Scallop with White Cream Sauce Lay’s
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This interesting flavor combination is marketed in Thailand, and the product description notes that this is meant to be a “luxurious snack experience” that will add a “gourmet touch” to your next snack break. The decadent flavor of scallops — butter and garlic with a hint of ocean saltiness — isn’t entirely uncommon in markets like Thailand and Taiwan, though this variant, made unique by the inclusion of the creamy white sauce, is marked as Limited Time Only.
Reviews note that, unlike other seafood-flavored chips from the region, these don’t overwhelm with a “fishy” odor when opening the bag. Depending on your palette that is either a feature or a bug.
Italian Red Meat Lay’s
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Many believe the old legend that Italian pasta has its origins in China, coming along trade routes hundreds of years ago. While most modern historians dispute this, that doesn’t mean that there hasn’t been any kind of cultural exchange between these two countries.
Look no further than this Chinese offering from Lay’s, called Italian Red Meat, which appears at first glance to be a strange translation of Bolognese Sauce. But we won’t hold that against them.
The chips themselves have a light orange hue. Unfortunately, many reviews fail to find a connection between the flavor in the bag and what you’d find in your Nonna’s kitchen.
Pigs in a Blanket Pringles
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When Americans think of Pigs in a Blanket they typically picture a small sausage wrapped in a croissant or even a pancake. In the UK though, the metaphorical blanket is bacon wrapped around a sausage — a staple British Christmas dinner treat.
These limited edition Pringles were available across the Atlantic in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe around the holiday season, and though they don’t appear to be heavily seasoned, reviews detail that they have a familiar and pleasant savory sausage flavor with a hint of bacon. It does exactly what it says on the tin, as they say.
7 Spiced Crispy Squid
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There is a vast assortment of seafood-inspired Lay’s flavors available in Taiwan, many of which use squid as the base. Though that may seem out of the ordinary for the American shopper, remember that here in the States we’ve seen limited releases of chips flavored like a BLT and a Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. Judge not, snack eaters, lest ye be judged.
This particular flavor, the 7 Spiced Crispy Squid, claims to use real squid and taste something like overly processed, highly salted fried calamari. Reviewers note that there is a fishy smell, but that does not overwhelm the squid flavor.
Cinnamon Bun
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Typically when we think of a potato chip we tend to conjure up savory or cheesy combinations. BBQ, sour cream and onion, salt, and vinegar. This interesting flavor — Cinnamon Bun, from Canada — is your rare sweet chip.
As part of Lay’s “Do Us a Flavor” contest in Canada, many reviews note that the chip flavor is more reminiscent of a churro than anything you’d find at a Cinnabon. The chip itself is lightly dusted with cinnamon and sugar and has the vague taste of butter as well. Sounds intriguing, though it must not have wowed consumers as it was only available for a limited time.
Jamon Iberico Torres
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Torres chips are a nice, quality snack made in Spain. They have some interesting, elevated flavors, the most interesting of which is the Jamon Iberico. Meant to remind the would-be snacker of Iberian Ham with its distinctive cured, salty flavor, the major issue with these is that they might have done too good a job. When your brain acknowledges you are eating a chip, but your tastebuds tell you that you are eating prosciutto, you end up in some kind of Flavortown Uncanny Valley. The chips are not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but might not be for everyone.
Fries ‘N Gravy
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Lay’s Fries N’ Gravy chips are their take on a Canadian institution and it is no surprise that they are a big hit there. The entire concept is a no-brainer, adapting the french fry dipped into gravy into a potato chip with gravy flavor.
Reviews are mostly positive, and people note that the gravy flavor is pronounced, with heavy notes of onion. It should come as no surprise that the geniuses at Lay’s also took the logical next step and developed a formula that contains a cheese curd element to fully upgrade this flavor to Poutine. What will those wizards come up with next?
Garlic Baguette Sun Chips
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This Korean variation of the traditional Sun Chip, flavored like a garlic baguette, is unique. The flavor goes well with the grainy texture of the Sun Chip, but what makes these unique is the way that they have interpreted the butter element into the flavor. The garlic is certainly present, and it is the most prominent scent coming from a freshly opened bag, but to represent the rich, decadent butter flavor you’d find in a garlic baguette they managed to make these chips taste overly sweet. These taste more like a dessert treat than a savory snack. Still, an interesting if uncommon flavor.
Wasabi and Beef Doritos
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Here’s an interesting one from Japan — Dorito’s Royal Rich Taste Tortilla Chips. Frito-Lay has released other wasabi-inspired chips in many markets (including in the United States for a limited time), but this particular Dorito seems positioned as a premium snack experience, with that additional beef element added to set it apart. Reviewers note that the experience is good but slightly underwhelming. The wasabi is present with its unique nasally, mustardy spiciness, but there is very little beef flavor to speak of. A shame, too, as other Japanese snack manufacturers have nailed the flavor combination for some time. Maybe next time, Frito-Lay Japan.
Red Caviar Lays
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Dipping a standard potato chip in caviar isn’t the worst idea in the world. Even Food & Wine has gone over their favorite Lay’s pairings with the upscale, briny snack. It comes as no surprise that someone at Lay’s attempted to cut out the middleman. Enter Red Caviar Lays, available in places like Russia and Kazakhstan.
Reviewers note that the chip is as salty and oceany as one would expect, and the flavor isn’t offensive in any way. The most common critique we’ve seen is the chip lacks the textural experience that real caviar offers, and some snackers might once again end up in the food uncanny valley. Still, for a caviar fan, it might be worth trying once.
