REVIEW: Ruffles Korean-Style Sweet & Spicy Chili Potato Chips

Vin 4 Comments

I’m not an envious person by nature. I don’t “yearn” for much. I try my best to be satisfied with what I have… but that all changes whenever I see the chip flavors they get over in Asia.

Before my Impulsive Buy days, I wanted to start a blog called, “Lay’s for Days,” where I’d seek out and try every crazy chip flavor from around the globe. In my delusional brain, I’d start by dropping a small fortune eBaying crazy flavors, and I’d get so popular that people would willingly send me bags to try.

Once I realized I no write no good and couldn’t even figure out Blogspot, the short-lived dream died.

Thankfully, the Frito-Lay corporation has slowly let some interesting flavors trickle out over the years, and it’s not impossible to find international releases if you know where to look.

Enter Korean-Style Sweet & Spicy Chili Ruffles, a chip with all the hallmarks I’ve been looking for. Asian-inspired flavors? Check. A super long, intriguing name? Check. RRRidges? Check! These have to be good, right?

Right. They’re pretty damn good.

Sweet chili is elite. It never fails. It should be a standard flavor across all snacks. If you like sweet chili, these are for you.

These have a heat level I’d put a tick below “Flamin’ Hot.” Props to them for ignoring the siren call and not slapping those two words on this bag like Frito-Lay seemingly does with everything else. Like an annoying guy describing Vegas, it’s a “dry heat” and tolerable, leaving a slight afterburn on the back of the tongue.

As I was eating and enjoying myself, I started to get nervous because I didn’t really know how to articulate the flavor. I don’t think my initial thought of, “This tastes like Asian food,” would’ve been kosher, literally or figuratively. I can’t condense an entire continent into one chip, but I sometimes have difficulty distinguishing international flavor.

These instantly tasted more Chinese-inspired. I’ve had more Chinese food than Korean food in my life, so maybe that played a role, but the spice profile just reminded me of a vague Chow Mein-style sauce you’d get slathered on some protein and vegetables. As I chomped on, I started to convince myself I might be tasting some kimchi and settled on what they ultimately reminded me of – Korean BBQ. Yeah, wow, very descriptive, huh? I actually thought of Korean Chicken Tacos more than anything.

The ingredient list is basically all the usual suspect spices you get in a chip like this with nothing distinct standing out. That, mixed with the pronounced chili flavor and “dryness,” just made me think of Asian-inspired BBQ chicken.

Either way, these are pretty complex and taste really good. The sweetness is there, but it’s not distinguishable from anything beyond, I guess, a pinch of brown sugar?

I won’t say these are as good as purple bag Doritos or the G.O.A.T. Sour Cream and Cheddar Ruffles, but they’re not far behind either. Grab ’em if you see ’em. Hopefully, you find a sale because I might as well have eBay’d these at the price I paid.

Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: 8 oz
Purchased at: Acme
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (About 13 Chips) 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 140 milligrams of sodium, 15 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of total sugars, 1 gram of fiber, 2 grams of protein.

SPOTTED: 7/17/2024

Marvo Leave a comment

Here are some interesting new products found on store shelves by your fellow readers. If you’ve tried any of them, share your thoughts in the comments.

Folgers Instant Iced Coffee

(Spotted by John W at Giant Eagle.)

Giant Eagle Choc Caramel With Snickers Decadent Cookies
Giant Eagle Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Decadent Cookies

(Spotted by Hydi M at Giant Eagle.)

Dole Snack Variety Pack

(Spotted by Robbie at Walmart.)

Goodpop Classic Cherry Very Berry Variety Pack

(Spotted by Robbie at Sam’s Club.)

Siggi’s Blueberry Pomegranate Protein Pack
Siggi’s Strawberry Acai Protein Pack

(Spotted by Sarah R at Sprouts.)

H-E-B Twisters Lots O’ Fillin’

(Spotted by Robbie at H-E-B.)

Higher Harvest By H-E-B Zero Sugar Added Caramel Choco Chip Frozen Dairy Dessert

(Spotted by Robbie at H-E-B.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

SPOTTED: Dr. Bombay Peanut Butter Jelly Time and Baked Blueberry Muffin Ice Cream

Marvo Leave a comment

Dr. Bombay Peanut Butter Jelly Time Ice Cream.

Dr. Bombay Baked Blueberry Muffin Ice Cream.

Peanut Butter Jelly Time features grape jelly sherbet and peanut butter ice cream with peanut butter chips and a grape jelly swirls. Baked Blueberry Muffin cinnamon sugar ice cream with crunchy streusel pieces and blueberry jam swirls. (Spotted by Tommy at Walmart.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

SPOTTED: Blue Bell Cookies ‘n Cream Cheesecake Ice Cream

Marvo 4 Comments

Blue Bell Cookies 'n Cream Cheesecake Ice Cream.

This latest Blue Bell flavor features a cheesecake ice cream blended with chocolate cookie crusted cheesecake pieces and chocolate crème-filled cookies.(Spotted by Amanda Y at Walmart.)

If you’re out shopping and see new products, snap a picture of them, and send them in via an email (theimpulsivebuy@gmail.com) with where you found them and “Spotted” in the subject line. Also, if you want to send in photos and are wondering if we’ve already covered something or if they’re new, don’t worry about it. Let us worry about it.

REVIEW: Limited Edition Oreo Mint Chip Cookies

Sean 1 Comment

After finally letting its freak flag fly again with spring’s divisive Sour Patch Kids Oreo, Nabisco is back to playing it safe with a creamy crowd-pleaser for the summer — Limited Edition Mint Chip.

Sure, mint as a dessert can cause some controversy in its own right, but most Oreo fans have been clamoring for more fruity or experimental and unique flavors, so a slight twist on an already existing flavor from the permanent lineup seems kind of…underwhelming? But that doesn’t mean they are bad! In fact, the new Mint Chip Oreo with mint chip-flavored creme and chocolatey chips is actually pretty good.

It should go without saying, because why else would I pay nearly SIX dollars for a bag of Oreo cookies, that chocolate and mint is a favorite combination of mine. Specifically, as a kid, I loved mint chip ice cream, and while it doesn’t take precedence over chocolate and peanut butter or most things sweet and salty, I still love it as an adult. This brings me to a point I want to make before digging into the meat of this review.

If you’re feeling a sense of deja vu, yes, there was a Mint Chocolate Chip Oreo five years ago that was a branded collaboration with Baskin Robbins. But that featured a dual layer of mint and chocolate creme, whereas this only has one. Both flavors came out in July to celebrate International Ice Cream Month, and this new one drops the BR tie-in in favor of a more generic “mint chip” moniker. While this 2024 spin wisely excludes the layer of chocolate creme, it also adds some waffle cone design to one side of the cookie. Does it change the flavor at all? Nope, but it sure looks cool!

The taste of the creme is definitely minty, but it’s also quite creamy and almost vanilla-y. There’s a chance the branding is playing a trick on my brain, but I get much more of a mint ice cream feeling than the regular mint Oreo. This filling is milder in mint, and surprisingly, I can taste and feel the little chocolate flecks. The type of mint is almost identical to that of a Thin Mint but a bit more subdued — not a strong peppermint or anything aggressive. The hints of chocolate impart an additional creaminess and sweetness without any additional crunch the way a chocolate chip does, similar to the shavings of chocolate in a BR or Jeni’s ice cream. The creme is also very soft, and that pronounced creamy squish against the firm chocolate crunch of the wafer really does emulate a scoop in a waffle bowl.

I am a mint chocolate fan, so I like these cookies. If you are a frequent purchaser or general enthusiast of the Mint Oreo, I think these are juuuust different enough to warrant a pickup for curiosity and pleasure’s sake. I went into these with decently mid-level-to-low expectations and I’m surprised by how much these creme-filled cookies remind me of an ice cream-filled cone.

Purchased Price: $5.49
Size: 10.68 oz pack
Purchased at: Nob Hill
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2 cookies) 140 calories, 6 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 13 grams of sugar, and less than 1 gram of protein.