Zapp's Voodoo New Orleans Kettle Style

So I had dinner with some friends at Bourbon Street and saw Zapp's Voodoo Gumbo chips on the menu.  I was intrigued and super awkwardly asked what they were and what Voodoo meant.  The waiter had no idea why they were Voodoo and maybe hated that I asked about something as simple as chips.  I'll have you know, sir, chips are serious business.  I still don't know why, but that's ok!  In the end, since they came in a bag (which seems kind of weird as an appetizer, but whatever, it worked for me), I decided to get them.

The bag itself is covered in... voodoo dolls I guess?  Oh yeah - on closer inspection they are definitely voodoo dolls.  Will I be cursed after eating these?  It also doesn't say Gumbo anywhere on it so I'm forced to assume this is a random bag of Voodoo chips and not Gumbo flavored, as I had hoped.

But what do they taste like?
They taste... geez what the heck do these taste like?  They're good!  Surprisingly so!  Not too greasy which gets points in my book.  There's kind of a vinegar kick to them and then other seasonings as well.  After the first bit of flavor it calms down and there's sort of a sweetness to it.  Almost like a sweet salt and vinegar chip?  But there's also a little BBQ flavor in there as well.  Like a salt and vinegar sweet meat chip?  That... that sounds horribly unappealing I realize, but it actually tastes pretty damn good.

There are a lot of flavors in every bite, but it works well together.  And it doesn't really stick around except for a mild aftertaste that goes away with some water.  One problem - I ate nearly half the bag trying to figure out what the heck the flavor was (hell - I'm still trying to identify some flavoring goodness) so it didn't leave me very many to just enjoy.  As I ate more, that first hit of vinegar flavor mellowed and the rest of the bag tasted pretty sweet.  The last bits tasted a little burnt, but I think that's because it was mostly left over edge chips pieces that had broken off.

I'd definitely get these again I think.  It's like salt and vinegar with a twist!  Also, props to Zapp's because I really wasn't sure what to expect.  Something delicious?  Something horrible?  They delivered a mighty fine chip here, though the flavor doesn't last super long.  I'd be interested to try other Zapp's brands, but I've never seen them anywhere else other than this restaurant.  I guess I'll have to go back to Bourbon Street and have delicious food.  What a hardship!

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