True fact: Not everyone likes guacamole.
Even if you like the flavours, the texture is tricky. It can be slimy or rich, creamy or mushy. It’s a mouth perception thing, and no amount of garlic or lime will distract enough from the texture if you really don’t like the way it feels in your mouth.
I’m not a big fan of guac, largely because of the texture. I don’t have a hate-on for avocados, but the way they feel in my mouth just doesn’t work for me. (Avocado toast? You can keep it, bougie millennials.) But that doesn’t mean I don’t love most of the flavours of a good guacamole. In fact, I’ll suffer through the texture for the sake of the taste if the guac is good enough.
Given that corn tortilla chips are the natural choice for dipping in guacamole, it only makes sense to try to douse corn chips – which, thanks to Doritos, are regularly coated in zesty cheese or cool ranch mix – in guacamole seasoning. And this is exactly what Snak King has done with their El Sabroso Guacachip. “The dip’s in the chip!” the packaging proclaims, which sounds both efficient and delicious.
So what does it taste like?
The chips are crunchy, but break apart easily without angrily stabbing the inside of my mouth. The corn base is decent, with a wave of garlic and onion taking over after a few chews. There’s cheddar cheese in the seasoning, as well as sour cream and buttermilk – these all add a savoury angle that shores up the potent onion and garlic. While avocado powder is present, it’s halfway down the ingredients list. You can taste some avocado, but it’s not overwhelming. There’s also some sourness, but no lime flavour.
All of which leads to a curious conclusion. As yummy corn chips, these are a success. They’re flavourful and easy to love, and I could see these making some solid nachos, especially if served with a sweeter fruit salsa. But as something that’s supposed to replicate guacamole, they’re not quite on the mark.
The Details
Price: $4.99 for a 340-gram bag at Safeway.
Value for Money: Excellent. They taste great, they’re cheap and there’s enough in one bag to feed a hella lot of people.
Availability: Not as widespread as, say, Doritos. Check grocery stores. They’re not always with the other chips, either. You may need to do some digging on aisle-end displays.
Nutrition: 140 calories per 14 chips (28 grams).
Verdict: These are great, especially if you’re not normally a fan of guac. But you’ll want to brush them teeth before kissing anyone.