Dean Street Taco Chips – Multigrain
With a product name like Taco chips, you better believe you’ll catch my attention. You also better be prepared to deliver on some promises, lest there be disappointment. Tacos are a word that carry a lot of weight, and aren’t something that should be uttered lightly.
My initial thought when seeing these was that I would be in for a nice, thick chip. I’m not sure why I would assume that, given that basically any hard shell taco I’ve ever had ends up cracking or collapsing under the weight of the fillings. I don’t count the ones that are technically multiple layers. I’m still on the prowl for a hard shell taco that doesn’t crumble after one bite. Maybe I’m asking too much, and it’s simply not within the laws of physics to find something like that. But a man can dream right? A famous person said something about not settling. Something something, once we settle, something something, death. Or so it goes.
Taste wise, these are pretty par for the course as far as multigrain chips go. They have a certain kind of seedy, almost musty taste to them. If you like multigrain or whole wheat food stuffs like me, it’s great, but otherwise I can see how people would not be down for this. It has a earthy aftertaste that people would recognize if they’ve ever had a loaf of whole grain or whole wheat. It has a distinct, fiber smell, if that makes any sense.
Texture is definitely like a taco. Not the soft shell tacos of course, but the hard shell ones you get when you’re feeling adventurous and are able to eat them right away, before they get soggy. While the brand claims that their chips are thicker, among all the other purported health benefits over competitors, I don’t find these chips to be any thicker or crunchier. In fact, I found them a bit thinner than some of the other tortilla chips I’ve reviewed previously. In terms of actual crunch, it’s not quite as good as some of the other chips that are priced similarly, and found in the same snack aisle. I can’t speak to the healthiness of these chips versus other brands, but that’s because those things are sort of secondary for me. I’m all about texture and these ones while nice, aren’t up to snuff to some of the other chips I’ve had.
Call me a maverick, or a weirdo (preferably the former), but I tend to eat my tortilla chips without dip. I enjoy chips and salsa or guac as much as the next person, but never enough that I would go out of my way to make or even buy it for myself. Most of the tortilla chips I’ve had tend to fall into the “would be nice with, but don’t need dip” category. This one would definitely fall into the category of goes with dip, but more so that it’s mandatory rather than enhanced by. These are fairly bland on their own, so having any sort of dip or accompaniment would be good.
These aren’t bad, but they just don’t have that same hearty crunch that I’m always on the lookout for. I can’t even use the excuse of these being healthier, since I’ve reviewed other similar priced snacks that are positioned the same that do it way better (pun intended).
