Yifang Matcha Brown Sugar Bubble Tea: I was delighted to come across the Taiwanese bubble tea shop Yifang in Shin Okubo, the Koreatown of Shinuku in Tokyo. I wish I were able to read the menu of fruit tea options, but I had to go by the pictures and decided to try their matcha latte with brown sugar, a drink that has a fixed amount of sugar (unlike some other menu items, where you can adjust how sweet you'd like it to be). I did find the drink to be sweet for my taste, but the combination of bitter matcha with sweet brown suga... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended drinks tokyo taiwanese boba bubbletea yifang matcha brown sugar bubble tea 4.0
合食 Fried Squid Snack: These squid-flavored snacks are shaped like the body of a squid sans tentacles and have a bubbled, irregular texture reminiscent of fried multigrain chips. Each pack comes with four sizable pieces that are both remarkably savory yet also have a sweet aftertaste. For fans of chewy dried squid that prefer the crispy texture of chips. Definitely a unique one, which is a rarity for me. I'd get it again, but it's definitely not particularly healthy. 3.5/5.0
recommended seafood japanese fried squid snack 3.5
酷覓星 Bubble Milk Tea Cake: While I purchased this product in Tokyo, these bubble tea cakes are from the original land of bubble tea: Taiwan. The snack, which cost a little over $5, comes in nice packaging, containing a slide-out tray that's a nice display if you're entertaining or sharing with friends. The cakes are individually wrapped and are disappointingly small, no bigger than 2" in their longest dimension. They are most definitely smaller than most pineapple cakes, which are the most similar type of snack i... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended seijoishi bubbletea bubble milk tea cake 3.5 taiwanese
Yotsuba Peach Yogurt: Japanese peaches taste a little different to me than American ones – they're sweeter and juicier, and good ones are highly coveted. This peach yogurt, made with Milk from Hokkaido, is good quality Japanese yogurt that any fan of peaches could enjoy. And luckily, I don't believe this is a seasonal flavor, so you don't need to worry that it'll soon be gone. 3.5/5.0
recommended seijoishi japanese yotsuba peach yogurt 3.5
Yotsuba Orange and Yuzu Yogurt: A limited-edition flavor, this yogurt contains zest from Japanese yuzu and oranges, giving it a uniquely tart citrus flavor that's balanced with the creamy Hokkaido-milk-based yogurt. The yogurt is fairly loose but I find that most Japanese yogurt is. While lemon flavored yogurt is pretty common in the states, I can't think of many brands that sell orange yogurt, so I'm especially glad to come across this Japanese take. 4.0/5.0
recommended yogurt seijoishi yotsuba orange yuzu 4.0
Häagen-Dazs Soybean Flour Brown Sugar Mochi Ice Cream (Hanamochi): The ice cream aisle in Japan consists largely of individual single-serving sized portions (kiddie-sized), whether for popsicles or regular ice cream. The most ubiquitous ice cream brand seems to be Häagen-Dazs, which has many exclusive Japanese flavors. Their Hanamochi series, originally introduced in 2015, features mochi-topped ice cream. The brown sugar soybean flour flavor I purchased has a peanut-colored powder that often coats traditional mochi treats. You ideally wait about 5 minut... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended icecream japanese coop hagendazs soybean flour brown sugar mochi ice cream (hanamochi) 4.0