Cape Cod Potato Chips

Update Review, 2023

Since rediscovering Cape Cod chips a few years ago, every time I visit the East Coast now, I make it a point to have at least one bag of Cape Cod Chips.  They really are quite good.

Sweet Mesquite Barbeque.

"We channeled our days grilling on the beaches of Cape Cod to craft a blend of tomatoes, onions and spices into a barbeque seasoning perfect for our chips."

When I think of a great bbq chip, these are essentially what I think of.  Super crispy.  Blistered.  Very clearly not a "light" style of chip.  True kettle chips.  Very zesty coating, deep mesquite flavor, tangy and smoky and sweet.

Maybe it is because I grew up with these, but, they really are a gold standard for me for a very good bbq chip.  ****.

Original Review, 2020

Over the years, I've reviewed many snack foods, and many bags of chips, in particular.  By now, you probably realize that while I love taro chips, and other more exotic veggie chips, I pretty rarely get excited by plain old potato chips.  I see them as a vessel for dip, and little else.  Maybe sometimes I get drawn in by unique flavors in other countries, but besides that, chips? MEH!

But I recently re-discovered Cape Cod potato chips, and that all changed.

"We transform simple ingredients – hand-selected potatoes, oil and salt – into delicious, satisfying kettle cooked potato chips. Cape Cod Potato Chips are always made one batch at a time in our custom kettles to give them their distinctive crunch and unique flavor."

I remember Cape Cod chips from growing up in New England.  They were not the standard chip offering, usually we had Ruffles in our household, or Lays were common at sandwich shops or parties, but when we got to splurge for a fancy bag of chips at the convenience store, or perhaps at a friend's house, I remember getting Cape Cod chips, and being very happy with them.  They were always crispier, greasier, than others.

In my memories that is.  I didn't really trust my memories, but it turns out, this is one area where my memories lived up, basically, entirely matching accurate to my experience today.

Cape Cod chips are still based in Massachusetts, although they have expanded dramatically since when I knew them.  The classic chips come in different flavors.  They have reduced fat offerings.  Waffle cut or wavy style.  Um, "infused" chips.  Limited Edition flavors with partners like Samuel Adams Brewery.  But I can't tell you about any of those, as I had eyes only for the originals.

Classic Potato Chips

"Hand selected potatoes. Pure vegetable oil. Salt. How do you transform the simplest ingredients into such a satisfying kettle cooked chip? For us, it’s done one small batch at a time, using select potatoes, sliced thick and cooked at precisely the right temperature in custom kettles to a golden amber hue. No two chips are the same. Except that they all share a hearty potato flavor and that wonderful Cape Cod crunch."

The classic potato chips are what I always knew, and I didn't even know they came in multiple flavors (maybe they didn't before?).  But now they do, with flavors like Sweet & Spicy Jalepeno, Aged White Cheddar & Sour Cream, plus more standards like Sea Salt & Vinegar and Sweet Mesquite Barbeque, among others.

But I went for the originals.

Original Chips.

These are no frills chips, they really are just potatoes and vegetable oil and salt.

But somehow ... they are just really damn good.  Is it the small batch cooking?  Is it the oil they use? The potatoes?  I have no idea.  But they are really good.

The crispy factor is sky high.  Perfectly crunchy and crisp.  Salt level is high, but not over the top. Most are folded over in unique ways, making eating a bag an adventure in "what shape will come up next?".

They are highly greasy, leaving your fingers coated instantly.  You know they aren't trying to be healthier.  The bags are smaller than other brands, and that is ok, because, well, they are heavy chips.

I don't know how to describe these beyond just ... perfect crispy chips?  I honestly am just happy with a bag of these, alongside a salad (or ideally, a lobster roll, right?).  They are awesome tucked into a sandwich, particularly a BLT.  Sometimes I think about making onion dip, or something else to dunk them in, but really, they don't need anything.  Just perfect as is.

I'll devour a bag any day.

****.

Less Fat

The Less Fat lineup comes in Original, Sea Salt & Vinegar, Aged White Cheddar & Sour Cream, and Sweet Mesquite Barbecue, the later of which I immediately went for.

Sweet Mesquite Barbeque.

"We may have tossed our 40% Less Fat Sweet Mesquite Barbeque chips one more time in the kettle, but we seasoned them with the same delicious blend of spices so they taste just like our classic Sweet Mesquite Barbeque chips. 40% less fat than the leading brand of potato chip."

I didn't intentionally seek out Less Fat chips, but my office had them, and they were still Cape Cod chips, and were still barbeque, which I was definitely going through a thing for, so I gladly grabbed a bag.  I wish I'd grabbed a second (2 bags is just ... 120% fat right?).

They were perfectly crispy, I loved the bent over pieces, and they were oily, but in the right way, not the gross way.   Form factor: A+, and I think I liked the lower fat version more than the classics, actually.

The barbeque flavor was good, I prefer a less sweet version (these had sugar and molasses), but the flavor was complex with tomato, onion, garlic, paprika, and more.

A very solid chip, one I'd gladly get again.

****.