12 Tides Chili Pepper Puffed Kelp Chilps: These kelp chips have a texture similar to asian rice crackers but a little more dense (cassava and tapioca flour form the base). I haven't had kelp-based chips before, and I expected them to taste a bit like seaweed, but the chili pepper seasoning was way too overpowering – like eating paprika and cayenne spice directly. 2.0/5.0
PCC organic kelp 12tides chili pepper puffed chilps 2.0
Calbee Yuzu and black pepper shrimp chips: I grew up eating MSG-laden Calbee shrimp crackers, so it was neat to see they are celebrating 50 years. This is the first time I tried anything outside their original flavor. The crispy crackers had a tangy slightly sour seasoning that was more interesting than tasty. Still, adding a yuzu flavor to their line seems appropriate and on trend; maybe this will help them reach 50 more years. 3.0/5.0
japanese calbee yuzu black pepper shrimp chips 3.0
Calbee Takumi Sendai Beef & Black Pepper Chips: I'm pretty fascinated by meat-flavored snacks, which are very popular in Asia. These are chips you can purchase at 7-11 in Japan that are flavored like peppered steak. They have a smoky flavor that do taste of black pepper, but they also have a meaty sweetness as if the beef were marinated in a sweet glaze. The chips are thin and crispy - similar to Lay's and a bit better than the other potato chips I've had here, many of which are translucent with oil. Overall, though, the pepper flavor... (read more) 3.0/5.0
chips 711 japanese calbee takumi sendai beef black pepper 3.0
Calbee Black Pepper Potato Crisps: There are two Japanese versions of Pringles that I've seen on the shelves from major brands Calbee and YBC. Both come in familiar tennis-tube packaging and feature a hyperbolic paraboloid-shaped stackable chip. The differences are minor: the Japanese chips are a bit thicker and tend to taste more of fried potato than of their powdered flavoring. These black pepper flavored chips have a decent spiciness to them and are otherwise fairly expected – neither good nor bad. I recently learned t... (read more) 3.0/5.0
japanese inegaya calbee black pepper potato crisps 3.0
Food Should Taste Good roasted red pepper brown rice crackers: This snack had done the impossible--make brown rice taste good! A rare case where a snack cracker holds its own without any dip. In fact, to pair it with a dip would mask two characteristics that make it essentially perfect. First, the red pepper and sesame flavor is pronounced, and the cracker is already perfectly seasoned. Second, the texture of the cracker is ideal: super crispy, yet just thick enough to still be substantial. This hardly ever happens, but I am at a loss at what could make... (read more) 5.0/5.0
exceptional perfect fstg foodshouldtastegood 5.0 crackers brownrice sesame redpepper roasted red pepper brown rice
Food Should Taste Good peppercorn blend brown rice crackers: After I gave the last box of brown rice crackers from FSTG a perfect 5.0, I was eager to try another flavor from the line. These peppercorn crackers are well balanced, a challenge with an ingredient as potent as peppercorns. Similar to the last I tried, the texture of the crackers was light and crunchy. However, overall I found this flavor to be less special and memorable than the red pepper chips. That isn't to say that these are bad by any means, but it's not a flavor that I see myself eve... (read more) 3.5/5.0
fstg foodshouldtastegood crackets brownrice pepper peppercorn 3.5 blend brown rice crackers