Kado Tamanegi Santaro onion corn puffs: I purchased these Japanese onion-flavored corn puffs from the Japanese market Midoriya next to Union Square in Manhattan. I was attracted to its cute packaging, which seemingly depicts father-son bonding, but on closer inspection, it appears the father is digging the son up with a shovel. This possible potrayal of vegetarian cannibalism is somewhat disturbing, but I'm more confused by the literal translation of the English label of "tamanegi santoro," which translates to mushroom onions (acc... (read more) 3.5/5.0

Way Better Snacks Sweet Chili Whole Grain Corn Tortilla Chips: I got these chips with my lunch and was pleasantly surprised by how good they were. They have a kind of sriracha flavor that is mildly sweet and whose heat builds up over time, and the chips have a satisfying crispy texture that feels healthy yet flavorful. The chips contain flax, quinoa, chia seeds, broccoli, and radish seeds. I don't really like plain tortilla chips because I never buy dips - these are multigrain chips that stand on their own! 4.0/5.0

Trader Joe's Candy Corn Popcorn: Even though I don't particularly like candy (you may notice I review very little of it here), I still like Halloween because it's the only time of the year I can have Butterfingers. And I actually do like candy corn in small quantities, even though it essentially tastes of pure sugar. I bought this Candy Corn Popcorn on an impulse buy at Trader Joe's in Brooklyn, where the lines snake very intentionally around the snack aisles. The snack tastes like caramel popcorn, except instead of just... (read more) 2.0/5.0

Roberta’s Sweet corn soft serve: Truly tastes of sweet corn and cream. Texture is mostly smooth but a little bit grainy. Pricy for its size, at $6.50. Based on flavor alone, I would give it a 4, but accounting for texture and value, it’s a 3.5. Available at the take out section of Roberta’s in East Williamsburg. 3.5/5.0

Nature’s Path Fruit juice corn flakes: Fruit juice-enhanced corn flakes was completely unknown to me until I purchased this box from Nature’s Path. They taste like normal corn flakes at first (though thicker and thus less crispy than something like Kellogg’s Corn Flakes) but have a faintly sweet aftertaste that isn’t necessarily identifiable as pear (the juice used in this product) but has a vague almost apple like taste. It’s not a flavor I particularly enjoyed nor disliked and as a result can’t imagine purchasing again. 3.0/5.0

Calbee Takoyaki Corn Puffs: Similar in size and texture to Utz cheese balls but tasting nothing like them, these octopus-flavored puffed corn snacks from Japanese snack brand Calbee actually hail from South Korea. They’re coated in a light brown powder tasting strongly of Worcestershire sauce, giving each bite an initial vinegary and savory hit but ending on an unexpectedly (and slightly overpowering) sweet note. They don’t have as strong of a seafood flavor as I would like, probably because the Worcestershire seasoni... (read more) 3.5/5.0