TAYTO PARK. Cheese & Onion Chocolate

Before leaving Ireland I am trying to see a lot of the major attractions, so a couple of weekends ago I went to Tayto Park, and I have to say I had a brilliant time. It might not be one of the more traditional attractions or a natural beauty like the Cliffs of Moher (which is a great day out btw) but it is well worth the visit!

Those of you who are not familiar with Ireland might be wondering what Tayto Park is. To answer that question I first have to explain what Taytos are. Taytos are basically the Irish version of Walkers Crisps. However Taytos are truly an Irish heritage and a lot of people are very proud of the brand - in fact, I nearly got kicked out of a bar for asking if I could have Walkers instead of Taytos...

So Tayto Park, as the name suggests, is a Tayto-themed amusement park and it's great. It is really well kept; has a variety of rides (including the new wooden roller coaster "The Cu Chulainn", which is terrifying!), and it even has a zoo! The only thing less impressive is that you have to pay to get in, and then pay for each of the rides as well.

However enough about the park, the real reason for my post is to talk about the rather unusual chocolate snack that I found in the gift shop... cheese and onion chocolate.

First of all I can't help but wonder who came up with this idea! It’s such a crazy combination. But I have to admit it was almost strangely enticing. I like cheese and onion crisps, I like chocolate, and both go well with a glass of wine. At the very least, I was convinced to try it with an open mind.

When I saw the pack, my impression was that I would be getting a chocolate bar with bits of cheese and onion crisps in it. On opening the pack, I was a little disappointed. No crisps or even crumbs of crisps in sight - the chocolate was completely smooth.

After biting into the chocolate, the first few chews really just tasted like normal chocolate. However the aftertaste... the aftertaste was distinctly cheese and onion. Im not a fan of distinct aftertastes especially when its a savoury/oniony aftertaste from a sweet product!

I wouldn’t say it was a bad taste experience just a bit weird. Maybe its one of those things you just have to get used to?! But in my experience if Im trying something that isnt healthy and it doesnt immediately wow me, then it's not worth the calories.

I wouldn’t dissuade you from trying it, but I wouldn’t whole-heartedly recommend it, I wouldn’t finish a bar and I wouldn’t buy it again, except maybe as a quirky gift.

In conclusion, love the park! Not sold on the chocolate.