Teriyaki is a flavour that’s travelled far from Japan. Through America, through global fast food, into the collective consciousness as “sweet soy sauce on things.” Aldi’s interpretation sits firmly in this internationalised tradition.
The flavour is sweet and savoury in the teriyaki balance. Soy depth, sugar sweetness, something approaching the glossy glaze that makes teriyaki teriyaki. It’s not authentic Japanese cooking. It’s teriyaki as Western snacks understand it.
That’s not a criticism. Teriyaki-flavoured things are their own category now, distinct from actual teriyaki dishes. Aldi’s crisps fit this category well, delivering the expected flavour profile on a premium hand-cooked base.
The sweetness might surprise if you’re expecting savoury crisps. Teriyaki is sweet. These are sweet. Accept the concept or choose something else.
Competent East-West fusion from an unexpected source.
