Tag: Takis

REVIEW: Takis Cobra and Kaboom Tortilla Chips

Marvo 2 Comments

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.

REVIEW: Takis Waves Dragon Sweet Chili and Blue Heat Potato Chips

Marvo 4 Comments

Blue 1 Lake food dye needs to be in more potato chips beyond these new Takis Waves Blue Heat. Yes, Takis Blue Heat and its color have been around for years, but despite eating all kinds of snacks for decades, this is the first time my eyeballs and mouth have experienced it. And after seeing the color in person, it makes me want to see it with more chips. Did I mention blue is my favorite color?

If you’re also unfamiliar with Blue Heat, which would be an excellent name for a Smurf fan fiction cop drama, they have an unassuming aroma, but that’s the only restrained attribute. They look like what I imagine would happen if Gargamel finally got his hands on a Smurf and used his recipe for Smurf jerky. It starts with a strong peppery flavor with a hint of lime hitting taste buds a bit later. Also, I swear there’s some soy sauce hiding among the chili peppers. It’s a tasty combo, and I understand why it’s a standard Takis variety. The packaging says these have “Extreme” heat, and while they are spicy, they’re not so hot that the flavor gets lost. My eyes are fascinated with Takis Waves Blue Heat Potato Chips, and my mouth needs something cool after trying them.

My eyes are less impressed with the new Takis Waves Dragon Sweet Chili, which come in a color we’ve often seen on cheesy or hot chips. The flavor debuted with the standard rolled Takis last year, which I enjoyed. They’re noticeably less spicy than the Blue Heat ones but are as flavorful. Here’s how I described the seasoning when I tried the rolled tortilla chip version:

Their initial flavor reminded me of Fritos Honey BBQ Flavor Twists, which is my favorite Fritos variety and not at all spicy. However, by the third chip, the taste morphed into something a bit more unique, with the garlic powder and cayenne peppers making themselves more noticeable. Throughout it all, the sweetness remained and helped cut through the spiciness.

With these potato chips, I didn’t get that initial taste that reminded me of my favorite Fritos flavor, which is understandable since these have a potato base. Instead, I immediately tasted the garlic powder, cayenne, and the seasoning’s sweetness. It too was a tasty combo.

Dragon Sweet Chili and Blue Heat are fantastic additions to the Takis Waves Potato Chip line. If you’re a fan of either or both flavors, they’re worth picking up.

DISCLOSURE: I received complimentary product samples from Takis. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 0.59 oz bags
Purchased at: Received from Takis
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Dragon Sweet Chili), 8 out of 10 (Blue Heat)
Nutrition Facts: (1 package) Dragon Sweet Chili – 90 calories, 6 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 9 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein. Blue Heat – 90 calories, 6 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 110 milligrams of sodium, 8 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Takis Buckin’ Ranch

Marvo 2 Comments

Last year, Takis did the unthinkable. It made a non-spicy flavor — Intense Nacho. For a brand known for fiery product names like Fuego, Blue Heat, and Nitro, it seemed that Takis either ran out of ideas and/or names for spicy products or lost a bet. But coming out with a heat-free flavor was a good bet because it’s a good product. Now, Takis is following it up with Buckin’ Ranch.

Oh, come on, autocorrect! Are you going to swap the B with an F every time I type buckin’? Well, you also turned that one into an F, so I guess that’s the case. Do I type that word often enough that it’s the default if I try to spell something close to it, or does Siri swear like a sailor? What about ducking? Seriously? That changed, too. How about tucking? Maji? I guess it’s rare that I type tucking, and T is close to F, so it makes sense. Ugh!

While my autocorrect inflames me, this flame-less Takis doesn’t. It influences me to buy more.

Let’s rewind a bit to the issue I had with the Takis Intense Nacho rolled tortilla chips. While good, I was disappointed by how the cheesiness wasn’t as intense as I would’ve liked, and the seasoning faded too quickly*. But that’s not the case with Buckin’ Ranch. It’s bold and perhaps has a more potent flavor than Cool Ranch Doritos, and it sticks around. Also, after eating a few of them, they leave a satisfying thick layer of ranch seasoning on my fingers that serve as a nice after snack snack.

These crunchy rolled tortilla chips are as addictive as Cool Ranch Doritos. Yeah, I said it! I inhaled a 9.9-ounce bag in one sitting while watching an episode of some TV show and felt guilty about it for a second because I forgot to take photos for this review. Thankfully, Takis sent two bags. However, I like this so much that I wish it came in the large adult pillow-sized bags you’d find at Costco or Sam’s Club so that I can inhale one while watching a movie at home. Also, I wonder what it would taste like if this ranch seasoning was combined with Takis’ spicier varieties.

Takis Buckin’ Ranch is bucking great. Oh, now you decide to change the F with a B, autocorrect! Thanks.

*Takis did eventually add more cheesiness to them.

DISCLOSURE: I received free product samples from Takis. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 9.9 oz bag
Purchased at: Received from Takis
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 oz/about 10 pieces) 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 1.5 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.

REVIEW: Takis Dragon Sweet Chili

Marvo 3 Comments

Instead of making spicier products, Takis has recently been making tamer ones to grab the taste buds of more snackers. Earlier this year, it released a line of non-spicy snacks called Intense Nacho that don’t cause your mouth to wish it had a built-in fire suppression system. The brand’s newest product, Dragon Sweet Chili, is significantly spicier than the heatless Intense Nacho but less hot than Takis’ most popular flavors.

Fuego, Nitro, and Blue Heat all have an “Extreme” level of heat, but these Dragon Sweet Chili chips are one step below that and are rated “Hot” by the unscientific thermometer on the side of the bag that all Takis flavors have. Unlike Fuego, these sweet and spicy chips will not make you think your taste buds have been burned off or that you’ve just made out with all the gods and goddesses of fire (there are many of them). After eating an entire bag with my lunch, there was no overwhelming desire to stick my mouth under a Slurpee spigot to cool it down, but my head did sweat a bit.

Their initial flavor reminded me of Fritos Honey BBQ Flavor Twists, which is my favorite Fritos variety and not at all spicy. However, by the third chip, the taste morphed into something a bit more unique, with the garlic powder and cayenne peppers making themselves more noticeable. Throughout it all, the sweetness remained and helped cut through the spiciness.

So how does this compare with a similarly named flavor from a famous competing chip brand that I will not name here? (But you can probably figure it out by looking at the photo below.)

Well, these Takis are spicier, sweeter, and, um, chili-er than the other chip. Also, despite their somewhat similar names, their flavor profiles are entirely different, with the other having a strong soy sauce taste. Of the two, I prefer the Takis.

Dragon Sweet Chili chips have a lot of flavor, a decent level of heat, and their spiciness doesn’t get in the way of the sweet chili pepper seasoning. While they don’t have an extreme level of heat, they do have an extremely great flavor.

DISCLOSURE: I received free product samples from Takis. Doing so did not influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 3.25 oz bag
Purchased at: Received from Takis
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 oz/about 12 pieces) 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar (including 1 gram of added sugar), and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Takis Intense Nacho

Marvo 2 Comments

It’s weird that the Takis Intense Nacho line is not spicy.

It’s not as weird as having something called pickleball become a national sensation, but after having many spicy varieties and being known for products that burn, it seems so out of character for Takis to offer something tame that it makes me worry about its well-being. Maybe the brand has run out of new spicy product ideas? If that’s the case, I’ve got one — Flamango, a sweet and spicy rolled tortilla chip with a splash of mango that’s pink colored and bent in the middle. Feel free to take it, Barcel.

Takis Intense Nacho seasoning is available on three products — original Takis rolled tortilla chips, Waves Potato Chips, and POP! Popcorn. After tasting all three, I’m surprised they have noticeably different nacho intensities.

Takis POP! Intense Nacho Popcorn

Let’s start with the one that can truly call itself “intense nacho” the most — Takis POP! To be honest, I’m surprised about this because there’s less surface area for seasoning on popcorn. But then again, maybe I shouldn’t be because popcorn has a milder flavor than fried chips, and kernels have nooks and crannies where the seasoning can be trapped. Anyhoo, the cheesy and salty nacho dust pops on these, and there’s also a slight tanginess that I didn’t notice with the other products. Surprisingly, this was my favorite of the three. Oh, a few other things. I’ve never had Takis POP! before, but I was stunned by how small-ish the kernels were. Also, these don’t have a cheesy aroma, which I thought was weird.

Size: 2 oz bag
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 package) 350 calories, 27 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 7 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 14 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 790 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

Takis Intense Nacho Rolled Tortilla Chips

Lower on the Intense Nacho spectrum is regular Takis. With my initial bites, I thought these were less cheesy than the Waves. But after comparing them again a day later, my taste buds thought differently. My original opinion was probably based on how the corn chip overwhelms my taste buds once I get a few chews in. There’s an initial cheesy burst, and it lingers somewhat, but it quickly yields to the flavor of the corn. So I wish that cheesiness was a bit more lasting. Of course, these have the typical Takis rolled tortilla chip crunch.

Size: 3.25 oz bag
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 oz/about 10 pieces) 150 calories, 8 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 3 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 2.5 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 230 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 1 gram of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Takis Waves Intense Nacho Potato Chips

When I first took a whiff of these in the bag, I wondered if they would be spicy because they have a chile con queso-like aroma. Of course, they’re not, but these chips taste like queso, but with heat that never shows up as if they’ve been made with neutered jalapeños. I do like the flavor, but at the same time I’m not sure “intense” is the best word to use to describe its cheesiness, which is noticeably less cheesy than the regular Takis and popcorn. Also, much like Takis POP!, this is my first time trying Waves and my impression of them is that they have a crunch similar to Lay’s Wavy chips.

Size: 2.5 oz bag
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 oz/about 14 pieces) 150 calories, 9 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 2.5 grams of polyunsaturated fat, 5 grams of monounsaturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Overall, Takis’ tangent into non-spicy snacks is off to a good start, and this Intense Nacho line doesn’t make me want to say Takis needs to stay in its lane and continue to burn our mouths with flavors that may have names like Hotocado, an overly spicy guacamole flavor on an avocado-shaped and green-colored chip. (Yes, I know there’s already has a guacamole flavor. Feel free to take this idea too, Barcel.) I like these enough that I’m curious if there will be other non-spicy flavors.

DISCLOSURE: I received free product samples from Takis. Doing so did not influence my review.