Sweet Box Japanese black beef potato chips: A common potato-based junk food I see here in Japan but not in the states is french-fry-shaped chips, thickly cut like the British type you get with fish and chips but crunchy: extruded fried potato sticks. The most popular is Calbee Jagabee, though I actually have not yet tried it (you can get it easily in the states), but the bag I purchase is substantial and hearty in comparison, at least in terms of the diameter of each piece. The chips have a strong garlic flavor that tastes slightly sm... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended japanese sweetbox black beef potato chips 3.5
Nico Black Sesame Donut: This was a donut I purchased about two months ago in the Azabu-Juban neighborhood of Tokyo. The small stand, selling donuts to go, has a menu of small soybean-flour-based donuts dusted in flavored sugar. The soybean flour gives it a uniquely texture more similar steamed bread than American fried donuts. Flavored sugar is also not overly sweet but also easily identifiable as black sesame. A little bit pricy for the size, at least by Japanese standards (a little over $3 for the donut), but... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended azabu azabujuban japanese nico black sesame donut 3.5
Calbee Takumi Sendai Beef & Black Pepper Chips: I'm pretty fascinated by meat-flavored snacks, which are very popular in Asia. These are chips you can purchase at 7-11 in Japan that are flavored like peppered steak. They have a smoky flavor that do taste of black pepper, but they also have a meaty sweetness as if the beef were marinated in a sweet glaze. The chips are thin and crispy - similar to Lay's and a bit better than the other potato chips I've had here, many of which are translucent with oil. Overall, though, the pepper flavor... (read more) 3.0/5.0
chips 711 japanese calbee takumi sendai beef black pepper 3.0
Snow Brand Black Sesame Pudding: This is the final unique flavor I've been able to find of this brand of Japanese pudding / custard. The black sesame has a sweet flavor, lacking some of the savoriness you would get in a true black sesame dessert, but satisfying as a sweet dessert. The texture is excellent and barely set, which I am especially impressed by for a packaged product. Worth trying! 3.5/5.0
recommended japanese custard lincos snowbrand black sesame pudding 3.5
Zabar's Black and White Cookie: Despite having lived / been around in NYC for most of my life, I had not had a Black and White cookie until this week. I learned from Wikipedia that there are at least two styles of Black and White cookies; a dense shortbread base is common in NYC, while a more cake-like base with frosting is more likely to be found in Central New York. Zabar's is the latter, with a sizable diameter and soft, moist-enough cake base with a generous spread of chocolate and vanilla frosting, split evenly down... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended cookies nyc jewish zabars black white cookie 4.0
Rakki Cafe Black sesame ube swirl soft serve: This Japanese dessert shop next to Reckless Records, in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago, has some of the best soft serve I've had. I got their black sesame and ube swirl, a super refreshing and balanced combination. The black sesame was especially great, with a deep nutty flavor that was as savory as it is sweet. Wish I could have tried the matcha This Japanese dessert shop next to Reckless Records, in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago, has some of the best soft serve I've had.... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional icecream chicago dessert sweets rakkicafe black sesame ube swirl soft serve 4.5