Junk Food Nation, it just took me almost 1.5 hrs to get to work on the GODDAMN SUBWAY/METRO here in DC.  MOTHER #$%^&*(. Because of random track problems, I watched train after train pass by that were crammed like sardines as Metro tried to make up the difference. And I am NOT one of those people who likes to press their genitals against other people just to get to work on time.  Gross.

Anyways, I had PLENTY of time to think while waiting on the platform:

1) Why does the US keep getting the beatdown in the Ryder Cup? For the uninformed, the Ryder Cup is a US vs. UK team golf match that happens every two years. Also, the US has lost the past three Ryder Cups, and this last one was NOT. CLOSE. What is happening??  Someone who knows golf, explain this to me in the comments. Please.

2) The baseball regular season wrapped up, and your AL leader in home runs was Nelson Cruz with 40, and the NL was Giancarlo Stanton with 37. Do you remember when Bonds hit 73 in one season? I mean, we all know the PED story now, but how did not ALL think he wasn’t juicing at the time?  73??? Let me tell you, as a baseball fan, Giancarlo Stanton is a BEAST. He’s a great player and hits the ball hard and far.  Barry Bonds hit DOUBLE the home runs he did in one season? It’s a little ridiculous when you think about it.  It’d be like Peyton Manning having a record 55 TDs and this other dude had 115 TDs.  WTF.

3) Postseason baseball begins tonight with the first one-off between the A’s and Royals, and despite all of my griping about the changes made in baseball, I *WILL* be watching Jon Lester and Jame Shields battle it out tonight. I just WILL. If you wanna talk during the game, I’ll be there on Twitter.  Let’s chat.

4) Finally, let’s revisit my baseball predictions, my correct picks in BOLD:

Me: AL East-Red Sox, AL Central-Tigers, AL West-A’s, AL WC1-Yanks, AL WC2-Indians

Actual: AL East-Orioles, AL Central-Tigers, AL West-Angels, AL WC1-Royals, AL WC2-A’s

Well, it’s not surprise that got everything mostly wrong here.  Only one correct pick – the Tigers.  Ugh.

Me: NL East-Nats, NL Central-Cards, NL West-Dodgers, NL WC1-Pirates, NL WC2-Giants

Actual: NL East-Nats, NL Central-Cards, NL West-Dodgers, NL WC1-Pirates, NL WC2-Giants

WELL HOLY SH*T.  I GOT EVERY SINGLE PICK RIGHT. Well, well, well. Looks like it’s time to hit Vegas, playas.

Today’s junk food: Lay’s Thai Sweet Chili Stax!

Lay’s Thai Sweet Chili Stax were purchased around the same time I bought the Korean BBQ Stax, and I’m happy that more chips are attempting to take on Asian flavors now.  Soy and potato, *I* think, just go hand in hand. Give me umami or give me death.

The only comparisons I have for these Lay’s Thai Sweet Chili Stax, however, are the Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos and the most recent Sweet Chili Tango Pringles (which I loved).  I enjoy Thai food, so I’m curious to see how “thai” these are.

When I opened this can of Lay’s Thai Sweet Chili Stax …they smelled sort of fishy.  That was my first impression. Fishy…or like dried cuttlefish, for anyone who understands what that is.  It’s sort of a sweet fish jerky smell.  I know that sounds gross, but its the same flavor/smell I’ve recognized in a LOT of foreign Lay’s chips, like the Max Seafood chips, the Hot Chili Squid chips, and the Lobster Hot Plate Chips.

These Lay’s Thai Sweet Chili Stax were very cool looking – the red and green speckles really stood out.  Plus, there was plenty of powder, which was good.  I placed some Stax into my mouth and….hmm.  These were interesting.

The flavor I first got was one of a sort of savory fishiness – very much like fish sauce used in almost all of Thai cooking.  Layered on top of that was definitely the bright tanginess of the tomato powder.  That plus a nice garlic and onion flavor SORT of reminded me of the flavor of pad thai…these definitely had a sweet chili flavor.

On the back end of these Lay’s Thai Sweet Chili Stax there was a tiny bit of heat…enough to make my tongue just SLIGHT SLIGHT tingle, but I certainly would not call these spicy.  They were pretty herbaceous – I definitely picked up the Thai sweet basil.

While the Sweet Chili Tango Pringles immediately reminded me of the sauce you did spring rolls in when you go to Thai restaurants; these did not.  Instead, these reminded me more of the type of flavor that exists in Thai Drunken Noodles – sweet chili, sweet Thai basil, savory tomato and onion.  Maybe I was imagining it, but this Thai Drunken Noodles flavor was aided by what I thought was a beef flavor lingering in the background….or maybe my mind was filling in the blanks?

All in all, pretty good.  I’d eat them again, even if I might not buy them again.  Good, not great.

PURCHASED AT: Walmart, Germantown, MD

COST: $1.18

Thoughts? Please comment below or hit me up on Twitter @junkfoodguy or LIKE my Facebook Page and message me there. I also have Google+!! Let’s hang out.

Sincerely,

Junk Food Guy