Hardbite – Wasabi Ranch With Avocado Oil
Maybe my mental acuity has taken a gentle downward slope into oblivion, but I’m only now realizing just how big kettle chips are in Canada. I say this because we have a number of brands that specialize in kettle chips, and this is something that benefits me greatly. Well, my palate loves it but my hips do not. I figure if I’m going to eat something unhealthy, it has to be worth it. Kettle chips in general are one of my top choices for empty calories, and as of writing this, Hardbite is probably in the lead for my favourite Canadian kettle chip maker. I’ve mentioned before that their avocado oil line of chips is top notch, and a premium I’m willing to pay for, but I liked it so much I couldn’t help but splurge on some of the other flavours.
Wasabi as a flavour is always an interesting choice – it’s basically horseradish so it’s got a good kick and spicy feel to it, but it doesn’t leave a lingering burning sensation like actual peppers with capsaicin. All this is to say that the pain is temporary (if it comes to that), and it passes fairly quickly, leaving behind little after taste and leaving the door open for more. Or in other words – it’s easy to keep eating without having the bottleneck of heat build up causing pause and subsequent burning. Ranch is, well ranch. It’s one of those flavours I feel like I kind of grew out of, but I’m hoping that it won’t be too overpowering. Based on how Hardbite has treated me in the past, that seems likely, since they aren’t usually super overpowering in flavour and strike just the right balance.
Maybe it’s the avocado oil, but for whatever reason these remind me of eating actual french fries. Besides the obvious difference that this tastes like wasabi and a hint of the savoury ranch flavour. Maybe it’s the oil, or maybe it’s the potatoes themselves, but these taste of a nice oily french fry, without all the obvious grease. While the wasabi is obviously not going to compare to something more fresh, the flavour still packs a decent punch and is enough to clear the sinuses without causing any tears. At least I didn’t. Not that there’s anything wrong with that sort of thing. And I’m the kind of person who doesn’t handle strong flavours well in general. Especially those of the spicy or nostril cleaning type. The wasabi takes the lead on this one, and the ranch helps more to give the chips a savoury taste, so that it’s not just plain old wasabi that clears the nasal cavity and then leaves you with a plain chip. The combination works surprisingly well.
The texture is amazing as always – it’s everything you want in a quality kettle cooked chip. It’s not cooked into oblivion so that it’s super crunchy but lacks flavour, but also not under-cooked so that it doesn’t have that nice, thick distinct crunch that kettle chips are beloved for.
These are what I consider higher end, both because Hardbite’s standard flavours are more expensive per gram, but also this specific line has less in each bag but costs more. I personally think it’s well worth the premium, but I’m also someone whose more about quality over quantity. If you intend on buying these to share, you may want to get an extra bag, or get a decoy chip bag for the party and sneak a few of these when no one else is looking. They’re that good.
