Are Doritos Really Worth Wasting Caviar On?

We can't talk about restaurant dining in 2024 without mentioning caviar. Restaurants seem to be serving it more than ever, while viral trends featuring the delicacy have been making the rounds online. In 2023, one trend, which can be credited to TikToker Danielle Zaslavsky, the self-proclaimed "caviar queen," saw the influencer pair caviar with Doritos. 

The Takeout loves a good high-low pairing experiment. Just see this caviar recipe taste test for caviar nachos, caviar on avocado toast, and caviar mixed with boxed mac and cheese. We've even endorsed pairing Doritos with Riesling. But this viral trend was a bridge too far.

The typical goal of culinary pairings is to find two foods that interact well with each other. For example, the Doritos and white wine team-up works because the spicy saltiness of the chips complements the sweet, tangy flavor profile of the wine. But when you combine Doritos with caviar, you're just adding salt to salt. Additionally, caviar usually has a mild flavor, informed by the type of fish — yes, let's remember, caviar is fish eggs, known as roe — from which the caviar was sourced. Bold flavors like those from Doritos will only serve to overwhelm the caviar, meaning you'll end up eating the expensive delicacy without really tasting it.

Chefs have perhaps already perfected the best methods for eating caviar. It's recommended that one's first bite be unadorned, so that you get an idea of the texture and the saltiness of the roe. After that, a typical tasting presentation will include a dollop of crème fraiche and small toast points to place the caviar atop; the traditional bread is melba toast, but any bread will do at home. Cleanse your palate after each taste of caviar with ice cold vodka, should you want to adhere to Russian tradition.

All the above tips will guide your taste buds towards experiencing the true flavor of your chosen caviar variety. However, if you're still determined to combine salty snacks with fish eggs, check out this guide for potato chip and caviar pairings. And if you don't want to spend big bucks on caviar, the Torres brand has you covered with its caviar flavored potato chips.