Travel by Potato Chip: Unusual Flavors From Around the World

Lay's is planning to announce a contest worth one million dollars for a new potato chip flavor. Before anyone thinks they have an original idea, they may want to think about what already exists on supermarket shelves around the world. Consider these flavors (and there were much more I found) before you think you have the best new flavor idea.

I can only guess how these flavors would match with potato chips but the pickled onion, octopus and hot & sour fish soup sound nice. Not sure about the fruity flavors like lychee and blueberry but the Vegemite flavor I understand is an acquired taste.

(photo: Walkers)

Worcester Sauce (England)

(photo: Walkers)

Pickled Onion (England)

(photo: SublightMonster/flickr)

Lychee (China)

(photo: hungaree.com)

Kiwi (China)

(photo: easternjourney.com)

Blueberry (China)

(photo: eurocash-06.com)

Kebab (France)

(photo: BeerChips.com)

Margarita (USA)

(Photo: BeerChips.com)

Beer (USA)

(photo: k0ks3nw4i)

Mint Mischief (India)

(photo: Pepsico)

Hot & Sour Fish Soup (China)

(photo: Smith's)

Vegemite (Australia)

(photo: Kosco)

Octopus (Korea)

(photo: Amazon)

Seaweed (Various Asian countries)

(photo: CNW Group)

Onion Rings N'Ketchup (Canada)

(photo: Global Partners MBA)

Lemon Tea (China)

(photo: Real McCoy)

Hot Dog (Australia)

(photo: Carrefour Indonesia)

Rasa Salmon Teriyaki (Indonesia)

Overlook Grill at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

Overlook Omelet
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

The Overlook Grill is one of the casual dining restaurants at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas but this one sitting adjacent to the hotel's Boulevard Pool is the perfect option for those enjoying the poolside atmosphere. Indoor and outdoor dining is available but depending on the Vegas temperature, indoor may be the better choice.

There's nothing fancy option the menu choices. It's straightforward American cuisine. But this is the Cosmopolitan so there are a couple of dishes with a twist such as the Red Velvet Waffle, Scotch Egg or Charred Beef Tenderloin Salad with Thai Vinaigrette.

For breakfast this a.m., my choice is Overlook Omelet ($17, prepared with bacon, tomatoes, avocado and monterey jack cheese) with a fresh squeezed orange ($4) and coffee ($4). This has to be most fluffiest prepared omelet I have ever seen. The velvety texture of the egg in each bite envelops its fresh ingredients. This omelet is such a standout that it elevates the standard sides of fried potatoes and English muffin.

Click HERE to view the menu. The Overlook Grill at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas located on Level 4 of the Eastside Tower. Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-4pm and Fri-Sun 8am-6pm.

The Overlook Grill is located on the Cosmopolitan's Level 4.

Outdoor dining overlooks the hotel's Boulevard Pool.

Entrance to the Cosmopolitan's Boulevard Pool is adjacent to the
Overlook Grill.
(above photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

The Henry at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

Entrance to The Henry

Cinnamon Roll French Toast
(above photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

It's 2am at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and the hotel houses one restaurant to fill your appetite needs 24 hours daily. The Henry is the Cosmopolitan's diner/bar offering classic favorites that the hotel claims are revamped for the Las Vegas Strip.

Looking at the menu, the selections appear pretty traditional but that's a good thing as there are lots of alternative upscale fare at the hotel's other restaurants. The list of lunch specialities gives the customer an idea of the comfy cuisine available: French Dip, Piled High Reuben; Chicken Pot Pie and (tempura fried) Fish 'N' Chips. "The Henry Burger" available after 5pm sounds pretty satisfying with caramelized onions and mushrooms, sharp cheddar on a soft potato roll.

But at this time of night my attention is directed to the offerings on the "Late Night at The Henry" section of the menu. I'll likely eat a full breakfast later in the morning, so I look for something simple but sweet: Cinnamon Roll French Toast (dipped in french vanilla custard, candied pecans, maple syrup and creamery butter; $15).

The bread of this heavenly delight is tender and the slices cut thick as the aroma of warm cinnamon rises from the dish. I enjoy every bite with a generous helping of maple syrup. A cup of illy coffee ($5) rounds out the meal.

The service is fast and friendly as it should be at this time of night as only three other tables were occupied. But I liked that there is a hostess on duty and late night diners not pigeon-holed to one corner of the restaurant. The restaurant is open to the casino but banquettes serve as a perimeter for diners.

Click HERE for menu. The Henry is located on the casino level near the East Side Tower at the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas. Breakfast Mon-Fri 6am-11am; Brunch Sat-Sun 6am-3pm; Lunch Mon-Fri 11am-3pm; Dinner Mon-Sun 3pm-12am; Late Night Mon-Sun 12am-6am.

Tables and banquettes centered at The Henry

A class wall shields one section of The Henry from the casino.

The bar at The Henry.
(above photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

Hawaiian Airlines First Class on the A330-200 Part 3

Here I am back on Hawaiian Airlines flight HA18 from Honolulu to Las Vegas taking the same flight I flew in April. And like that previous flight, I have the opportunity to fly in the first class cabin. Last month I upgraded by redeeming HawaiianMiles. Today I purchased a standby upgrade. As I reach the Ewa terminal at Honolulu International, one of Hawaiian's new Airbus A330-200 jets is parked at the terminal.

This will the third time I will fly the A330-200 on Hawaiian (Click HERE to read about the flight on 4/17/12; Click HERE to read about the flight on 4/21/12). This one sitting at Gate 26 is the plane for flight HA18. Hawaiian has named each of their A330s after a star or constellation used by Polynesian voyagers for celestial navigation. This jet is named

Hokupa'a which is the Hawaiian language name for Polaris, or the North Star. This particular A330-200 was the fifth to join Hawaiian's fleet in October 2011.

I love flying wide-body jets. Of course I can say that more often now then when I first started traveling.  As an elite member in American and Hawaiian's mileage programs, better seat choices are within my grasp then back in the 1990s and before the internet where it was more of an effort to purchase a ticket and shop for the best price.

Though the seats do not lie flat like on other carriers, the design of the cabin and seats do make the cabin feel roomy. Unlike the two flights last month, I am sitting in a window seat. Actually when I purchased the standby upgrade, there were only two seats left and both were by the windows so my choice was limited. The other was in the first row where there is no storage in front of you.

The beauty of flying in daylight over the Hawaiian Islands. In this photo, the jet cruises above the island of Molokai in the foreground. In the distance on the right is the island of Lanai. Beyond on the left is the island of Maui. The clouds all hover each island's mountains.

The menu choices are still the same from last month so I attempt to try something different. Unlike other airlines the meal service in Hawaiian's first class starts out with the usual bowl of warm nuts and drinks but there is no salad course. Instead each passenger picks three of the mini entrees from the list and they are served at one time with taro bread.

My three choices off the menu are the Hawaiian-Style Chicken, Crispy Wonton Tacos and the Spinach Gnocchi. I like eating Gnocchi so when I had it last month I was disappointed it was cold and tough. It was served hot today and it tasted much better. The big disappointment is the tacos with shrimp and crab salad filling. The filling needs more season and the gritty flour texture of the tacos is like eating paper. The chicken is best thing on the tray and the glaze and mango salsa is excellent. But have you ever tried to slice a piece of chicken over a bed of rice on such a tiny plate. It's quite a challenge to perform while keeping the entire dish including every grain of rice within the plate. Click HERE to view Hawaiian's in-flight dining menus.

The dubious Grand Mariner Ice Cream Truffle with Orange Creme Anglaise make an appearance for dessert. I say dubious because on the flight last month to Vegas, these were served frozen like a hockey puck. It was almost funny to watch the other passengers try to break the shell. It's less a challenge today as I guess the flight attendants had them defrost a little before serving. Now I like to put my own cream and sugar in my coffee but when I requested for a cup, the flight attendant serves the coffee with the cream and sugar already mixed in.  I had to request for a bit more sugar.

My JBL noise-cancelling headphones are likely nearing the end of their lifespan. So I used the noise-cancelling headsets offered by the airline. I brought my iPad with me loaded with a couple of movies. I see a lot of movies so the popular films usually offered on the plane are ones I have usually seen.

Looking at the choices of movies and television programs, I don't find anything I want to see. The monitor's touch screen is almost the size of my iPad and color and resolution not bad. The monitor is stored in the armrest between seats. Lift the armrest cover, push on the monitor and it slides out.

One of my favorite board games is incarnated in a touch-screen version. The entertainment options includes several video games. My game choice is Battleship. After a few rounds of the game and watching a movie on my iPad, I attempt to try and rest. I can't sleep so the quiet hum offered by the noise-cancelling headphones helps me to at least relax for remainder of the flight.

The World's Most Expensive Hot Dog

Serendipity Foot Long Haute Dog. (photo: Serendipity 3)

New York City is famous for its hot dog vendors. Now the city is also home to the world's most expensive hot dog according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Sold at Serendipity 3 the hot dog costs $69 and must be ordered 24 hours in advance.

The hot dog starts with a pretzel bun imported from Germany, spread with pure butter with white truffles, a pure beef hot dog grilled with white truffle oil, and topped off with medallion of duck foie gras with black truffles. The condiments are heirloom tomato ketchup, dijon mustard infused with white truffles and carmelized vidalia onions cooked in white truffle oil.

The restaurant is also home to the $1,000 Golden Opulence Sundae. Visit serendipity3.com for more information about the New York restaurant.

Hawaiian Airlines First Class on the A330-200 Part 2

Vegetable chips and lemongrass coconut soup.
(photo: TheHopefulTraveler)

Hawaiian operates at least three departures daily from McCarran International Airport. This flight from Las Vegas to Honolulu HA17 departs at 1:55am. Despite the unusual time, the gate agents announce its a full flight and would appreciate if passengers remain seated until their row number is called.

The business organization paid for the ticket but that doesn't mean I couldn't take advantage of situation and with a call a couple of days earlier to the airline, I upgraded again from a coach to a first class seat by redeeming 25,000 miles from my Hawaiian Miles account.

It should be noted that the call center for Hawaiian Airlines operates from the Philippines but the service is thorough and polite. Anybody expecting no waiting has never ever called a call center. But once I got a service agent, the request was expedited.

So unlike the first class meal service on HA18 that I flew to Vegas, the return trip had a different service. What do you serve at 2am in the morning? The flight attendants still distributed a menu but there was only one selection which reads as follows:

Moemoe menu
Light, quick and delicious, this snack features the tastes of Hawai'i and is perfectly proportioned to enjoy just before a restful sleep.

- CRISPY VEGETABLE CHIPS
  Featuring carrots and taro

- CREAMY LEMONGRASS COCONUT SOUP
  With chicken, mushrooms, green onions and brown rice.

There was something comforting about this snack. It's warmth and light flavors was satisfying for the remainder of this six hour flight. There is no dessert or salad course but drinks still are poured freely.

Adding to the comfort is the mood lighting in blues and purples. No harsh fluorescents. I attempted to watch a movie "The Descendants" in an attempt to pass the time. The Airbus A330 is Hawaiian's newest jet and every seat has a personal monitor. In coach they are located on the seat backs. In first class they are in the arm rest and pop out with a gentle push.

Soothing mood lighting fills the entire cabin.

The personal entertainment center in first class.
(above photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

Cafe Belle Madeleine at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel

Cafe Belle Madeleine at the Paris Las Vegas.

Some of the exquisite pastries sold at the patisserie.
(above photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

There is no Starbucks at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel. If you need a coffee fix, head to the Cafe Belle Madeleine conveniently located near the hotel elevators. Have a freshly made espresso or latte; or a tea, juice or soft drink to kick start any part of your day. Combine it with one of their delicate French pastries or a croissant or turnover for some quick energy. Or if you're looking for something savory try a quiche, sandwich or cheese plate. The back of the shop is devoted to candy and novelty French items and souvenirs.

I visited this patisserie two days ago and ordered a pain au chocolat ($3.50) and large cappuccino ($5). There's a certain joy in something so simple as a freshly-baked flaky pastry with a hot coffee. For something a bit more substantial, tonight I'm having the prosciutto sandwich ($9.00) which is long enough to lay across two dessert plates. Served cold, the spicy meat with baby pickles and greens between a heavily crusted poppy seed french roll, I add my own generous amount of mayonnaise and mustard. Combined with an Orangina ($2.95) sparkling orange juice, it's satisfying enough to tide me over until 11pm when I would have to head over to the airport for a very-early morning flight home.

I wish the line to order would begin all the way at one of the counter rather than mid-way. It would be easier to choose and order a variety of items before heading to the cashier.

Cafe Belle Madeleine is open 6:30am-12am. Seating available inside the restaurant. Free Wi-Fi available but signs around the restaurant caution about using an unsecured internet source. The patisserie accepts special orders of cakes to celebrate special occasions.

Pain au chocolat and cappuccino.

Prosciutto sandwich and Orangina.

I'm the only patron at the patisserie for a bit early this Friday night.

A steady flow of customers is the norm for most of the day.

A "madeleine" is a traditional small French sponge cake.
(above photos: TheHopefulTraveler) 

Sugar Factory at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel

Main entrance to the Sugar Factory along Las Vegas Boulevard.

Strawberry bricohe French toast.
(photos: TheHopefulTraveler)

The Sugar Factory restaurant at the Paris Las Vegas is like a Cheescake Factory on a fructose high. The menu may not be as massive as the Factory's but there is a sweet touch that pervades each menu page.

It's breakfast but instead of going for a hearty dish (eggs and bacon), I order the strawberry brioche French toast ($14) with mixed berries, whipped cream, maple syrup. If you choose it comes with white, milk or dark chocolate sauce; a scoop of vanilla ice cream is extra. A cup of coffee ($4) rounds out this quick meal. Well it would have been quick if someone would have taken my order and brought the check sooner.

The restaurant is open 24 hours so thinking if I get there by 7am I would be in and out in no time. Unfortunately at this time of day, the staff is in a transition period of cleaning up the interior and wait staff limited. As decadent this dessert meal was I knew I probably be hungry by the first break of the last day of my conference. There's a reason why protein is an important part of the first meal of the day.

In addition to soups, salads, sandwiches and burgers, the Sugar Factory also serves pasta, savory and sweet pizzas, crepes and omelets. Click HERE for the menu.

Connecting to the restaurant is the Sugar Factory retail shop where just walking through I could feel a toothache building. Tons of sweets fill the shelves from giant gummy bears to Sugar Factory signature chocolates. It would be easier to shop here if price tags were displayed or marked on each item. It gets to be a drag having to ask what the cost of everything is. In the end I didn't purchase anything at the shop as I didn't have time to bother to ask about every item I saw.

Visit sugarfactory.com for more information. The Sugar Factory complex at the Paris also includes their Chocolate Lounge which is accessed from the hotel's casino. This is the only restaurant of Sugar Factory but their stores are also located at the Las Vegas locations: MGM Grand Hotel, Planet Hollywood and The Mirage.

Restaurant interior.

Outdoor seating along the Strip.

The Sugar Factory retail candy store.
(photos: TheHopefulTraveler)