but it's my real interpretation of what's happening in this bag.
I can't imagine the average midwest citizen wanting to eat these. Not to mention that for a "Vegetarian" flavored chip, it's inclusion of Duck Fat AND Chicken Fat put off my pickier friends.
I see why this one didn't last, and I wasn't really impressed. Try it if you can find it just for the novelty, but it's no biggie if you missed out (like the rest of this collection).
SOOOO, what did yall think of these?

OK Here's Some Late News: Walkers UK Market Deli & Sensations Lime with Thai Spices

Walkers in the UK has also launched the Market Deli line I talked about the other day from Holland. They've got 3 of the same flavors "Balsamic Vinegar of Modena", "Flame Grilled Spanish Chorizo with Roasted Onion", and "Wiltshire Cured Ham, Mature Cheddar and Farmhouse Chutney". Plus 2 more flavors "Cornish Mature Cheddar" and "Anglesey Sea Salt". As I said before, the sophistication of the flavors makes these really exciting and unique in the world of Lay's.

Another differentiation between the UK range and Netherlands is the expansion into Pita Chips and Tortilla Chips. Even though I don't really mention these usually, I might as well cover the expanded range. The Pita Chips are available in "Roasted Garlic and Mediterranean Herbs"and "Sweet Roasted Red Pepper with English Tomato". The Tortilla Chips are flavored as "Roasted Red Chilli with Mediterranean Sundried Tomato" and "Anglesey Sea Salt with Cracked Black Pepper".

Real Talk: These are beautiful and I want them. That is all.

(Apparently this line came out first, and that's why it's a more comprehensive line than the Dutch one)

 Last little Bonus is that the Sensations line has added a new potato chip flavor in their "Gently Infused Lime with Thai Spices" flavor. Sounds literally perfect. Lime and spice go great together. The Sensations line has always been that more sophisticated line of Potato chip flavors from Lay's/ Walkers. And even with the new Market Deli collection, it still will be an elevated flavor experience from the run-of-the-mill chips. So this new flavor seems to just be a continuation of that experience.

Lay's USA Wavy Greek Tzatziki

So I'm sitting here at my cousin's house, trying to finalize our next International escapade... and she pulls this bag out! I'm like "why didn't you tell me about this!!" And she thought, obviously, that because I am the mastermind behind a ridiculous chip blog, I would have already had the pleasure. BUT NO!
UM, YOU GUYS...It's "Greek Tzatziki!! In the US!! On a Wavy Chip!!

Apparently she found this bag at Costco. Costco is known to have a lot of exclusive deals with Frito-Lay, (they exclusively carry Organic Ruffles, Organic Stacey's Pita Chips, and MSG-free Doritos Supreme Cheddar) so IDK maybe they are Costco exclusives... but no matter what, I've never heard of these!

Unlike Canada's intense fail of a "Tzatziki" chip, this version.... ACTUALLY TASTES LIKE TZATZIKI! The bag smells rich of Yogurt and Garlic. mmm. Then you take a bite, and the spot on taste of Yogurt, Garlic, Cucumber, and Dill cover your palette. The thick cut wavy chip is perfect. It's hearty and tastes like you've actually taken a chip and dipped it in Tzatziki. Everything about this bag is perfect. I was so surprised!

As, I've talked about here before, I make Tzatziki all the time at home, so I know what I think it should taste like... and to me this was just very well done! Maybe a little heavy handed on the garlic if I had to nitpick... but I can't because these were just a smash.
If you have a Costco Card, I say you gotta find these. They are just soooo good. Ask your friends to get them for you, do something.
Great for fans of Sour Cream & Onion or Ranch looking for a change... or even fans of the Wavy Roasted Garlic & Sea Salt.
So... has anyone seen these anywhere other than Costco? Have you tried them? Let's discuss in the comments section below!

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Portugal Gourmet Colors and Artesanas Snacks de Milho

2 new bags from Portugal...

Lay's Gourmet colors, using naturally colored potatoes. The Gourmet line already contains one bag of just simple gorgeous salted chips. These are Awesome, I have not seen a cool bag like this from Lay's before. It probably looks fantastic poured in a bowl at a party!

Lay's Artesanas Snacks de Milho (Corn Chips). The Artesanas line exists in a few different countries, but I don't think I've seen it include Corn Chips before. This bag is flavored with Salt, Pepper, and a touch of Garlic. Sounds YUM.

So here are some new Portuguese bags for you to hunt down in your foodie adventures. Let us know in the comments if you get the pleasure of tasting these beauties. Enjoy!

Lay's Canada Kettle Cooked Tzatziki

Nope. Nope. Nope. This is not "Tzatziki". I don't know what this is, but "Tzatziki" it is not. "Tzatziki" is a refreshing yogurt dip made with Cucumber, Mint, and a bit of Garlic Salt. The flavor is meant to be light and refreshing. This bag should basically be re-labeled "SALT X 10000000". It was so salty that it was nearly inedible. It reeked of Garlic, and the flavor of Garlic competed with the Salt, giving the chip an overwhelmingly bad, off-putting, queasy, Garlic Salt flavor. There was a hint of Cucumber that came through on maybe one of every 9 chips. There was also a cheesy hint that I assume was meant to represent Yogurt but instead it sickened the Garlic Salt combo. The only bright star on this chip was the texture and cook of the Kettle Cooked Potato. As a person of middle eastern decent who eats "Tzatziki" at least a couple of times a week, this bag is an insult. It's like whoever made it didn't understand the basic flavors of the "Tzatziki" inspiration. Again, like the "Jalapeño Mac N Cheese", this bag tasted like it was part of a test batch in a lab, not ready for consumer palettes. Steer Clear of this one guys (even though it has already lost Canada's Do Us A Flavour contest... it's not worth the hunt).

Gotta Get At This: Lay's USA Kettle Cooked Lattice Cut Aged Cheddar & Black Pepper and Roasted Garlic & Sea Salt

Hey guys, gotta share before I miss the boat on these. This past March, Lay's launched Lattice Cut. Um, could these look any more delicious??? Dang. "Roasted Garlic & Sea Salt"?? Wow. Just sounds so good. I've kept my eyes peeled for these in the wild but the only one I have found so far is a personal size bag of the "Aged Cheddar & Black Pepper" (review coming soon) at a small gas station when I was 45 miles away from my house. Otherwise, these bad boys are playing hard to get in Southern California. I like seeing new things like this popping up. I can't think of anyone else doing a Lattice Cut on chips, so points to Lay's for these. Super cool, can't wait to try!!

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Netherlands We Vrrreten Ze Op Flavors

The international flavors keep coming as the World Cup approaches! The Netherlands is making the most of the situation by offering up 3 limited time flavors inspired by Australia, Spain, and Chile. First off is "Ozzie BBQ" which is described as the Unique Grilled taste from Down Under. Then Spain's "Aioli Olé" for the Garlic Aioli lovers out there. And finally, Chile's "Chilly Chili" a slightly spicy mix of Peppers and a not so slightly overdone pun. "We Vreten Ze Op" translates to "We Eat Them Up" or "We Devour Them Up" and is just a label given to the limited collection of flavors. But that Lion sure does remind me of the Simba Lion from South Africa... am I right?

Lovely... Now how can I track them down??

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Romania De Sezon Flavors 2013

Last year Lay's Romania released a delicious sounding Autumnal collection that consisted of "Ciuperci și Smăntănă/ Mushrooms and Cream" and "Friptură de Porc/ Roast Pork". This year the "de Sezon" or "Seasonal" line has returned for Fall. "Mushrooms and Cream" is back and is accompanied by "Iaurt Cu Usturoi" aka "Yogurt with Garlic". Both flavors sound delicious and definitely representative of Fall in Romania. I said it last year, and I'll say it again, I think the idea of seasonal flavors is very clever. I was surprised not to see the collection continue into other seasons, and even more surprised to see it come back again during the Fall. I definitely think there are great flavors that could represent Winter, Summer, and Spring and think this should go on year-round. But, regardless, at least yummy Fall flavors are back.

Heads up Hunters, if you are looking for these, I doubt they will be out very long, so start searching now. Because, again, it's a Seasonal collection.

So, did anyone try these last year? How does the new offering sound to you? Do you want to see Lay's try this promotion in your country? Let us know in the comments below.

Lay's USA Do Us A Flavor 2013 has a winner!!

 

Lay's USA has crowned their winner! Cheesy Garlic Bread, the brain child of Karen Weber-Mendham, has been chosen by the fans as their favored flavor. Cheesy Garlic Bread gave fans the uncanny feeling they were eating a fresh loaf of Garlic Bread and quickly became the standout flavor among the 3 competitors. 

The prize not only includes huge bragging rights, but Ms. Weber-Mendham was also the recipient of a cool 1 million dollar check. Not too shabby. Congratulations to her, and congrats to us, hopefully Cheesy Garlic Bread will remain on shelves for quite a long time.

Contest: Lay's Belgium Maak Je Smaak 2013 Semi-Finalists

Lay's Belgium has announced the 5 Semi-Finalists in their 2013 Maak Je Smaak: The Battle contest. As you may remember, Lay's Belgium's winner from last year; "Bicky Crisp", a popular local Hamburger, has gone on to join the permanent collection of crisps and a new "Make the Flavor" winner will be selected to take the title.
The 5 flavors up for selection this year are "Honey Glazed BBQ Ribs", "Cocktail Andaluz", "Mexican Chilli and Cheddar", "Cream Cheese Garlic and Herbs", and "New York Hotdog".
So what do you guys think? Are any of these worthy successors to "Bicky Crisp"? And does Belgium even need a "Honey Glazed BBQ Ribs" flavor when they already have "Barbecue"? Or is that one a throw away? What do you think a "New York Hotdog" chip tastes like? Cuz it sounds DELICIOUS.
AND...Most importantly... what on earth is a Cocktail Andaluz?? Is it a drink? I need to know!

I don't know if these are available for purchase or are just up for a vote, so keep your eyes peeled for info. But the winning bag will definitely be available eventually to hunt down.

UPDATE: These were just up for a vote, 2 Finalists will be produced and released in stores in Early October.

Lay's USA Cheesy Garlic Bread

Just tried my 2nd bag from the Lay's Do Us A Flavor Finalists... Cheesy Garlic bread. This bag is a TRIP! It tastes spot on like Cheesy Garlic Bread! The potato in this bag seemed to be a bit better quality than the chips in the Chicken and Waffle bag. They aren't as thin and flakey... they're a bit thicker and that gives a tastier texture. The chips practically glow from the yellow seasoning applied to them. It's a little lighter in color than Cheddar seasoning normally is... so the chips just appear tastier when you look in the bag. The smell from the open bag is like those Garlic Breads you buy at the end of the aisle at the supermarket. So yummy. The seasoning itself is in the creamy/cheesy family, like Cheddar or Sour Cream & Onion, but the Garlic gives it a VERY unique kick.
Imagine a split sliced loaf of bread, with thick creamy Garlic butter, and covered in melted luscious cheese... now let that bread sit out until it reaches room temperature... THAT is the taste of this bag. I think everyone will enjoy these, they are just so good. Even non chip fans will go nuts, everyone I shared this with just kept saying things like "No way!" "This is crazy!" and "I want more!"
I think this bag was executed pretty well. I still haven't decided which bag will get my vote however.

Did you guys try Cheesy Garlic Bread yet? What did you think? Let us know in the comments section below!

Lay's Do Us A Flavor Contest Finalists Revealed!

THEY'RE HERE!!
Finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Lay's USA Do Us A Flavor Finalists have finally been revealed and they are BASICALLY the best 3 flavors I've ever heard of.

Drumroll please...

Cheesy Garlic Bread

Chicken & Waffles

 

Sriracha

Wow. I am just So impressed with these finalists. For awhile, reading all the potential contenders online like "Beer Battered Onion Rings" I thought this contest was going to be a let down, but seeing who was ultimately chosen has now gotten me excited. These are flavors that I think reflect uniquely American tastes (yes, I know Sriracha is Thai, but it is beloved here in the states on every type of food). 

Firstly, we've got "Cheesy Garlic Bread", one of my all time favorite foods. Rich, decadent, garlic-y, buttery, cheesy, bread... mmmm. To me, its the ultimate comfort food; just fat and carbs. It's as authentically Italian as The Olive Garden, but lord knows, when I order Italian take-out food, I'm getting Garlic Bread lol. I don't know how it will play on chips though. I've said it before, the chips here in the States lack a lot of potato flavor, and are great for emulating bread. So I could see this chip tasting more like a garlic and cheddar flavored chip... with a cheesy flavor like we already get on cheddar chips and the addition of garlic, with the chip playing the place of bread. But that's my speculation.

Then there is "Chicken & Waffles"; "Chicken & Waffles" are an American soul-food classic. Hot, fresh, waffles, covered in syrup, served with crispy, spiced, crunchy, Fried Chicken...yummmmmm. These are a novelty here in Los Angeles, but across the Southern states these are a staple. I imagine again, that the chip will play the part of the waffle in this bag... then all they need to do is hit it with some chicken flavor and something sweet. This has the potential to be insanely good. I love the combo of sweet and savory. Can't wait to try it!

Lastly, there is "Sriracha". Everyone I know has a bottle of this in their house. Period. Sriracha is a Thai hot-sauce made of chili paste, garlic paste, sugar, and salt. Although it was originally made in Thailand to spice up seafood dishes, here in California it can be found in Asian restaurants, Mexican restaurants, and anything in between. We usually use the "Tương Ớt Sriracha" brand with the rooster on the front and the green lid. That's not necessarily a brand we need to see alongside it though, like "Heinz" Ketchup,... knowing  the flavor is "Sriracha" is enough to stir up memories of hot, spicy, tangy, deliciousness. I can imagine this one will have the most authentic flavor, because it's just a seasoning that needs to be applied to the chips, but we'll have to see.

I can't wait to start the hunt for these, and then hoard my favorite flavor in case it doesn't win lol.

So far so good America! Happy Hunger Games!

IM SO EXCITED, YOU DONT EVEN KNOW!! o_0

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Netherlands and Lay's Belgium Harvest

Here's a fascinating new line of Lay's coming out of the Netherlands... Lay's Harvest. The new line features thick sliced potatoes, seasoned only with dried or roasted seasonings. The aim is for chips with pure and natural tastes. The line begins with two flavors; "Garlic & Sea Salt" which is described as pan-roasted Garlic and a sprinkle of sea salt, and "Green Herbs" which is described as freshly dried herbs. The line has been available exclusively at "Albert Heijn" groceries in the Netherlands since the 12th of this month. This line sounds really unique. I'm not a fan of over-seasoned chips, so this Harvest line is probably YUM!
So, check it out, if you or a friend are trying these in Holland, let us know! Happy Hunting!

Update 1/9/13: This line is also available in Belgium. I'm not sure when these were released in Belgium but both countries are promoting these as new, so they probably became available around the same time. The same flavors are available. Now there is one more country you can find these in! Yay!

Lay's Romania Autumn Contest

Lay's Romania is sending 2 Boxes of their new Autumn flavors to the winner who guesses the 2 new flavors via their Facebook contest. The contest closed yesterday, but I think we can take a fair guess at what Romania will be launching soon. Looks to me like Creamy Forrest Mushroom and Garlic Pork Tenderloin. Maybe? We should know in a few days.

Gotta Get At This: Lay's Netherlands Maak De Smaak Contest Finalists

Oops! I almost forgot to share this! It's almost the end of August, but anyone who was interested in the Maak De Smaak Contest in the Netherlands may have already seen this. If not, here are the 3 finalists... Aioli e Aglio (Garlic Aioli), Whiskey Cocktail, and Spicy Reggae Chicken! All 3 of these sound PHENOMENAL! Whiskey Cocktail?? Is that even real? Jeez! I would devour all of these hahaha.

All 3 flavors are available now in stores in the Netherlands. Voters will choose the best and it will become the winner of some shelf space until next year's contest!

PS Did I mention, I want these!

PSS here is a hilarious commercial, enjoy!