Review: Lay's - New York Reuben Potato Chips

Lay's New York Reuben Potato Chips feature the brand's classic potato chip with a Reuben sandwich seasoning.

It's one of the four finalists of the 2015 Do Us A Flavor contest that Lay's has been hosting in recent years.

I picked up a 7.75-oz. bag for $2.69.

After my less than stellar experience with the last sandwich-inspired flavor I tried, I was a little wary of popping open this bag. Once burned, twice shy, as they say.

Perhaps it was due to my rather low expectations heading in, but I found the New York Reuben Potato Chips to be fantastically executed and really delicious. (I know; I was shocked, too.)

Upon opening the bag, there's the strong and distinctive smell of sauerkraut. I was surprised but pleased that these chips actually smelled like their namesake flavor, considering the first two flavors that I tried didn't have much aroma (or a semi-bad one, in the case of the Kettle Cooked Greektown Gyro flavor).

Biting into a chip, the first thing I tasted was the sour bite of sauerkraut. It's not as tart as you would get in salt and vinegar chips but it's definitely noticeable. I wouldn't try this flavor if you're not a fan of the sour and savory combination.

After the bite of the sauerkraut, the next thing I tasted was the pastrami component. The chips do a remarkable job of capturing the slightly sweet, cured, and peppery flavor of the meat without any bizarre aftertaste. It's really quite tasty and thankfully not one bit weird.

There's an almost licorice-like undertone to the whole affair, which readily brings to mind the rye bread on which a Reuben is famously assembled. It's very light and inoffensive (in case you don't like that licorice flavor) but gives a depth to the seasoning that really ties everything together.

At the tail end, there's a light creaminess that lingers as an aftertaste. It really brings to mind Russian dressing and is a pleasant counterbalance to the initial tart taste of the sauerkraut.

What really impressed me about these chips is the fact that all flavors of a Reuben sandwich are represented in the seasoning. Unlike with the two previous flavors I tried, none of the "ingredients" felt like they were missing. These aren't simply sauerkraut and pastrami-flavored potato chips.

Overall, I really enjoyed the New York Reuben Potato Chips. Lay's did a fantastic job of translating a classic deli sandwich into chip form, and did so with a complex and well-rounded seasoning that hits the nail on all four sandwich components. Of the three 2015 Do Us A Flavor finalists I've tried thus far, this is hands down my favorite.

Nutritional Info - Lay's New York Reuben Potato Chips
Serving Size - 1 oz (28g / about 15 chips)
Calories - 150 (from Fat - 90)
Fat - 10g (Saturated Fat - 1.5g)
Sodium - 150mg
Carbs - 16g (Sugar - 1g)
Protein - 2g
 
By Renee.