Getting Lay's in Thailand

I blame the hunger. Otherwise, I would have played it safe. I would not have thrown caution to the wind. The hunger clearly addled my mind. How else can I explain the choice I made in Thailand while getting Lay's?

Some people claim that when you travel internationally, you should have an adventurous palate. Don't be picky and stick with what you can get at home.

I think it's extra fun to find the foreign spin on familiar foods. Hello, Starbucks Asian Dolce Latte, my new caffeinated friend. Only available in Asia Pacific, it's a double shot of espresso with condensed milk, steamed milk and espresso whipped cream. It tastes remarkably similar to Vietnamese coffee. See how I've justified visiting an American coffee chain while halfway around on the other side of the world? You can thank me later (preferably with Starbucks cards).

But I digress... Where was I? Oh yes, the foreign spin on familiar foods.

Enter the vast variety of Lay's Potato Chips I discovered in Chiang Mai, Thailand. First up was the traditional Original flavor I find in American stores.



Original Flavor
Accounts for 79% of the American market

Next were some flavors I recognized but the pictures showed them to be slightly different than their American counterparts.

Sour Cream &Onion
Notice that it's a regular onion, not a green onion.



Extra Barbecue
It's not Texas Barbecue; it's shish kebob!
The extra must be all the veggies.

Then, some truly Asian flavors started popping up.



Cheese and Chili
Chili = Thai Sriracha Sauce, not a hearty bowl of beef chili





Nori Seaweed
But perhaps not the rest of the sushi components pictured?

Hot Chili Squid
They can copy the squid flavor, but can they capture the squid texture?



Lobster Hot Plate
Not to be confused with a tasty Lobster Roll

Hot and Spicy Crab
No shell cracking utensils needed

That's a long list of seafood-inspired crisps.  Finally, there's the surprise flavor that should have been familiar to me, but I had never heard of it.

American Cheesy Paprika
Note the Stars and Stripes on the bag?


Has Cheesy Paprika taken over the United States since I last departed? There are tons of Thais walking around thinking how American these Cheesy Paprika Lay's taste.


So, what did I choose in the end? My sense of adventure led me to Hot and Spicy Crab. My reasoning was something along the lines of "I liked the Chili Crab in Singapore. Maybe this will taste just like that." I will give them credit for getting the crab flavor into every bite. I just couldn't wrap my head around it. True to the "Betcha can't eat just one" advertising, I had to keep trying it just to make absolutely sure I didn't like it. Partway through the bag, the verdict was in. Into the rubbish it went.

What flavor Lay's would you try? Any interesting varieties where you are?


This post is part of Travel Photo Thursday on Budget Travelers Sandbox. Check it out for more around-the-world travel inspiration.