Frito Lay BBQ Cheetos: I believe that these steak-flavored BBQ Cheetos are a Japanese exclusive. They have the familiar fried corn snack texture of regular cheetos but are coated in a brown-ish red powder coating. They don't taste like American BBQ flavor, which tends to be very sweet, with a sort of tangy vinegar flavor. This one instead tastes more like meat, but has a strong sweetness that I find hard to place. The sweetness really took me by surprise and is not a taste that I personally enjoy. Purchased a... (read more) 2.5/5.0
weica japanese junkfood fritolay bbq cheetos 2.5
Dydo Purush Jelly Sparkling Flavored Grape Soda: This is a very unique drink that you need to shake in advance of opening to break up its gelatinous filling. It contains a mix of "jelly," which has been carbonated so there's no risk of having overly-pressurized soda explode upon opening the can, as well as coconut jelly (Nata de Coco). It tastes like Fanta grape soda, so very sweet, but I really liked the mix of softer jelly and chewy coconut cubes, and the grape flavor is also quite nostalgic for me. Purchased from a vending machine. 4.0/5.0
recommended japanese junkfood drinks soda dydo purush jelly sparkling flavored grape 4.0
Calbee Pizza Potato Chips: These are junk food potato chips I see commonly at convenience stores in Japan. (Calbee is kind of like the Japanese version of Frito-Lay.) Though the packaging shows pepperoni pizza, it doesn't have a meaty flavor to it and instead tastes oddly sweet, like too-sweet tomato sauce. The predominant flavor is sweet potato, but there's also a little bit of zingy cheddar flavor, but not much else that is reminiscent of pizza (for example, no oregano seasoning as far as I could tell). The chip... (read more) 2.5/5.0
chips potatochips japanese junkfood calbee pizza potato 2.5
Yotchan Cuttlefish Snack: Bought this at a 7-11 on my way home mostly because of the packaging. I didn't bother translating anything about it in advance, so I was in for a surprise. Let me cut to the verdict: this is a truly awful snack. It tastes like white vinegar and salt and has a chewy yet stale texture like Bubble Tape that's been sitting around since the 90s. I gathered from the package that it was a squid snack, and I still think it probably is: little white squares of awful processed cuttlefish. At least it ... (read more) 0.5/5.0
711 japanese seafood junkfood yotchan cuttlefish snack 0.5 avoid
Lay’s Cucumber Potato Chips: One thing I find overwhelming but also awe-inspiring is that no matter how hard I try, I will never be able to try every flavor of Lay’s potato chips. These cucumber-flavored chips were purchased at an Asian grocery store and originate from China. Perhaps this is unsurprising, as crushed cucumbers, flavored with salt and vinegar, are a perennial side dish in Chinese restaurants. These chips are both savory and sweet, with a remarkably true-to-name flavor. They taste more vegetal than sal... (read more) 4.0/5.0
Kamman chinese chips potatochips junkfood lays cucumber potato 4.0 recommended
Lotte Kokal Corn Soup Snack: I don't know what it is about corn soup that inspires corn-soup-flavored snacks in Asia, but I'm certainly not complaining. These Korean snacks are exactly the same size and shape and Bugles – conical corn snacks that are most definitely not healthy. The corn soup flavor leaned more salty than sweet, tasting of what I'd imagine concentrated corn-soup-flavored soup mix powder might taste like sprinkled over fried corn snacks. Not one of the better corn soup snacks I've been adding to my re... (read more) 3.0/5.0
korean hmart junkfood bugles cornsoup lotte kokal corn soup snack 3.0