Koikeya Strong Grilled Seafood Potato Chips: Koikeya has a line of STRONG potato chips, I guess indicating that they're bolder than regular potato chips. The ridged style is thinner than Ruffles, and more generally, I find that Japanese potato chips don't have the same substantial bite that American potato chips tends to have. This flavor reminded me a little bit of shrimp chips but it definitely had a slightly richer flavor, the type you get from imitation crab sticks. It was pretty decent but not one I find myself drawn to purchasi... (read more) 3.0/5.0
potatochips junkfood japanese lawson koikeya strong grilled seafood potato chips 3.0
Haitai Singdandong Hot Chicken Tteokbookkki Rice Cake Snack: I used to buy Haitai tteokbokki rice snacks from HMart regularly, so I was very pleased to see these Korean snacks at my local Lawson convenience store in Tokyo, though I hadn't tried this particular flavor. The normal ones are satisfying sweet, savory, and spicy glazed rice snacks shaped like large, ridged elbow macaroni, crunchy rather than chewy like the actual tubular rice cakes you get at a Korean restaurant. They were reliably good, the type of snack I would always manage to buy when... (read more) 3.0/5.0
lawson korean haitai singdandong hot chicken tteokbookkki rice cake snack 3.0
Riska Takoyaki Corn Snacks: I loved sampling the different Umaibo flavors available from the local Japanese supermarket when I was living in Berkeley, CA, but I actually had no purchased any Umaibo since living in Japan. However, when I saw this Takoyai flavor, one I had never come across, I knew I had to try it. The snack consists of ring-shaped corn snacks (this one actually included some octopus-shaped pieces too). They're coated in a robust seasoning flavored like takoyaki sauce, which is sweet and a little bit ... (read more) 3.0/5.0
japanese lawson riska takoyaki corn snacks 3.0
Morinaga Choco Monaka Jumbo: First introduced in 1972, this iconic ice cream sandwich comes in a huge bar (especially as far as Japanese desserts go); its grid-like pattern is meant to make it easier to break off and share pieces with others. It features a thin crispy wafer-like exterior, vanilla ice cream, and a shard of chocolate at its center. The wafer is what makes it feel particularly Japanese, as many snacks like cookies or Taiyaki feature the same texture (it's mostly flavorless, acting largely as a protective... (read more) 3.0/5.0
icecream lawson japanese morinaga choco monaka jumbo 3.0
Happy Pocket Zackey Strawberry Wafer: Purchased this box of square, individually-wrapped wafers from the 100¥ Lawson convenience store. It consists of two different layers: a thicker strawberry icing filling, with bits of freeze dried fruit, and a thinner chocolate layer. The dried fruit was refreshingly tart, the wafers crispy but otherwise fairly ordinary. I haven't seen it elsewhere than the 100¥ store, which makes me think it's probably on the low end of the junk food totem pole. 3.0/5.0
japanese lawson happypocket zackey strawberry wafer 3.0
Calbee 大人の ポテリッチ カマンベールベーコン味 Camembert Bacon Flavor Potato Chips: According to the press release for this limited edition flavor, Calbee introduced a line of ポテリッチ "Potato Rich" chips for adults in October 2020 partially in response to the trend of increased drinking at home due to the pandemic – these chips are meant to pair well with alcohol. The combination of meat with cheese was surprising to me, and as far as I know is not actually something that's done here in Japan. The actual flavor is a combination of bacon and camembert, and you can definitely... (read more) 3.0/5.0
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