This marks the third summer that Her’s is running its “Flavored by Philly” contest. Participants submit outlandish flavors, and Her’s will select three finalists to manufacture the chips and distribute throughout the region. Participants can vote for their favorite chip, and the winning small business will receive $10,000.
Last year I reviewed the Tomato Pie, Roast Pork and Korean BBQ and in my first year I reviewed the Wiz Wit, Long Hots and 215 Special Sauce. This was a tragedy as in the 2023 competition the Roast Pork lost and the Tomato Pie won. The Roast Pork was snatched away.
This year’s finalists are Cheese Ravioli, Special Hot Stromboli and Potato Pierogi.
The ranking is in the following order:
3. Cheese ravioli with marinara
This pie tastes similar to last year’s tomato pie. It definitely has some flavor, with a hint of cheese at the beginning, a hint of marinara sauce in the middle, and a bit more cheese at the end. It’s not bad, but I’m not sure how much variation it could have if the recipe had tomato sauce or pasta sauce in it.
explanation:
For over 55 years, Talluto’s has been perfecting the art of making pasta using time-honored techniques and locally sourced ingredients as generations have done. The pursuit of perfection began with this cheese ravioli, when Joseph Talluto sold his family’s home to buy a ravioli machine and open his first store in 1967. The rich flavors of the cheese ravioli and bright marinara sauce, combined with the hearty potato chips, are seriously mouth-watering.
2. Special Hot Stromboli
It’s a little tangy, but somewhere between a tomato pie and a cheese ravioli. It’s not bad, but it’s nothing special. It’s a basic potato chip that works in a vacuum, but the stromboli flavor doesn’t come through at all. I think it’s better than the cheese ravioli, the flavor lasts a little longer and isn’t too strong.
explanation:
Now in its third generation, family-owned and operated, Romano’s has been making Stromboli since 1950, when founder Nazzereno Romano invented the iconic sandwich right here in Philadelphia. It’s still made the exact same way today, so you can taste the rich history that goes into every Romano’s Stromboli. The flavor, cheesy tang and mild heat of our Special Hot Stromboli combine with our hearty potato chips to create the perfect texture in every chip.
1. Potato Pierogi
It starts off with a bit of sweetness and tartness, but then it settles into a robust potato chip flavor. This is the closest to an actual description, probably because potato dishes pair well together. You see what I mean? Potato pierogi go better with potato chips than stromboli. This is why I ranked it the highest of the three, because I feel like it fits the bill better than the others. The first two were a bit overpowered by the sauce flavor, but this one is a bit more complete.
explanation:
Mom Mom’s Kitchen started as a food stall in 2014 and after 10 years of serving home-style comfort food, they’ve become known and loved for their pierogi. Using a Polish recipe passed down from Mom-Mom herself, the mouthwatering handmade dumplings are still stuffed and pinched by hand today. The sweet, creamy and tangy taste of the pierogi combined with a hearty bowl of potato chips is heavenly.
Conclusion and Year-on-year cumulative rankings
to be honest
This year was the worst of the three years. Have we jumped the shark on “Philadelphia Flavor”? The flavor variety is limited and it’s a bit of a stretch when you get into stromboli and ravioli territory. I liked the pierogi, but I wouldn’t put it on Mount Rushmore for the first three years cumulative. The best flavors so far have been the roast pork or the long hots. These are enough to justify continued production and a place in Herr’s regular product line. The rest were just okay.
Re-ranking after 3 years:
Roasted Pork Long Hot with Provolone Korean BBQ Pierogi Tomato Pie Special Hot Stromboli Cheese Ravioli 215 Special Sauce
New flavours will be needed next year, maybe it’s time to bring in Kensington Kettle Cooked and Bridesburgh Body O’Dour, that would really make a difference and shake up the competition a bit, maybe even come with an online casino bonus and spend some money on PA online casinos.
