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
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
Doritos Taco Tortilla Chips: While I'm aware that Doritos were originally taco flavored, I think most people with the US would associate Doritos with their signature nacho cheese flavor. This Taco flavor that I found in Tokyo is more of a taco seasoning, which taste not so much of cheese but more of a sort of meaty chili powder and cumin spice mix. Very savory and reminiscent of those Ortega seasoning packets, which aren't very good but somehow scream "taco night." 2.5/5.0
queensisetan junkfood doritos taco tortilla chips 2.5
Ahlgrens Bilar Original foam candy: A Swedish candy whose recipe has remained constant since its introduction in 1953, Ahlgrens Bilar consists of pastel-colored car-shaped candies with a texture similar to a stale marshmallow. It has bounce, but eating them also strangely feels like taking a bite out of ear plugs. The flavor reminds me of a sweetened version of the dental paste you get during a cleaning. Maybe mint, but also vaguely fruity, I believe that each color is actually a different flavor, none of which are particul... (read more) 2.0/5.0
candy avoid swedish junkfood ahlgrensbilar original foam 2.0
Frito Lay Cheetos ゴチパ Party Combo with Popcorn: Frito Lay has different flavors for American classics available in Japan, which I had already experienced with Doritos. This was my first time seeing Cheetos in Japan, and while the shape of crunchy Cheetos was familiar, the cheese flavoring and combination with plain popcorn was a departure. Using a combination of cheddar, gouda, and parmesan, the cheese powder has a milky more creamy flavor that I personally do not like, reminding me of powdered milk. And the snack overall is much less ... (read more) 2.0/5.0
japanese junkfood fritolay cheetos ゴチパ party combo popcorn 2.0
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