Uchi Cafe Strawberry milk with tapioca and pulp: Japanese convenience stores had a wide variety of coffee beverages to chose from; one surprising offering is their packaged tea and milk drinks containing tapioca, often available in the same refrigerated section as the coffee. They come with an expandable bubble tea straw and contain boba-like spheres more akin to popping boba than chewy fresh boba. The snap of the popping boba, though, was more satisfying than I expected. Kind of like a cross between kefir, with a slightly tangy / sour ... (read more) 3.0/5.0
lawson drinks japanese uchicafe strawberry milk tapioca pulp 3.0
Koikeya Polinky Corn Soup Flavored Corn Chips: These (crunchy) triangle (!!) snacks have a corn-based flavor similar to Bugles but are covered in a powdered corn potage-like seasoning blend. They mostly taste like MSG. Texturally a cross between Chex Mix and Bugles. Not my favorite corn soup flavored snack but decent. 3.0/5.0
hmart japanese koikeya polinky corn soup flavored chips 3.0
Calbee Takoyaki Balls: Puffed corn snacks coated in a sweet and savory seasoning blend that tastes just like takoyaki sauce (sort of like Japanese Bulldog sauce or Worcestershire sauce, deep in umami). In other words, it doesn't taste like seafood but just the sauce that typically coats the normally octopus-filled balls. Undoubtedly a substantial amount of MSG. Purchased from Uwajimaya, but actually a product of Thailand. 3.0/5.0
uwajimaya japanese calbee takoyaki balls 3.0
Meiji yogurt caramels: yakult (Asian yogurt drink) in a starburst form factor. Super sweet, chewy, and nostalgic 2.5/5.0
yakult asian japanese candy meiji yogurt caramels 2.5
Silang Oatmeal Crackers: nutty crumbly cookies (rather than crackers) that are barely sweetened. Comes in individual serving packs of two cookies, which makes them ideal for a quick snack in between meals (but they aren't very filling). 2.5/5.0
cookies chinese hmart japanese asian silang oatmeal crackers 2.5
Befco Nori-flavored Bakauke Rice Crackers: This is my first time eating Bakauke, a Japanese rice snack with a glazed exterior and oblong shape. The type I purchased from Hmart was flavored with soy sauce and nori. While the seaweed flavor was distinctive, the soy sauce was overpowering and made the crackers salty overall. 2.5/5.0
hmart japanese ricecrackers befco nori-flavored bakauke rice crackers 2.5