Thursday, January 2, 2014

Route 11 Potato Chips Review


U.S. Route 11 runs over 1,600 miles from New Orleans to New York: That's a long way to go, especially without snacks. Thankfully, Route 11 Potato Chips provides nine of the zestiest flavors in the U.S. to accompany you on your trip... whether it's North-South, East-West or bag-to-mouth.

After trying all nine flavors, we settled on two favorites... Barbecue and Chesapeake Crab; but you'd be hard pressed to go wrong with any of them. Kettle chips never tasted so worldly. Our only hope? Even more flavors in the future.



Barbeque: I tried these a month ago, and liked 'em. Now that I'm used to the strong barbeque flavor... I'm bordering on love. I've tried dozens of different BBQ chips, and none come close to matching Route 11's burst of taste. I could eat these all-day. So should you.

Grade: A-

Barbeque

Chesapeake Crab: Crab meets kettle in yet another Route 11 "dazzler." I've had my fair share of different chips; but this was my first crab-flavored kettle chip... and I liked it. Utz is good, but the added crunch makes Route 11 the hands-down king of crab chips.

Grade: B+

Chesapeake Crab

Dill Pickle: On paper, Dill Pickle may not sound appetizing; but one sniff, and I was hooked. Dill flavor plays a distant second (thankfully) to a strong pickle taste that works great in a crunchy chip. Definitely one of Route 11's hidden gems.

Grade: B

Dill Pickle

Lightly Salted: Route 11 uses only REAL SALT from an ancient Utah seabed for their top-selling chip; and the taste is plenty salty without the extra sodium chloride. Delicious on its own... I still prefer their zestier options; but great for an everyday chip.

Grade: B

Lightly Salted

Mama Zuma's Revenge: Don't mess with Mama! Habanero + barbeque = a five-alarm fire, in what has to be the hottest chip on the planet. Legend has it that Mama Zuma lost the love of her life in a tragic potato peeler accident, and wants to burn every mouth she "kisses." Mission accomplished. One heck of a chip... if you can handle the heat.

Grade: B

Mama Zuma's Revenge

Salt & Vinegar: You have to be careful with vinegar... It's plenty potent, even in small doses; and Route 11 applies it with a HEAVY hand. Too heavy for me, and probably too much for most people (Brits excluded.) One thing's for sure: Route 11 isn't afraid to amp up the flavor.

Grade: C+

Salt & Vinegar

Sour Cream & Chive: There's nothin' jive about these chips: Nice smell, and a taste to match. I'm not a big fan of sour cream & chives, but Route 11 does the flavor justice. Who knew you could do so much with a kettle of hot oil and a vivid imagination?

Grade: B-

Sour Cream & Chive

Sweet Potato: Salt lovers may want to look elsewhere; but if you like the taste of sweet potato, then look no further. Nice color, and true sweet potato flavor... they remind me of the ones I make at home. Great choice, if you're looking for something different.

Grade: B

Sweet Potato

Yukon Gold: You can't hit a home run every time at bat; and Yukon Gold may be Route 11's weakest link. Good crunch, but conspicuously devoid of flavor. Needs salt too. Two hours later, and I can hardly remember them.

Grade: B-

Yukon Gold