Kettle Chips

I've had a thing for salty, crispy snacks lately, so I've been trying out all sorts of chips.  It is pretty random, as I honestly think I hadn't had a bag of chips for about 10 years, and suddenly I crave them all the time.

Kettle brand chips show up as the "premium" chips at most delis and casual places around town, so I've tried a bunch of their flavors.  I don't really care for their standard chips, but the Krinkle Cuts and the Baked ones are pretty decent. 

Krinkle Cut™

"We slice our Krinkle Cut™ chips nice and thick, so you get a satisfying crunch in every bite. It’s the perfect chip for dipping, but you don’t need to with all the bold, all-natural flavor nestled into those rich, golden ridges."

I really like the krinkle cut chips.  They are so crunchy and satisfying, my favorite of Kettle brand products.

Buffalo Bleu.

 "From the first, bold crunch, you’re hit with a tangy assault of chili spice. But…wait for it…a hint of bleu cheese comes around the corner and pulls it all together in a supremely craveable, insanely crunchable mouthful of goodness."

These didn’t really seem like buffalo flavor (not spicy as described), nor did they seem blue cheese flavored.

But, I did like them.  They had a sweetness to them, and reminded me of bbq chips.  The crickle cut allowed for maximum coating in the chips.

***+.

Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper.

 "There is a reason they make salt and pepper shakers in matching sets—they go together like no two other spices in the world. We’ve taken that collaboration of flavor goodness to new heights (and depths) by lightly sprinkling them on the rolling ridges of our Krinkle Cut chips." 

I thought that I'd dislike this flavor, since I've had pepper chips before and really disliked them, but these were not bad.  Not my favorite flavor, but, decent.  The pepper flavor was there for sure, but somehow it wasn't strange.  Salt level was also good.

***.

Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper (2022).

"This iconic duo has never been so extra. That’s because every Krinkle Cut Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper Kettle Brand Chip holds the boldest amount of salt and pepper possible."

I forgot that I'd tried these before, and I'm really not sure why I picked them, to be honest, as I don't tend to like pepper chips (I use pepper on plenty of things, but on chips, or french fries, zomg, I just hate pepper!  I can't explain it!).

These were ok ... I do like the krinkle style, nicely folded over pieces, and thickness.  The pepper I didn't care for, and they actually seemed overly salty too.  So ... mostly, good form factor, not flavor for me.

***.

Thick + Bold: Dill Pickle.

"Like the Tangy Spears that inspired them, Kettle Brand Thick and Bold Dill Pickle chips leave you with one thing to decide: In your sandwich, or beside? The extra crunchy thick ridge cut chips offer the perfect balance of tang, dill, onion and garlic. "

These sounded great.  I love dill pickles.  And, yes, I was one of those people who always put pickles and chips into my sandwiches when I was a kid.  So, the pickle flavor sounded right to me!

And ... they were my favorite Kettle chips ever.  The Krinkle Cut is wonderful, as marketed, the ridges help catch all the flavor.  The thick chips have a wonderful crunch.  Form factor alone, these are an enjoyable chip to eat.

The flavor ... it really does remind me of a dill pickle.  A little dill and vinegar, but more onion, garlic, and salt than I'm used to with dill pickles.  Still, an enjoyable flavor, and, I'd get these again.

***.

Dill Pickle - Updated Formula 2021.

"If you say yes to chips and a pickle, every time you walk into a deli, then Kettle Brand Dill Pickle Chips will leave you shook. With all the flavor of both made boldly from whole, thick cut potatoes, you really couldn’t ask for more. Except for maybe that sandwich you went into the deli for in the first place. "

A few years later,  I did indeed get them again.  The pros are still the same: of all Kettle brand chips, I certainly prefer the "thick and bold" style of the Krinkle Cut, as they are thicker, crunchier, and just a form I prefer.  So, great form factor.

Second, they really are an extremely flavorful chip.  Bold, as they say.  And they *do* taste remarkably like pickles.

So, all that is good.  But for me, the flavor isn't quite what I want - I love pickles, but these are a different style of pickle flavor than I prefer, which is kinda impossible to really describe, but, it is what it is.  I was glad to try them again, but I don't think I'd get these again.

***.

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Cheddar and Sour Cream (Retired Flavor)

Decent cheddar and sour cream flavor.  Much better than Ruffles.  Very crispy, I really like the form factor.  ***+.

Preview review notes: Super crispy, delicious cheesy flavor, I really like these. Nice and crunchy.

Classic Kettle Chips

"Our classic Chips are made from the whole potato and seasoned with authentic recipes. Cut thick and flavored just past the point of bold, they’re extra in a good way."

This is their original, and namesake kettle style line of products.  My least favorite of their offerings, generally, just thin, standard kettle chips.  They do have some creative flavors though, I'll give them that.

Sweet Chilli and Sour Cream.

"There's nothing like Thai Cuisine for its wonderfully complex balance of flavours. We've added our own twist to the authentic spicy sweetness by combining with the coolness of sour cream."

These are available in Europe only.

When I saw these, I had to try them.  When I lived in Sydney, I became a bit obsessed with potato wedges served with sour cream and sweet chili sauce.  To this day, I still do not understand why we do not have them in the US.  I was interested to see them made into chips.

The chips were basic crunchy kettle chips, nothing remarkable.  The sweet chili flavor was a bit lost though, they tasted more like bbq to me, except bbq crossed with sour cream and cheddar.  Interesting, but, nothing like what I wanted them to be.

**+.

Sriracha.

"Our flavor experts have done it again. This bold flavor is everything you love about the hot sauce on a chip. The combination of chili, garlic, and vinegar creates the authentic taste of the real deal".

These were actually really quite good.  Did they taste like sriracha?  Well, no actually.

Like the sweet chili chips, they reminded me of a bbq chip.  The initial flavor was actually sweet.  They did have a kick to them that came in on the finish.  Really a fun chip to eat, since it evolved from sweet to spicy.  But sriracha?  Nah.  Particularly tasty with some dip.  ***.

Update: I had these again months later, completely forgetting that I had tried them before, and without re-reading this review.  I again liked the flavor, but found that it didn't taste like sriracha at all.  And, again, I enjoyed dipping them in a dip (this time, chive creme fraiche), but I thought they were fine plain too.

Maple Bacon.

"This natural flavor match combines the deep smokiness of bacon, the rich sweetness of real maple syrup and the subtle spice of chili pepper for a nostalgic, comfort food combination. "

These obviously sounded like winners.  Who doesn't love maple and bacon?

Alas, like many other flavors, they really just tasted bbq-esq to me.  BBQ isn't a bad thing, but I really didn't taste anything maple nor bacon about these.  Really, just standard bbq-like kettle chips. ***.

Jalapeño.

"Jalapeño Kettle Brand® Potato Chips have a zesty, south of the border flavor. Striking a perfect balance between fresh, well-rounded flavor and the clean, spicy bite of jalapeño peppers, these all natural chips are easy to eat with a satisfying burn that sneaks up on you. " 

Again, standard kettle style chip with a decent kick from jalapeño.  Crispy, decent.  ***.

Update Review: Nice kick, good flavor.

New York Cheddar.

"When cheese grows up, where does it go? The big city, of course. Sophisticated, bold, confident, and brazen. Comfortable in the penthouse or the subway, this chip is going places. Sometimes we think we’ve gone just a little bit crazy over this chip thing, but big city flavor’ll do that."

I really did not care for these.  They weren't cheesy at all.  I honestly did not taste any cheddar at all.  They were very oily.

Update Review (2022): I've had these before, but it had been years.

I was really in the mood for something cheesy and crispy, and I had visions of the Ruffle's Cheddar & Sour Cream I used to love growing up.  I knew these wouldn't be that, but I did expect to taste some (fake) cheese.  The ingredients do list both cheese and sour cream.

I was very disappointed.

As always, I just don't really care for this style of very crispy, very fried, kettle chip.  I love the assorted chip sizes, and some bent over and some not, but, eh to the actual taste.

But I was in it for the cheese factor.  Except ... these had none.  Seriously, none.  I had far more of the bag than I wanted, hunting for cheese.  It was never found.

What was the flavor?  Uh ... grease and salt?  Really.  I tasted nothing remotely cheesy.

Did not like, and would not get again. *.

Korean Barbeque.

"Remember that time you tasted a sweet and savory mix of plum, garlic, and hoison on a potato chip? No, of course you don’t. Because Kettle Brand Korean Barbecue Chips are a one-of-a-kind flavor flex from the other side of the globe that you never saw coming."

Ok, I may be a bit "meh" on Kettle brand chips but ... how amazing did these sound?  BBQ chips are my favorite, and Korean BBQ sounded even better (and, unique!).

They let me down.  They actually were a fine chip, but, I certainly didn't get the Korean bbq aspect of them.  They had a slightly smoky taste actually, more like a mesquite bbq, and had a sweetness, like Lay's BBQ chips.  So, not bad, and in the bbq department, but, not really the "korean" flavor I was hoping for.

***.

Honey Dijon.

"Kettle Brand Honey Dijon is extra tangy and extra sweet, all at the same time. So extra, extra, read all about it, if you’re looking for thick-cut chips that layer flavor on flavor, these are all you."

Wow, what a fascinating flavor.  I am pretty sure I've never had a honey mustard flavored potato chip before.  It never occurred to me to seek out such a flavor.  But I do absolutely adore dipping french fries (particularly sweet potato fries) in honey mustard (or sweet and sour, or barbecue sauce), so, potatoes & honey mustard is a natural combo for me.  I've just not had it in chip form.

Anyway, I really liked the flavor.  It was tangy like mustard, but sweet (not that it tasted like honey, but, there was a sweetness for sure).  Almost like a barbecue-mustard.  Really a fairly complex and interesting flavor, and for some reason, these chips didn't seem quite as fried either.

Overall, definitely winners, and I'd get them again.

****.

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• Backyard BBQ: "Everyone loves the flavor of Backyard Barbeque® – smoky, spicy, tangy and sweet. ".  Tasting notes:  They were just a standard kettle style bbq chip.  Ok bbq flavor, good crunch, but nothing standout.  Good dipped in greek yogurt! [ Standard crispy bbq chip. Good crispness, but nothing remarkable here ] [ Standard, crispy, kettle chip.  Not special, but not bad. ] [ Not great bbq flavor, crispy, but I don't like them ]
• Salt & Vinegar: "The perfect balance of zesty sea salt, a hint of tongue-puckering vinegar and satisfying crunch". Tasting notes: These were quite flavorful chips.  I really appreciated both the saltiness and the strong vinegar.  But ... again, the thin style, oily kettle chips just weren't for me. [ Yup, great vinegar flavor, but thin and crispy, and meh ]
• Sea Salt (Europe Only):  "Sometimes less is more. Thick, full-flavoured slices of carefully selected potato are brought to life with just a sprinkling of sea salt - simple. ". Tasting notes: Just greasy standard kettle chips.  Meh.

Baked

"Kettle Brand Baked potato chips are made from REAL sliced potatoes, unlike many other baked chips you've tried. We take real potatoes. Slice them. Cook them to a crunchy perfection. Then season them with fresh, natural ingredients."

The baked chips also aren't bad.  They clearly don't go too far in the "healthy" direction, still keeping them satisfying.

Baked Chips.

Sea Salt: 

"Only three ingredients in this classic chip: potatoes, oil, and sea salt. Why mess with simplicity? The pureness of a whole potato, thinly sliced, cooked to golden perfection and seasoned with fresh sea salt delivers undeniable flavor and crunch."

Salty, nice flavor, but I got bored quickly.  Full slices of potato, skin on.  Good when craving salty.  **+.

Update review:  Pretty tasty, particularly given that they are so much healthier!  Very good dipped in yogurt, reminds me of a baked potato with sour cream.  ***.

Another update review:  I really like these, particularly when dipped in mac and cheese! So much potato flavor, crispy, good!  My favorite baked style, bar far.  ***+.

Salt & Vinegar:

"We've paired a splash of bold and tangy vinegar with a sprinkle of fresh sea salt to give these chips boatloads of flavor. Whole natural slices of our select spuds are cooked into crunchy, golden curves of pure potato, and then brought to life with a spectacular tart, salty finish. ". 

Nice and crispy, good potato flavor, tangy from vinegar, gladly would eat these. 

Update review: Really crispy, nice tang from vinegar.

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Lao Table

Update Review, 2021 Visits

After several years of not visiting Lao Table, despite walking by regularly, I finally decided to give it another try when they reopened mid-pandemic.  While I got takeout, I was drawn in by the outdoor seating they set up on the sidewalk to accommodate diners while indoor dining was still closed.

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I just got some simple items, but, everything was fresh and well packaged, and I'd definitely consider going back again.

Fresh Vegetables. $5.

I had no idea what this would be, but, I had a free $5 credit on Seamless, so decided to get some "fresh vegetables" and see what happened.

Fresh Vegetables. $5.

The fresh vegetables was ... a big pile of green leaf lettuce, herbs (basil, parsley, dill, mint), and carrot sticks.  So random.  Mostly herbs, not vegetables ...

But this was actually great.  

The green leaf lettuce was super fresh and crisp.

The herbs I used in all sorts of ways - the Thai purple basil I used in my own Thai red curry (I had a can of red curry sauce in my pantry, score!), the mint went great chopped on top the Mendocino Farms  Marinated Red Beets & Quinoa salad I had just picked up (review coming soon!), the dill I threw on top of some potato salad.  All really fresh and it was fun to randomly have herbs to use.

The carrot sticks made for a nice snack with ranch dip (from The Melt, love their ranch!)

Entirely random, yes, but worth it. ***+

Fresh Vegetables. $5.

I had so much fun with the random fresh vegetables that I got them another time, when I was actually planning to make more Thai curry, and pick up more of the beet salad.  I knew my dishes would be much better with the Lao Table fresh herbs!  

I was thrilled to see the consistent batch of fresh veggies and herbs, exactly what I had the previous time, and just as fresh and crisp.

***+.

Steamed Vegetables. $5.

I had really liked the steamed veggies when I dined at the restaurant before, so I couldn't resist ordering them for takeout during Covid too.

Again, not the most exciting mix, just carrots, broccoli (American), and cabbage, but I appreciated the juicy cabbage in particular (I had it alongside some spicy Korean food).  (The broccoli paired nicely with my favorite Trader Joe's Butternut Squash & Sage Mac and Cheese (Seasonal), and the carrots I threw into my own Thai red curry).

Simple, but fine, not too mushy.

***.

Original Review, April 2018

I've somehow never reviewed Osha Thai before, a fairly well known mini chain of Thai restaurants in SF, besides, uh, the dessert my co-workers brought me one day.  Osha is a reliable, easy choice for slightly upscale modern thai food, has a location near our office, and generally is easy to get a last minute reservation at for groups.  So, we go fairly often.  It is always good, but, nothing like the much better Thai food in Sydney!

They recently converted one location to a new concept called Lao Table, more focused on Northeastern Thailand and Laos, where the head Osha chef is actually from.  I was excited to check it out, and see if the focus on more personal cuisine pushed Lao Table a step above the still disappointing SF Thai scene.

It didn't.  It was worse.  Far worse.

Lackluster Meal.

I'll sum this one up easily.  Underwhelming.  Lackluster.  Forgettable.  Most dishes weren't bad exactly, but weren't very good.  One was awful.  I will not be returning.

Service was also not good.  In the first 20 minutes, our water glasses were aggressively refilled.  But after that?  Totally ignored.  We had no water while actually eating our food.

Everything is intended to be shared, yet we were not provided serving utensils for most dishes.

And our server spent more time trying to upsell us and make us add on more dishes than I've ever experienced anywhere before.

Revenswood Zinfandel 2015. $13.

I was really, really craving a nice glass of red wine.  Something not too tannic.  I went for the Zin, and I appreciated that they offered a sample first when I hesitated in selecting a wine.

It wasn't great, but I didn't have the energy to try something else.  A drinkable table wine, with a price tag that didn't match the quality.

Appetizer: Grilled Calamari. $14.95.

"Chargrilled whole calamari and sweet chili-lime topping."

There is one dish on the menu that Yelpers all rave about.  The whole grilled calamari.  It was *why* I bookmarked Lao Table in the first place.  I love really well grilled calamari/octopus.  I insisted we get this.

When it arrived, I smiled.  Presentation was stunning.  Laid out on a wooden board.  It looked well grilled.  We were provided with a real sharp knife to cut it (but no serving utensils).

That knife ... wasn't even enough to cut through it.  The cook on this was horrible.  It was incredibly chewy.  Rubbery.  Impossible to cut.  It had no char, no smoke, nothing redeeming.  Really, really, really not good.

Strangely, it was served on top of a few chunks of celery.  Underneath it.  No idea why.

The spicy sauce on the side however was good, it had some real heat to it.  I enjoyed the sauce, just not with the calamari, at all.

We all tried a few bites, trying different parts, but, there just was literally nothing good about the calamari itself, and we threw it out.

Side: Papaya Salad. $10.

Our server and her upselling worked.  At last minute, another diner asked to add on a side of papaya salad.  It came right after the first appetizer, also with no serving utensil.

It was ... fine.  Standard Thai style papaya salad with a base of shredded green papaya, green beans, cherry tomatoes, and peanuts.  Decently spicy sauce.  The cherry tomatoes were entirely flavorless.

The menu has a papaya salad as a regular salad, for a whopping $21.95 as well.  Which seemed a bit crazy.  Sure, it has pork sausage, pork crackling, and prawns but ... wow.  The $10 price on this seemed a bit high for the small side dish size.

Side: Steamed Vegetables. $5.

After we ordered, our server kept insisting on more things, so I said that maybe we needed vegetables.  Of course she wanted us to get more entrees, but I just went for the simple side of steamed veggies, even though the others were like, "eh".  I guess I was craving veggies.

I didn't really know what the mix would be, but it was carrots, broccoli, and green cabbage.  Simple and steamed.  It arrived with the papaya salad right after the first appetizer, before the second appetizer, and long before the main.   Not quite what I intended, flow-wise.  It came with a spoon on the side to serve it with, I guess?  A single spoon, which, as you can imagine, didn't exactly work.

It was, literally, the only savory dish I liked.  And I didn't like the broccoli or too mushy carrots.  Really, the only savory element, of the entire meal, that I thought was good was a bite of plain steamed cabbage slathered in the hot sauce from the calamari.  I guess I'm glad we got it.

Appetizer: Miang Foie Gras. $23.95.

"Seared duck foie gras, coconut-tamarind reduction, fresh berries with lemongrass smoke."

Ok, foie gras might not be a normal thing to order at a Thai or Laotian restaurant, but, seriously, how do you resist foie gras, particularly seared foie gras?

We should have resisted.  This too came with no serving implements.

"How did they manage to make foie gras so ... boring," is what I uttered after trying this dish.  I literally don't understand how they made it so entirely lackluster, mediocre, and forgettable.

Was there anything *wrong* with the foie gras?  No.  But was it good?  No, not at all.

Backing up.  The presentation, that you can't see here, was the only memorable part, as it came under a dome, that was ceremoniously removed in front of us, and smoke came out.  Ok.

But then we had this.

Not very hot, not very well seared foie gras, two slices.  Assorted not ripe fruit.  A big pile of random salad greens.  Shredded coconut on top.  Perhaps a drizzle of the coconut-tamarind reduction.  Nothing really paired here at all.  No brioche or other carbs, perhaps we were supposed to ... roll it in the lettuce?  And the mediocre raw fruit didn't provide a nice sweet pairing either.  The only texture came from the shredded coconut.

Seriously, the most boring, not well composed foie gras I've ever had.

Entree: Panang Lamb Curry. $23.95.

"Thick coconut milk curry, lamb stew with cucumber salad. Served with jasmine rice."

I was not very hungry, and happy with a meal of foie gras, octopus, and the side veggies/salad, so I told the others to pick whatever curry they wanted.  They selected lamb, which, I'd never pick, since I don't like lamb.  I didn't care though, as it wasn't for me.

Like the other dishes, presentation was nice.  The portion of jasmine rice it was served with however was laughable.  Not enough for one person, let alone two people to share.  Our server, who tried to upsell us on sooo many things, didn't mention this, which was surprising.

The cucumber salad I did try, and it was pretty boring, not much flavor.

The curry sauce I also tried, it was fine, pretty standard panang curry.  The portion of lamb was ok for a single person to have as an entree, but a bit meager for a sharing dish, particularly for the price.  The others who ate it both agreed it was the best dish they had though.

Side: Sticky Rice. $4.

Since the rice quantity was entirely insufficient, we also ordered more rice, and went for sticky rice just to compare.

It was fine.  Warm.  Served in a plastic bag, inside a wooden basket cup.

Dessert: Khao Tom Mudd. $13.

"Sweet coconut sticky rice + red bean in a banana leaf W/ coconut ice cream in a whole young coconut."

For dessert, we had to rule out 3 of the 5 items immediately, as they all had caffeine (thai ice tea, chocolate, or espresso).  Which left two sticky rice based options: mango sticky rice or this.  Since you can get mango sticky rice at any Thai restaurant, we decided to go with the khao tom mudd, even though we had no idea what to expect.

And even once we got it, we had no idea what was going on.  Breaking it down ...

The coconut ice cream really was just served in a young coconut, exactly as the menu said.  No frills.

But it also turned out to be the highlight of the meal for me.  I wonder if they make it in house, or purchase from somewhere.  It had some texture from coconut bits in it, was rich, creamy, and just really enjoyable.  Perfectly melty too.

Serving it in a coconut was a bit strange perhaps, but I liked that too, as I was able to scoop out all the young coconut flesh, and add it to my ice cream.

While the cabbage with spicy sauce was the best savory item, I didn't really *enjoy it*, whereas the ice cream, I did truly enjoy.  That said ... $13 for a scoop of ice cream with a little sticky rice seemed high, like everything else.

Khao Tom Mudd: Inside the Banana Leaf.

But what about the rest of the dish?  That was the unique part.

It was two banana leaves, each with steamed sticky rice inside, as we expected.  Very hot, lots of steam escaped as we opened them.  The sticky rice was ... fine?  A bit boring.  But nice to have the warm sweet rice with the cold ice cream.

The red bean turned out to just be a few red beans scattered inside.  They were cooked fine, but didn't really add much.

Khao Tom Mudd: Inside the Sticky Rice.

But ... there was more.  Inside the sticky rice was ... something else.

We literally had no idea what we were eating.  The menu description didn't say that there was anything but beans and sticky rice inside the banana leaf.  The substance was a strange pink color.  I thought it must be mashed red bean, but ... it clearly wasn't.

After repeating, over, and over, "I have no idea what I'm eating", I figured it out.  I think.  Banana.  But, red banana?  I don't understand.

I ate a full one of these just trying to figure it out, but it wasn't actually good.  The warm sticky rice was nice with the coconut ice cream, but, the red beans were just eh, and that banana was pretty awful.

Next time ... I'd just get a side of coconut ice cream!

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Living Intentions

Update Review, April 2021

As you know, I love snacks, I love popcorn, and I love trying different flavors, both sweet and savory, of popcorn.  I discovered Living Intensions several years ago when my catering team started using them for events, and I liked, but didn't love, most of what I tried.  That said, I do like the idea behind Living Intensions (superfood popcorn) and after a few years passed, it was time to try them again.

"We have taken popcorn to the next level!

It all started with us using popcorn at home as a vehicle to give superfoods to our children and quickly turned into an exciting product idea. Now available for our customers, our Activated Superfood Popcorn is bursting with amazing flavors, nutrient-dense superfoods and the power of live enzymes. Your favorite movie-time snack just entered a higher plane of consciousness!

What is Activated?

Activated is food at its highest potential. At Living Intentions, Activated is an outlook, a way of being, and a mantra for intentionally shifting life into higher gear. Whether it be sprouted with active enzymes, loaded with superfoods, or enhanced with prebiotics, our activated foods contain combinations of essential nutrients, giving your body what it needs!"

All the popcorn has some kind of superfood or some kind of activated element to them, and in addition, they aren't as smothered in sugar as some brands, making them actually a fairly healthy, lighter choice.  I still find most of them just "ok" at room temperature, but like most popcorn, I find I like it considerably more frozen. 

Salsa Verde, Tandoori Turmeric, Boomchickapop Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn.

For an event I hosted, I brought in the popcorn again.  The catering team provided two savory options that I'd had before: salsa verde and tandoori turmeric.  But are quite flavorful, and I find you need to be in the mood for them, if that makes sense.

Salsa Verde:

"Our Salsa Verde Superfood Popcorn combines our two favorite snacks. Every bite is bursting with fresh ground spices, aromatic herbs and zesty chilies. Plus, we have added the superfood goodness of spirulina, chlorella, kale and fermented black garlic to really take your snacking to a whole new level."

This one doesn't necessarily scream "salsa" but, its quote savory and kinda vegetable-y.  You can kinda taste the spinach, kale, garlic, onion, etc.  This isn't really a popcorn that I'd ever imagine sitting on the couch watching a movie and munching on, but, it would pair nicely with a burrito ...

It is an interesting popcorn, no question, but I won't really seek it out.

***.

Tandoori Turmeric:

"Our Tandoori Turmeric Superfood Popcorn may taste like your favorite dish out of New Delhi because every bite is bursting with freshly ground spices like coriander, cumin, and chilies. Plus, we have added the superfood goodness of turmeric and ashwagandha extracts, dulse and fermented black cumin to really take your snacking to a whole new level. "

The tandoori turmeric is similar to the salsa verde in that it doesn't seem like a casual, everyday popcorn.  Strong flavors, lots of veggies and herbs, spices.  

Again, not one I'd just randomly munch on, but I think it would go well with some indian food.  ***.

The sweet selection was from Angie's Boomchickapop, their totally delicious Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn, which I've reviewed before.

Cheeze Please Activated MCT Popcorn.

"Our Cheeze Please MCT Popcorn is a dairy free cheezy blend of veggies, sprouted seeds, and savory spice. Smile, this is plant based!  MCT Oil is a unique extract of coconut oil, rich in MCTs and an excellent source of high energy fuel for your body and brain. MCTs absorb rapidly, so you don’t have to work so hard… whoo hoo!"

This is a vegan offering, so the "cheeze" flavor comes from nutritional yeast, the color mostly comes from carrot, bell pepper, and turmeric.

I hadn't ever had this one before, so I was excited to try a new (to me) flavor.  

I liked it considerably more than the previous flavors.  Sure, it was basically just a mainstream flavor, it did indeed taste cheesy.  Mild cheese flavor, no orange fingers, I liked it.   I would never guess it wasn't real cheese.

***+.

Original Review, July 2019

I'm addicted to snack foods, and popcorn in particular.  You know this, if you read this blog on Fridays.

I have no shame, and regularly go for the most decadent, least healthy versions of popcorn that there are.  But of course, I would prefer to find ways to enjoy my snack food of choice that are perhaps a bit better for me.

Which is where Living Intentions enters the picture.

"Our activated foods merge sprouted, plant based superfoods, with prebiotics and healing herbs to create foods with extra-ordinary nutritional benefits that give your body what it needs."  

Uh, yeah.  I wasn't so sure about this either.   But still, I learned more.

Living Intentions makes many product lines, all based on superfoods or sprouted foods: superfood popcorn, cereal, and nut blends.  Sprouted trail mix, nuts, seeds.

Popcorn

"It all started with us using popcorn at home as a vehicle to give superfoods to our children and quickly turned into an exciting product idea. Now available for our customers, our Activated Superfood Popcorn is bursting with amazing flavors, nutrient-dense superfoods and the power of live enzymes. Your favorite movie-time snack just entered a higher plane of consciousness!"

The product I wanted to try was the popcorn, as I'm a bit of a popcorn addict, and am always eager to try new brands.  And if they take a healthy slant on it, much, much better for me!

Savory

Living Intentions makes only two varieties of savory popcorn, both far more exciting than your standard plain, butter, or even cheesy popcorn.

Salsa Verde.

"Our Salsa Verde Superfood Popcorn may taste like it came from your abuela’s kitchen because every bite is bursting with fresh ground spices, aromatic herbs and zesty chilies. But it also contains the superfood goodness of spirulina, chlorella and kale."

I started with the stunning green salsa verde popcorn.  It sounded very healthy.

It was ... quite zesty.  Kinda Mexican-ish, as you'd imagine.  I tasted a cheesy quality, which I wasn't expecting, but I later saw nutritional yeast in the ingredients, which is surely where it came from.  It didn't actually taste too healthy, just, zesty and cheesy.

If the idea of a Mexican salsa style popcorn sounds good to you, try it.  It wasn't quite the thing I wanted though.

Tandoori Turmeric.

"Our Tandoori Turmeric Superfood Popcorn may taste like your favorite dish out of New Delhi because every bite is bursting with fresh spices like coriander, cumin and chilies. But it also contains the superfood goodness of turmeric and ashwagandha extract."

I moved on to the bright orange Tandori Turmeric, just to try it.  I knew it wasn't likely to be my spice blend of choice, and, well, it wasn't.  It was very flavored though, so if the thought of tandoori spices in your popcorn appeals, try it!

 Sweet

They also make two sweet offerings, and again, no basic kettle corn here.

Cinnamon Twist.

"Our Cinnamon Twist Superfood Popcorn may taste like a cheat-day pastry, but every bite is bursting with the superfood goodness of maca root, mesquite pod and maple."

Ok, now we were talking: a sweet offering!

The "twist" on the Cinnamon Twist might have referred to ... the maple sugar? The maca root?  I'm not sure.  I was weary of the nutmeg in it, but luckily it wasn't overpowering.

This was just a sweet cinnamon popcorn, with a bit of an aftertaste from Stevia.  I didn't taste the maple sugar though, sadly.

Overall, a bit of a letdown, and not something I'd get again.

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Zapp's Potato Chips

It wasn't until I moved to California that I encountered Zapp's potato chips, although they originate from New Orleans.

Zapp's makes kettle chips, fried in peanut oil rather than standard vegetable oil, and don't wash off the starch, which they say gives them a more unique potato flavor.  All their chips do not use preservatives or MSG, and are gluten-free.  The company started out independent, but is now owned by the same parent company as Utz and Dirty Chips, both of which seem more standard "kettle" style to me than Zapp's.

Anyway, you know I like to try a lot of chips.  Zapp's stands out from the pack, primarily because their flavors are all ... interesting, mostly Cajun inspired.  Their top seller is "Spicy Cajun Crawtators" and the very first flavor I tried is called "Voodoo". 

Kettle Chips

"Zapp’s New Orleans Kettle Style Potato chips are kettle cooked, one batch at a time. This process, combined with our premium ingredients, results in a crunchier, tastier potato chip that has a cult following!"

Zapp's makes pretty classic kettle chips - super fried, super crispy, and, sadly, just not a style I tend to prefer. 

Voodoo.

"Not many know that the delicious blend of spices that make Zapp's Voodoo Chips one-of-a-kind came from a happy accident. Sweet, spicy and uniquely Cajun, Voodoo Chips will put a spell on your with their salt and vinegar flavor with just the right hint of smoky BBQ sweetness."

This flavor has some history, or so they say.  "Voodoo flavor is a result of an accident.  An employee was moving a pallet of spices off the top shelf and dropped it.  While cleaning up, someone stuck their finger into the mixture of about 5 flavors and pronounced it great."

They were a good kettle style, but the flavor really didn't do it for me.  Sorta sweet.  And a bit onion-y.  Definitely not my thing.

**+.

Bar-B-Que Ranch Chips.

These sounded awful ... bar-b-que and ranch in one?  But, I liked them more than I expected.  It was like a ranch, but more flavorful.  My favorite of all of their chips, and I easily finished this bag.

***+.

Hotter 'N Hot Jalapeño.

"Kick up your snack time a notch with our Hotter ‘n Hot Jalapeño chips. They’re spicy, tangy and the perfect treat for those who like a little heat in their snacks."

The good?  Nice kick from jalapeño.  Actually really a nice flavor.

The meh?  Everything else about them.  I'm just not into kettle chips like this it seems.  They also tasted stale, even though not expired.

**+.

Voodoo Heat.

"Our voodoo chips will put a spell on you! The delicious result of a happy accident, these chips have a unique flavor that features salt and vinegar with a smoky BBQ sweetness and an extra spicy, jalapeño kick. Trust us on this one."

I'm glad I didn't read my previous review, as it deemed the regular Voodoo not my thing.  While I still don't really like Zapp's very fried thin crispy kettle chip style, I did find this flavor totally fascinating.  It is the same base Voodoo flavor, but, amped up with jalapeño, hence the "Heat" part of the name.

I got a hit of salt & vinegar, a bit of zing, and the sweetness of a bbq chip on the finish.  It was complex, not muddled, and really did make me reach for another chip, even though I wasn't into the chip form factor itself.

**** for the flavor, *** overall though.  

Mesquite Bar-B-Que.

"BBQ lovers, rejoice! Our Mesquite BBQ chips are a snack that actually tastes like your favorite barbecue items. There’s sweet flavors, a slight hint of spice and plenty of real-deal smokey flavors, all in one bite-sized chip."

I tried one more time with Zapp's, going for the mesquite bar-b-que, as I do love bbq chips (probably my favorite flavor), and the smokier, the better.

These were ... eh.  Again, just didn't love the Zapp's base chip, and again, tasted kinda stale, even though not expired.  The flavor was fine, intense, a bit smoky.

But overall, another not for me.

**.

Limited Edition Flavors

 Zapp's goes a bit overboard with making special Limited Edition flavors, that always sound intriguing, but I think are limited for a reason.  You don't generally want to try them more than once, but how do you NOT give Smoked Bacon and Cheddar chips at least one try?

Creole Onion Kettle Chips.

Again, decent kettle style chip, but the flavor wasn't that interesting.  Didn't get any "creole" spicing, it certainly wasn't spicy.  It did have slight onion flavor.  But overall, not interesting at all.

**+.

Limited Edition Honey Mustard.

I like honey mustard.  I like kettle chips.  But, it turns out, I don't like honey mustard kettle chips.

They were good, thin, crisp chips. And they did truly taste like honey mustard.  Which ... just totally didn't work for me.

*+.

Limited Edition Cheddar & Smoked Bacon Chips.

And again, same classic kettle style.  Nice and crispy.

But, that is expected for Zapp's.  What I didn't know what to expect was what cheddar and bacon chip would actually taste like.  I bought these solely based on how ridiculous the flavor idea sounded to me.  The answer ... well, they taste like bacon.  For real.  Ojan took one bite, and proclaimed, "it really does taste like bacon! I'm surprised!".  The bacon flavor was intense, especially on the finish.  You were left with a very strong bacon flavor, lingering long after the chip was gone.  And, quite honestly, long after you wanted the flavor to be gone.

I didn't pick up on much cheddar flavor, although, honestly, I'm not really sure I wanted to taste bacon and cheese.  I know they go together as hamburger toppings, but somehow, they don't sound great together in a chip.

These reminded me of chicarrones, in the crispy, porky, sort of way.  Very similar flavor, although obviously more subtle in the chips due to the potato aspect.  I thought they were interesting, but only in a research sort of way, not because I wanted more.

Ojan however liked them, saying they were "kinda addictive".  He had been craving bacon only a few hours prior to eating these, and declared that the chips had indeed satisfied his bacon craving.

**+.

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Flour & Branch

New bakeries are not particularly common in San Francisco, at least, not these days.  There are plenty of established classics (Tartine, Jane, b. Patisserie, etc), and of course there was a wave of places like Craftsman & Wolves that offered up innovative new items a few years ago, but, particularly in the setting of the pandemic, new bakeries aren't exactly cropping up.  So you can be sure that when one does, given my love of baked goods, I'm very, very interested.

"Flour & Branch delivers joyful bakes that will bring delight to every day and accompany your most treasured moments. Our treats transport you back to some of your best, most comforting memories of food, while giving you a new taste experience that stays with you."

Flour & Branch started in 2020, I think as delivery only (including Nationwide on Goldbelly), and quickly became known for the comforting nostalgic treats, but, with a spin.  Think PB&J, but as a stuffed soft cookie.  Think innovative stuffed french toasts.  S'mores transformed into cookies.  And so on.

"Flour & Branch strives to evoke those perfect childhood memories and combine them with grown-up sensibilities, refined techniques, and carefully selected ingredients to deliver unique and delicious experiences right to your door. "

And while these are treats and baked goods after all, the baker does care about quality and ingredient integrity, using natural, organic, etc ingredients when possible.  Reviews were very strong, and even though I'm not a general cookie person, these large, stuffed, soft cookies with fascinating fillings and topping most certainly caught my attention.

However, this is a story of woe, as my first visit was a major disappointment.   I reserved a Mystery Bag from Too Good To Go, an app the helps prevent food waste by allowing businesses to sell products that would often go to waste (usually at the end of the day) at a discounted price.  I've had some incredible success with the app - preventing waste, trying new places, meeting lovely merchants, getting delicious food, and saving money in the process (you can read some of my reviews here).  I was thrilled, thrilled, thrilled when I saw Flour & Branch join the program, with bags offered every day in the last 15 mins they were open.  Reddit users shared their bags of cookies.  I was in, but it took several weeks before I "scored" a bag - desirable ones like this go fast!

I eagerly went to claim my bag, sold as a "baked goods" bag (businesses can list "meals", "baked goods", "groceries", etc), which cost me $3.99, and was supposed to be valued at at least $12.99.  Most people seemed to get 3-4 cookies in their bags (usually $4 each).  I was excited and looking forward to the surprise treats.  And ... well, I didn't get cookies.  Nor any baked goods of any kind.  I got a $10 sandwich.  My bag also did not meet the $12.99 value as advertised.  Sadness.  I'm glad to help prevent food waste (pre-made sandwich still sitting around at 4pm was clearly headed to the trash), and I do know it is always a gamble and I'm getting a "mystery bag" after all, but ... I felt pretty duped, and the pastry case was still full of baked goods, yet I was told none were an option (even after I explained that I reserved a "baked goods" bag, it should be >$10, and ... I was allergic to avocado, they key element of the sandwich).

Setting

After about a year and half of delivery only service, Flour & Branch was able to finally open a retail storefront on 3rd Street, near South Park.

Storefront.

Flour & Branch is located on 3rd Street, and given its brand new status, had plentiful signage out front welcoming us in.

Seating.

Inside has a small, very cute, seating area.  I loved the touches like real flowers on the tables.  It was light filled and really just a lovely setting.

Espresso Machine.

On one side of the counter is the espresso machine, which really matched the vibe well.

Pastries.

The rest of the counter has pastries on display, with savory ham & cheese croissants and some killer looking kouign amann (stuffed versions available!).

More Goodies.

The savory lineup also had a sandwich of the day, breads, and a savory bread pudding (!).  And then there were gorgeous morning buns totally covered in cinnamon sugar and ... zomg, the stuffed french toast, two versions.

Cookies.

The cookies however are what Flour & Branch is most known for, soft baked cookies, most filled with something.

4 of the regular menu cookies were available, along with a brand new addition, the Lemon Thyme Papi.

Drinks, Salad.

A ceasar salad and canned/bottled drinks fill the cold case.

Monster Mallows.

These were so aptly named, giant giant rice krispie-style treats, but made with different cereals (fruity pebbles, captain crunch, cocoa crisps) and other mixins.

Monster, indeed.

Savory

Garden Sandwich: Avocado + Slaw.  $10.

"House made ciabatta with avocado, tomato, cucumber, & mushroom slaw, garlic chickpea spread, and jalapeno cream cheese."

Sandwiches are pre-made.  There are only 2 on the menu, one vegetarian, one with meat.  This was the vegetarian one.

So, I clearly would never order this.  First, sandwiches, not my thing, even if on house made bread.  But second, I'm allergic to avocado.  And yet ... here I am.

Yup, I ordered a mystery bag from the bakery known for amazing cookies.  And I got ... a sandwich.  With avocado.  And I'm allergic.

I can't evaluate this in any way, but, here ya go, a sandwich.  I did peak inside and the avocado was already quite brown and the other ingredients wilted, which, makes sense if it was made before the lunch time crowd, and my pickup was at 4pm when they closed.

Again, sadness.

Off Menu Test: Pizza.

The staff member felt bad for me when I told her I was allergic to avocado, and offered me some of a test item they were working on: pizza.  It had a little artichoke, lots of salami, and ham.  A little cheese, not really much sauce.

It was loaded with toppings, but I didn't really care for the salami.  On the plus side, the crust had a nice chew to it.

Sadness, again.

Sweet

Cookies

"We bet our cookies are unlike anything you’ve ever had. They’re thick and crumbly, with that almost under-done type texture on the inside and made with organic and natural ingredients: Kerrygold grass-fed butter, artisan flour, farm-fresh eggs, the finest sugars and vanilla, and so much care. "

Ok, so, the cookies.  For years, I've never been much of one for cookies, considering them "lesser" desserts.  I mean, nothing wrong with a cookie, but why would I have "just" a cookie when I could have a slice of pie a la mode?  To me, for years, a cookie was only an extreme fallback, or, perhaps a component in another dessert (e.g. the cookie for an ice cream sandwich).  And then, the pandemic.  Somehow in the depths of pandemic I learned to appreciate a good cookie.  And Flour & Branch is most known for the cookies.  I was very excited to try one.

Flour & Branch makes 8 kinds of cookies, all super thick (and so heavy!), most filled, and many with interesting toppings.  The rainbow sprinkle topped stuffed pb&j "Stuffy" is of course a fun play on a classic pairing (think gooey peanut butter and jam inside!), Nutella lovers will go for the other "Stuffy", filled with, yup, plenty of Nutella.  I was most drawn in by the Birthday Cake, which, doesn't have expected sprinkles on it (those are on the pb&j), but instead comes topped with a candy coated gummy bear, and the sprinkles are inside, along with white chocolate chunks.  The Nutty Butter also called out to me, another with white chocolate chunks, but also a fascinating combo of rum, macadamia nuts, and peanut butter.  Or the The Salty Sombitch (yes, real name), which has butterscotch chips, and is topped with toffee and sea salt.  Oh, chocolate fiends would most likely go for the brownie like Brookie (which also has peanut butter chips) or the Chipper, a play on a classic chocolate chip that includes ground espresso, rice crisps, and ... a marshmallow on top.

All cookies are $4 each, and they recommend heating them up.

The Salty Sombitch. $4.

"Crisp and chewy, this rich, buttery cookie is bursting with Guittard butterscotch chips and topped with chocolate coated toffee and a dash of Maldon sea salt. Perfect for dunking in cold milk or hot coffee."

I would have had a hard time picking my top choice of cookie, but the Salty Sombitch was in my likely top 3, so I was glad to not have to pick and to get one in my next TGTG bag.

I knew these were thick cookies, but I was still shocked when I picked up the bag containing the cookie.  It was so heavy I expected multiple cookies, but, nope, just one!  

It really was a fabulous cookie.  Rich and buttery, just as described.  Wow, what a decadent tasting base.  And yes, lightly crisp around the edges, slightly chewy, and really quite soft.  Texture, nailed.  It was quite sweet, butterscotch after all is very sweet, but the butter and sugar balanced each other well.  

The only slight miss to me was the toffee component.  The toffee element was just the bit you see here on top, a little dark chocolate toffee almond brittle, and it was easily lost amongst the rest of the cookie.  Most bites did not include it, and, when they did, it wasn't necessarily a pairing that made sense ... butterscotch and toffee?  Nothing wrong with it, but, not what I'd pick.

Anyway, it still was a fantastic cookie, normally $4, which seems entirely appropriate for such a large and high quality item.  I'll gladly try more cookies from Flour & Branch!

This cookie was great at room temp, and fabulous when warmed up.  Truly an incredible cookie.

****+.

Other

In addition to the pastries, Flour & Branch has two "Monster Mallows", basically, huge Rice Krispie style treats, made with Captain Crunch instead, and either Fruity Pebbles or Cocoa Crisps, and a drizzle on top.

Captain Fruity Monster Mallow. $10.

"The treat that never ends. The softest, butteriest, stickiest marshmallow treat, filled with Fruity Pebbles, Captain Crunch, and whole mini marshmallows. "

Well, I don't care for rice krispie treats.  I don't care for Fruity Pebbles.  But, this was picked for me in my second TGTG bag, and hey, I was willing to give it a try.  It was, as named, a Monster, no question.  It was marked with a date 22 days prior, so, clearly this was not fresh, as expected from TGTG, but older than I really thought it should be.

It was ... um, wow, sweet.  Cloying sweet.  All I tasted was sweet.  Ok, yes, fruity too.  Basically, well, it tasted like Fruity Pebbles bound together with marshmallows, exactly what it was.  I liked the texture, it was soft and easy to rip apart, but, wow, sweet.  Again though, krispie treats aren't really my thing, nor are Fruity Pebbles.

These are sold for $10 normally, which seemed really quite high.  Yes, it was big, but, $10?  Not sure I understand that, particularly as this isn't a case of expensive ingredients (no high end Guittard in here), nor labor intensive ... 

**+ I guess?  I dunno, not my thing, but well made for a treat like this?

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