Mikey V’s – Spicy Flavored Gator Toes

Bitter: ⭐⭐⭐✰✰

Salty: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰

Sour: ✰✰✰✰✰

Sweet: ✰✰✰✰✰

Umami: ⭐⭐⭐✰✰

Heat: ⭐✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰

Quick Flavor Notes: Garlic, Red Pepper, umami

Texture: Crispy and crunchy

Recommended: Yes

Ingredients: Fried Garlic (Non-Hydrogenated Canola Oil and/or Sunflower Oil, Sea Salt), Spicy Seasoning: Salt, Dextrose, Red Pepper, Soy Protein (Hydrolyzed Soy Protein), Spices, Corn Starch, Garlic, Onion, Monosodium Glutamate, Tomato Powder, Corn Protein, Spice Extract

Mikey V’s Hot Sauce out of Texas was founded in 2015 by Michael Valencia, a self taught chef. In addition to selling hot sauces he also runs a taco restaurant and Mikey V’s has wide product offerings including salsas, barbecue sauces, mustards, and snacks, including these fried crispy garlic bites known as Gator Toes.

The Mikey V’s Spicy Flavored Gator Toes consist of whole cloves of fried garlic coated in a seasoning that includes red pepper, tomato powder, onion and garlic powder, soy protein, MSG, and a number of other things. These do list some form of spice extract in the ingredients which I don’t love, but it is pretty far down the list. They’re very crunchy and thankfully not very greasy. They do have a garlicky aroma.

In terms of flavor if you’re a garlic love you’ll love these. Garlic dominates the flavor profile with just a hint of red pepper and spice on the backend of the palate. These are extremely savory and have a big umami punch, I’m assuming from the tomato powder and MSG plus the garlic itself. They are rather salty but with the other flavors involved the salt doesn’t become overwhelming. There is a long garlic aftertaste that sits in your mouth after eating several. The spice level is unfortunately very low, but looking at the Mikey V’s website they do have a hotter version now which I will have to make a point to check out.

If you’re a garlic lover these are well worth checking out. I’ll happily recommend them with the caveat that you really have to love garlic.