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One evening, I was poking around the kitchen for something to munch on when I spotted this bag of chips in the pantry. It was too dark for me to see what it really was, but the “salt and vinegar” label caught my eye and told me all I really needed to know. I thought that whatever this is was would taste just like Oishi’s Cracklings, but it turned out to be far better. Though it had the same zesty vinegar taste, it also had the unusual texture of thicker, more crumbly Nova chips (wheat chips). I took a closer look at the bag and was surprised to see that I had finally gotten around to taste that Marty’s vegetarian chicharon I’ve been hearing so much about.

Most of the friends who have tried it says that vegetarian chicharon is incredibly addictive, and after that first bite I could see why. The day after, I couldn’t get the taste and texture out of my mind, and after trying so hard to ignore the cravings I eventually gave in and bought another bag. My boyfriend, however, isn’t the biggest fan. Although he agrees that they taste wonderful, he thinks that there’s no way chicharon can be made out of vegetables; after all, pork rinds is the very essence of the snack. I think what Marty’s was trying to achieve with the vegetarian chicharon is a healthier simulacra of the popular Pinoy delicacy. Though the texture is similar, the vegetable chicharon chips are in no way as thick as actual chicharon. The thing is, Marty’s is good enough to belong in its own ball park. You don’t buy it to replace the experience of eating actual chicharon; you buy it for the experience of eating vegetable chicharon (or salt-and-vinegar wheat chips, if you really can’t believe that “chicharon” and “vegetables” belong in the same sentence).

My only complaint about Marty’s Vegetarian Chicharon is that the bag is deceptively large. It’s about the size of a Lay’s Potato Chips bag and it looks like it can feed two, until you open it and realize that the chips don’t even fill up half of the bag. I wonder why they have to come in such large packaging. Maybe all the air inside keeps the chips well-preserved?

Marty’s vegetarian chicharon can be found at convenience stores and grocery stores anywhere. I’m not sure how much they’re selling for at groceries, but Mini Stop sells them for P21 a bag.

Tags: vegetable chicharon, vegetarian chicharon