Review: Lay's - Wavy West Coast Truffle Fries Potato Chips

Lay's Wavy West Coast Truffle Fries Potato Chips feature the brand's thick-cut wavy potato chips with a seasoning that purportedly tastes like restaurant truffle fries.

This flavor is one of the four finalists of Lay's 2015 Do Us a Flavor competition. You can read my reviews of the other flavors here: Southern Biscuits and Gravy, Greektown Gyro, New York Reuben.

A 7.75 oz. bag cost me $2.50.

I wasn't aware that truffle fries were a distinctively West Coast dish. I always just assumed they were fairly standard at gastropubs and other foodie-approved eateries but, then again, I live in Los Angeles so I may have just assumed that this was the norm throughout the country.

My first impression of these chips is that they have a very rich aroma. I don't know how else to describe it aside from "fatty," and perhaps that has to do with the duck and chicken fat listed in the ingredients (Note: West Coast Truffle Fries are definitely not for vegetarians).

Biting into a chip, the first taste I get is the salty, sharp taste of Parmesan cheese. There's a hint of garlic at the forefront as well, but no herbiness whatsoever like you'd expect from the green flecks in the seasoning.

The flavor then melts into a buttery savoriness that I can only describe as tasting like truffle. If you've never had truffle mushrooms before, they're a bit hard to describe. It's a little pungent, very rich, and musky in aroma. Lay's does a fairly good job of capturing the essence of truffle oil in these chips.

The chips leave a lingering taste of fat/richness on the tongue (most likely due to the duck and chicken fat), which makes it feel very decadent. Despite its super rich aftertaste, I actually felt like the chips were under-seasoned. I was just wanting more flavor overall, so I ended up eating more chips than I planned to.

Texture-wise, the chips are fairly thick-cut and sport wide ridges that hold a generous amount of seasoning. They're crunchy without being hard like kettle-style chips and maintain a bit of airiness.

Overall, Lay's Wavy West Coast Truffle Fries Potato Chips are a pretty enjoyable flavor. It succeeds in mimicking restaurant truffle fries, albeit the flavor was weaker than I would have wanted. If you prefer a milder, richer chip, then this is definitely the flavor for you, but I personally wouldn't pick it over the stellar New York Reuben flavor.

By Renee.

Nutritional Info - Lay's Wavy West Coast Truffle Fries Potato Chips
Serving Size - 1 oz (28g / about 15 chips)
Calories - 160 (from Fat - 90)
Fat - 10g (Saturated Fat - 1.5g)
Sodium - 150mg
Carbs - 15g (Sugar - 1g)
Protein - 2g