I can’t help but think about G.I. Joe and yell “COBRA!” whenever I look at the Takis Cobra design. The serpent’s red color really drives that thought into my head. But unlike Cobra’s attempts at world domination, these Takis Cobra Tortilla Chips don’t fail.
The reddish rolled tortilla chips are Worcestershire sauce flavored and have a medium level of heat, according to Takis’ heat thermometer. The sauce is not listed as an ingredient, but whatever natural and artificial flavors are used, they hit all the right notes in the dark sauce. There’s a pepperiness and vinegary tanginess with a hint of garlic and citrus. All of that creates a seasoning that’s gosh darn tasty and recognizable as the famous sauce I can never spell correctly off the top of my head.
The heat doesn’t come until a few moments later, and I agree with the thermometer that it’s a medium heat in the Takis universe. Cobra is definitely spicy but pales in comparison with Fuego or Blue Heat, which I need to take a break from with a cool liquid when eating them. As someone who likes to make a quick dipping sauce with Worcestershire and ketchup when my local McDonald’s forgets to include the Hot Mustard sauce I ordered with my McNuggets, I very much enjoy the flavor of these Takis. In fact, these make me disappointed that there has never been a Worcestershire potato chip in the US.
While Takis Cobra is as new as new can be, Kaboom has been out for a bit. It made its debut in Canada and it’s interesting to note that the Canadian version is ketchup and sriracha flavored, while this US version is described as “sweet and spicy sriracha flavored.” However, these rolled tortilla chips taste more like spicy ketchup than sriracha to me because of the wonderful vinegary tang, tomatoey punch, and noticeable sweetness these have. But that doesn’t bother me one bit because I am all for having more ketchup-seasoned chips in the US. Why does Canada get to have all vinegary and tomatoey fun?
Kaboom’s heat is also in the medium range, but I found them to be slightly spicier than Cobra. But it’s not hot enough to take away from its great flavor.
If I had to pick between the two, I would prefer Kaboom over Cobra because its ketchup taste tickles my taste buds more. Sadly, the former is a limited edition offering, while the latter seems to be a permanent addition. But I hope Takis brings back Kaboom every year for the summer season.
DISCLOSURE: I received a free product samples from Takis. Doing so did not influence my review.
Purchased Price: Received free samples
Size: 9.9 oz bags
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Cobra), 9 out of 10 (Kaboom)
Nutrition Facts: (1 oz/about 12 pieces) Cobra – 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 190 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein. Kaboom – 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.
