El Sabroso Salsitas
Tortilla and corn chips have always spoken to me more than potato chips. This is largely due to my preference for the corn chip texture. That isn’t to say I don’t enjoy potato chips, as my past reviews will reveal how I adore them. It’s just that if most things being equal, I tend to gravitate towards the corn chips more. For me, there are two distinct categories within corn chips – chips that are plain and made for dipping and those that are made to be eaten on their own straight out of the bag. I like both styles, but tend to prefer flavoured corn chips because it generally is less messy and hassle than grabbing a bag of tortilla chips and a jar of salsa and going through the motion of dipping and trying not to make a mess everywhere. The worst is when you overextend and your chip snaps in half in the dip, and you have to find a way to fish it out. I’m just too lazy for that mess.
It’s why today’s product piqued my interest. They probably aren’t the first snack to combine the flavour of salsa and tortilla chips, but something about the packaging spoke to me. The shape of the chips reminds me of those rounds I used to love as a kid, and the tagline of being flavoured with tomatoes and avocados sold me. I’ve never tried this brand, and all I know is it’s made by a company called Snak King based in California. I assume they have to be at least decent given that the El Sabroso brand been around since 1978.
As you might expect, there is a strong aroma of salsa. It has that unmistakable tomato smell along with the aroma of chilies, onions and a hint of garlic. I’d say that unlike an actual salsa, the smell of onion and garlic is actually coming through stronger. I imagine it would be something similar if you were to spill salsa on a surface and let it dry. Not that I would ever do that (I’m not a monster), I’m just flexing that imagination.
These are fairly standard sizes, and are what you’d expect from the classic rounds. I’d say it’s big enough that for most people it would be more comfortable to finish it in two bites instead of trying to fit an entire round in your mouth in one go. They have a very generous coating on them, and have a very rich salsa-like colour to them. As if someone took a jar of salsa and poured it all over a floor full of tortilla rounds and let it dry out. Again, I would never do that (I’m not a monster), but I have a vivid imagination.
Upon closer inspection, it seems as though some of the flavour is cooked into the chip itself. I see small green flecks which I imagine are cilantro or maybe even onion, but they seem to be a part of the chip itself, not just the coating. This may not seem like a big deal, and maybe it’s not for most people, but for me it mean s that the flavour is likely to be more consistent, since it isn’t all in the coating, which isn’t always evenly distributed on the chips.
I guess it doesn’t make much difference in this case, since they do a pretty good job of keeping a generous coating on each chip, both sides looking equal in terms of flavour distribution.
I feel the need to clarify that there is indeed a difference between mild salsa and non-spicy ones. Mild just means they don’t have too much spice, which is probably just toning down on the chili and jalapeno flavour/powder. They are clear to note that this is still mildly spicy, and I can appreciate that. Some people can’t handle any spicy at all. Not me. I’m a big boy and I can handle my spice.
I’ll start with the texture first. There’s not much to say in terms of how it holds up against your typical tortilla rounds. That isn’t to say it’s not good, just that it meets the expected quality of a dip-able round tortilla chip. It’s just kind of expected at this point, that it doesn’t crumble to pieces when you pick it up. It feels sturdy enough that it could bear the weight of a decent chunk of dip or salsa, were you to decide to do so. It’s got the satisfying crunch of a tortilla chip, and I believe holds up to the dip test.
In terms of how it tastes, it is very generously coated with the salsa flavour. The flavour is exactly what you would expect from a mild salsa – it’s got that unmistakable tomato flavour with the onion and garlic in the background. The spice from the chilies and jalapeno comes through pretty quickly after, and it has a decent heat to it. They are a tad on the salty side, but I attribute this to how much salsa flavouring is on it. The heat also builds pretty quickly but never to a level that’s enough to stop me from stuffing my face. I guess the only disappointing thing is I don’t get a hint of avocado at any point. To be fair though, avocados are more of a textural thing than a flavour thing, since they tend to have a very bland taste anyways.
The bag recommends pairing these things up with a cheese dip or queso, but I’m not sure these need anything. I guess a thick, mild cheese might help to even out the strong flavour of the chip, but all in all I think these are great on their own, assuming you have something to drink, as they do get a little salty after a few. Despite that, I found these to be very addictive, and I would absolutely get these again.
