Review: Lay’s Crispy Taco

It’s that time of year again: Lay’s Do Us A Flavor has whittled down to their final three. This year’s finalists include Fried Green Tomato, Crispy Taco, and the Everything Bagel. Unlike previous years, there was one finalist that definitely caught my attention. A crispy taco flavored chip? I could be into that. Previous finalists left me in both shock and amazement while walking down the aisle at the grocery store. Flavors such as Bacon Mac & Cheese, Cappuccino, Biscuits & Gravy, or Bacon Poutine have made me mostly shake my head while walking away (not before taking a pic for evidence). But this year is different. I feel like I have a dog in this race.

To be honest, I was a little late to the party. I don’t routinely check for new potato chip flavors hitting the pipeline. Secondly, the flavors being offered in previous years didn’t sound too appealing. (Let me know if there are some that I should check out.) This year’s Do Us A Flavor contest has been taking submissions and selecting finalists since January and announced these three finalists in early July. When I heard that Lay’s had a crispy taco flavored chip, I thought two things: “I like chips” and “I like tacos.” What could possibly go wrong?

Today I happened to be in the grocery store. I also happened to be in the market for a snack, so I picked some up to see what these chips are all about. On first bite it was really nothing special. And for a moment, I was a bit disappointed. The bag smelled like taco seasoning, but I couldn’t really taste taco. Taco flavored Lay’s could have been so special. So special. I closed the bag and went about my day. However, I am not one to waste food and I still had a full bag of chips, so I did what any reasonable person would do in this situation – I kept eating. I am really glad I did.

Although a single chip doesn’t burst with flavor, after a handful or two it all starts to come together. All of the flavors start to blend and it really does taste like a crispy taco. The lettuce, cheese, beef, and crispy tortilla all dancing on my tongue. Don’t get me wrong, these chips don’t taste like the most amazing tacos ever. The flavor is more along the lines of a late night run Taco Bell. But, if you can’t get to Taco Bell, your local taqueria or taco truck, this may be the next best thing to having an actual taco.

I was really impressed with how each of the flavors are distinct and how well balanced it was. Much like an actual taco, each part separately could get mixed reviews, but when it all comes together, that’s when you have something special. I highly encourage everyone check these out before they are gone.

If you would like to vote for the Crispy Taco Lay’s click here: www.dousaflavor.com/ Voting ends October 8, 2017.