Lay's Do Us A Flavor

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The last go-around, I wasn't able to try all of the chips.  This time, I got one of each.  Overall, I am really impressed that the flavors were able to be quite spot-on with rare exception.  My mouth never quite knows what is going on when a food tastes like one thing but is on a vessel for something else.  Anyway, here are my first impressions.

1.  Greektown Gyro

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This one really surprised me, in a very good way.  My first thought was that the chips smelled like a gyro.  Unfortunately I have been misled by scents before (like the bottled PB&J soda that smelled like strawberry jelly but tasted like plastic), so my expectations were not that high.  Then, I took chip, and could taste everything:  meat, cucumber & onion, tzatziki... and it was awesome!  I didn't think the other flavors would be as good or as close to the real thing.  Boy, was I in for an experience.

2.   Southern Biscuits and Gravy

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Upon opening the bag, I was hit with the overpowering smell of clam chowder.  I kept an open mind, and ate the first chip.  OH MY GOD!  It tasted EXACTLY like the gravy.  Who knew such an iconic breakfast item could be transferred to a chip?!  The sausage gravy is very similar to the one my mom makes.  If you're a biscuits and gravy person, definitely try these.

3.  West Coast Truffle Fries

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These chips smell like blue cheese, and we all know how much I despise it.  That being said, I love truffle fries (even though, yes, truffle is becoming highly overrated) so I pushed on.  The main flavors I could taste were parmesan and truffle.  The are also coated with what I assume is parsley, which I guess fancies it up a bit.  Overall, they were good, but not as good as those mentioned above (in my opinion).   
 
4.  New York Reuben Sandwich

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I was sorely disappointed with the Reuben.  After opening the bag, I noticed that the chips smelled like one, and the corned beef really came through.  It took quite a few chips for me to detect any sort of Reuben flavor.  The flavor reminded me of a variation on bbq.  I wish that the sauerkraut had been more detectable, and the dressing was hardly there.  Those smells can be so deceiving.

 Overall Impressions

My top two are the gyro and biscuits & gravy.  It is really difficult to say which I prefer since they both have wonderful qualities.  The gyro tastes like a gyro and reminds me of trips out to Vegas.  We always stop at The Mad Greek either coming or going.  The biscuits and gravy have a homey feel to them, and remind me of my mom's cooking.  Truffle fries were good, but very mainstream.  The Reuben unfortunately, for me, missed the mark as it didn't remotely resemble the sandwich in terms of flavor.  If you're an adventurous eater or love any of the foods these are modeled after, give them a try.  I am already thinking of other ways to incorporate these chips in other dishes.

Have you tried them?  If so, what was your favorite, and if not, which are you most interested in trying?