Zapp’s chips, available in snack size from Potbelly (Alicia Mazzara).

Dish of the Week: Zapp’s chips

The supermarket aisle is crowded with many a mediocre potato chip, but every once in a while, a truly great chip comes along. Zapp’s, started in Gramercy, Louisiana by Ron Zappe, produces a singularly crisp and flavorful potato chip. Unlike many brands, Zapp’s actually taste like potatoes, rather than a cardboard-like wafer of sodium and artificial flavoring. (Don’t get us wrong, we enjoy the occasional can of Pringles, but they’re apparently not potatoes.) Zapp’s kettle cooks their thick-cut chips in peanut oil for extra crunch and lightly tosses them in funky Southern-style seasonings such as Cajun Crawtator, Cajun Dill, and Hotter ‘n Hot Jalapeno.

This summer, Potbelly switched to Zapp’s chips, changing (my) lunch hour forever. Unfortunately, Potbelly doesn’t carry Zapp’s full line of flavors, but you can still try the classic Regular, Salt and Vinegar, Sour Cream and Creole Onion, or Mesquite BBQ. Salt and Vinegar is tangy without being overpowering, but our favorite is the mild and creamy Sour Cream and Creole Onion. Both flavors do an excellent job of letting the delicious potato-y flavor shine through. More exotic flavors have been glimpsed at Cost Plus World Market or can be ordered from Zapp’s website or by calling 1-800-HOT-CHIP.