Sticky glazed pork is char siu, essentially. That lacquered, caramelised, sweet-savoury Chinese barbecue pork that glistens in restaurant windows and defines Cantonese cooking. Putting it on crisps is ambitious. Putting it on hand-cooked crisps is M&S at their most confident.
The ambition pays off.
The glaze character is captured beautifully. Sweetness from honey or maltose, savoury depth from meat, that lacquered quality that makes char siu char siu. There’s complexity here, layers of flavour that unfold rather than hitting all at once.
The hand-cooked base is essential. This flavouring needs substantial crisps to carry it. The thick-cut, irregular texture provides exactly that, structure matching ambition.
Chinese restaurant memories
These taste like Chinatown. Like Sunday lunches at dim sum restaurants. Like the specific experience of eating char siu alongside steamed rice and greens. The flavour triggers memories for anyone who has them.
Peak M&S achievement
This is what M&S can do when they’re genuinely trying. Specific, sophisticated, delicious. A crisp worth seeking out, worth paying the M&S premium for.
One of the best products in their range. Possibly one of the best flavoured crisps available anywhere.
