When it comes to indiscriminate junk food munching, we are ready to replace Chester Cheetah with a red, sweatband-wearing octopus.
That's right, we're saying ta-ta for Frito-Lay's Cheetos' longtime mascot, subbing him out for snackage, which is even more addictive.
We currently can't get enough of Calbee's Takoyaki Balls, a crispy and airy corn-based snack which mimics the sweet and savory taste of Takoyaki, a street food sold in Japan.
Think of Takoyaki as a deep-fried corn dog. Only, instead of using a battered sausage, switch it up with a ball-shaped portion of octopus.
Yeah, we know what you're thinking. Calbee's Takoyaki Balls do not contain even a sliver of octopus. However, they do have a Worcestershire-type of seasoning which makes these melt-in-your corn snacks a meaty taste.
This got us thinking Asian snacks, like the Japanese-produced Calbee's, are a heckuva lot more interesting than their American counterparts.
That's why Weekender taste testers ventured over to Hong Kong Food Market, 501 West Seventh St., not only to stock up on Takoyaki Balls, but to see what other weird chips we could find.
Suffice it to say, we were not disappointed.
SHRIMP CRACKERS WITH A BRAWNY PRAWN-Y BITE
The Seoul, Korea-based Nongshim is justifiably famous for its never-ending variety of ramen soups. But the company's portfolio of chips and crackers are just as yummy.
Nongshim's Hot & Spicy Shrimp Crackers are among their most popular items.
Boasting a cartoon shrimp on its bag, these French Fries-shaped crackers are sweat-inducing spicy. Unlike Calbee's Takoyaki Balls, these bad boys actually do contain a small amount of ground-up shrimp to give it a seafood-y mouth feel.
This level of authenticity really adds to the overall appeal of these snacks.
If our beloved Takiyaki Balls earn an A, we'll give Nongshim's Shrimp Crackers a solid A-.
A BBQ CHIP THAT TASTES LIKE GRILLED MEAT
Any fan of Thai cuisine is probably familiar with Mala flavoring. That is the spicy and mouth-numbing seasoning which gives Thai food its massive taste.
Yes, it is this Sichuan peppercorn chili pepper-infused space that gives Thai food its crazy kick-in-the-seat taste.
Mala seasoning was also the inspiration for Lay's Mala Barbecue Flavored Chips.
All BBQ chips are the same, right? Wrong-o, my friends. Not only is this Thai-manufactured chip spicier than American BBQ chips, it also has a wonderful just-off-the-grill taste.
While we can't eat an entire bag of Lay's Mala Barbecue Chips, they were delicious and worthy of a grade of B+.
THE INCREDIBLE, EDIBLE EGG
OK, we admit not knowing what to expect when we saw a bag of Thai-made Salted Egg Flavored Lays Potato Chips at Honk Kong Market.
In fact, we were so confused at what salted eggs were supposed to taste like that we Googled it.
Apparently, eggs are highly prized in Asian cuisine since they are supposed to bring luck.
Well, the Salted Egg flavor in our bag of crispy Lay's gave off a creamy, almost-Parmesan-like flavor.
This subtle, creamy flavor made these potato chips taste much richer than their western counterparts.
While we were a bit leery, the Lay's Slated Egg Flavor Chips were a winner, coming in at a B+ with Weekender taste testers.
May 07, 2021 at 12:06AM
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Asian chips come in shrimp, octopus and, even, salted egg flavors - Sioux City Journal
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