Along with the condiment duo, Doritos seemed to conjure up a nostalgic, all-American summer of burgers and hot dogs served at baseball diamonds and backyard barbecues. But there’s also a global influence at play – the mustard flavor was inspired by hot Chinese style, according to the brand, and the ketchup-flavoured crisps are a best-seller in Canada and loved in the UK.
So how do the new styles compare to the classics? All three undeniably and strongly taste their inspirations, so our hats off to the flavor makers at Doritos Laboratories for nailing them with such precision. The red-hued version captured the sweet-edged tomato paste quality of President Donald Trump’s favorite so-called missile of anger, as well as that familiar balancing, salty flavor. A colleague who is an avowed fan of ketchup-flavored chips (so much so that he imports them from across the pond) has dubbed them a favorite in the United States.
Eating a handful of mustard crisps immediately reminded me of dipping fried wontons in spicy mustard in the Chinese restaurants of my youth, with a similar sinus clearing effect – to be fair, they’re nicknamed ” Spicy Mustard”, so you should consider yourself savvy on that front. The tamarind tortillas also offered an intense and concentrated reflection of their namesake. With this flavor, in addition to a fruity sweetness, there is a strong acid note, similar to that of citrus fruits (again, Doritos is telling the truth in the advertising by labeling them “Tangy Tamarind”) which recalls the profile asserted of Tostitos’ misnomer “Hint of Lime”. “It’s the Sour Patch Kids of potato chips,” a wrinkled co-worker said.
And if you love the experience of Doritos dust accumulating on your fingers (apparently people do – the residue was a signature quality that Taco Bell deliberately incorporated into its Dorito shells), then Tamarind Chips have you covered. a brick red alternative coating for your chip shovel figures.
My opinion ? As faithful as the recreations are, I would place the three new Doritos in the category of interesting but not addictive. They remind me that there’s a reason ketchup and mustard — and tamarind chutney, for that matter — are condiments and not main dishes. This is the snack-world version of Jennifer Coolidge – delightful as a character actress, but do I want to watch her for two hours in a starring role? Uh, probably not.
At the end of the day (certainly not the end of the bag; I’m not getting that far), these are the chips that I admire most for the feat of capturing flavors that, it turns out, I think are best enjoyed in small amounts.
