Vick Knows Chips
“I’ve grown up in Melbourne my whole life, and lived in my parent’s Chinese takeaway, so food is a big part of my life! As a side, I mean, main hustle, I’m doing my PhD at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre where my research focuses on better understanding how the liver regenerates after liver injury/disease. With my science-y background, I guess I can be a bit methodical, so maybe that influences the way I go about my reviews as well. I try to incorporate all the sensory perceptions into each review, commenting on they look, smell, taste (obviously), texture/crunch of each chip that I try
I’ve always been a chip/savoury snack, back from the early days when I would hide packets of chippies in my study so mum wouldn’t know how much I was eating. I can never have more than a few squares of a chocolate block, but I can always finish a whole packet of chips. I love chips because apart from them being so addictive, it’s amazing how many flavours and texture/cuts you can have for a potato!
I also love trying chips from different countries as it’s a great reflection of flavours that are important/unique to a culture. Given all of this, I was very bored whilst on a holiday to South America and recovering from altitude sickness, so decided to start writing down all the thoughts I had of chips and popping it on Instagram @chipsconnoisseur. Through this account, I hope to be able to write honest and entertaining chip reviews, which helps people make informed choices the next time they’re in the supermarket chip aisle. Most importantly, I am on a mission to find the world’s best chippie, which is currently Boulder Canyon’s Hickory BBQ.”
Follow Vicky on her Insta here!
Brand: Torres
Flavour: Mediterranean Herbs
Place of Origin: Barcelona, Spain
Flavour description: A fragrant herby smell greets you when opened, and the initial flavour is quite light and not too salty. The chip has a similar flavour profile to roasted herbed potatoes (unsurprisingly) with strong flavours of rosemary and thyme. There are some oregano undertones as you crunch into more of the chips. Overall, despite the well-balanced herbaceous flavours, it is not too overpowering and the flavours don’t linger in your mouth for too long.
Texture/crunch: Despite the thin profile, there is a great crunch and density to each chip.
Packet aesthetics: Simple matte packaging is always a winner in my eyes.
Would I seek these out: Definitely! These are the perfect appetiser chip that doesn’t ruin your palette. Great as a pre-dinner snack.
Rating: 4.2/5
Brand: Pafritas
Flavour: Trufa Negra (Black Truffle)
Place of Origin: Spain
Flavour description: A strong olive oil smell with truffle undertones bursts out of the packet when opened. There is a nice salty flavour to start with and there is a good amount of umami brought upon by what I think is a subtle but lovely truffle flavour. Some of the chips definitely have a stronger truffle flavour, but it is never overpowering (like some truffle-flavoured chips). The truffle flavour balances out the simpler olive oil flavour of the chip. If you hover the chip in your mouth long enough, however, you can extract more of the truffle flavour out of it. Eventually the saltiness builds up, and whilst delicious, makes it a bit harder to finish the packet in one sitting.
Texture/crunch: A beautifully delicate chip that still has a super crunch to it. There are ample folds in the chip which enhances its crunchy profile.
Packet aesthetics: A cute truffle forager doggo on the packet makes it hard to go past a packet of these.
Would I seek these out: A very bougie/fancy chip choice, and it is evident that great care has gone into making these chippies. Wouldn’t go out of my way to get them, but would happily eat again!
Rating: 4/5
Brand: Bonilla a la Vista
Flavour: Olive Oil and Sea Salt
Place of Origin: A Coruña, Spain
Flavour description: A lovely light olive oil smell wafts out when you open the tin, and you’re met with one of the most delicate and beautiful potato chip one has seen. The chip is plain and simple, no frills. A slight hint of olive oil paired with a subtle saltiness that means the chip has enough flavour and isn’t too greasy. The perfect chip to pair with a beer or to kick start a nice dinner party with.
Texture/crunch: Incredible sharp crunch, very crisp and delicate. I don’t know what potatoes are used, but they must be beautiful.
Packet aesthetics: What can be more appealing that a 500 gram tin of chips with a beautiful sailing boat? A girl can dream of being on a boat off the coast of Spain in the peak of summer.
Would I seek these out: Yes!! I’m not the biggest plain chip fan, but these have converted me.
Rating: 4.5/5
Brand: Brets
Flavour: Camembert
Place of Origin: France
Flavour description: Truly smells like I’ve walked into the cheese/deli section of the markets when the packet is opened. An incredible cheesy saltiness hits you when you first crunch into the chip, followed by a subtle creaminess of Camembert. Again, like their mushroom chip, they replicate the true flavour of Camembert fantastically, and perhaps I’m thinking too hard, but they even manage to get cheese rind undertones into this chip. Quite salty but also not complaining.
Texture/crunch: Great crunch and crispiness – makes it almost seem like you’re having cheese on crackers. The ruffle cut makes it hold much more flavour on each chip! Some of the chips were also huge (see pic 3).
Packet aesthetics: Nice matte packaging and if a wheel of cheese on a chip packet doesn’t tempt you, I dunno what will.
Would I seek these out: 100%. These are not your cheapo cheese flavoured chip, it’s the real deal. Easily smashable and ate the whole packet in one sitting.
Rating: 4.5/5