We live in an amazing world. Did you know that there is a Jelly Bean out there that actually tastes like vomit? How about a Snapple drink that actually tastes more like an apple than apple juice? What if I told you that there is a potato chip out there that actually tastes like a steak? That would just about break your mind into little pieces, wouldn’t it? Well… fortunately or unfortunately… it’s true.
Allow me to introduce you to Ruffles Max: Flame Grilled Stake Flavored potato chips.
Let me just go on record and say that whoever designed the packaging for this snack deserves the highest awards that anyone could possible receive for such things. THE ONLY THING that roped me into buying these in the first place was the picture of the steak on the packaging. Call me a sucker (because I know you will), but it is the juiciest looking steak I have ever seen and looks like it would be the perfect last meal for just about everyone because one taste of it and you will think you’re already in heaven.
The chip itself? That’s a harder sell. Flecked with seasoning and with streaks of brown, the chips hardly invoke the tastiness of the packaging. Looking at them, you figure the best you can hope for is a BBQ-flavored knock-off with some pepper added for seasoning. The thing of it is, though… if you can get past all of this and take a bite… you won’t be disappointed. This is not a BBQ-flavored chip but, in fact, a steak-flavored chip. While it’s not as thick and juicy as a steak, the flavoring is undeniably there. Much like Herrs’ Ketchup-flavored chips, these chips are a bit like dipping potato chips in the juice left over from your steak. It’s a good combination and one that I hope sticks around longer than the “limited edition” of the packaging suggests.
That said, the ingredients list does have some of the usual suspects, with some added gems as a surprise. MSG is on there as well as Maltodextrin as part of the ‘Flame Grilled Steak Seasoning’. However, you also have ‘Natural Smoke Flavor and Natural Beef Type Flavor’ as well as brown sugar, garlic powder and butter — all ingredients that almost make you believe that this thing was born from a real steak (even if common sense would lead you to believe otherwise).
I can’t say that these chips are for everyone, but I can say that a good 85% of the people that I know that tried them not only enjoyed them but were PLEASANTLY surprised by the taste (meaning that they went in assuming that these were going to taste like some hacked-up Frankenfood!)
Grab some while you can… at the very least just to say that you did. I certainly recommend them.