Tatun Crab King Crackers: I love seafood flavored snacks, which are always available in Asian supermarkets but sadly missing from our American grocery shelves. This bag of Crab King fried snacks from Hong Kong Supermarket in NYC's Chinatown was very inexpensive (a little under $2), and contains puffed up crab-shaped pieces, softer in texture than shrimp crackers, but with a satisfying crisp. They taste heavily of MSG, but also of a seasoned seafood powder that has a slight chili kick. I liked them a lot and wish t... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended chinese seafood tatun crab king crackers 3.5
Calbee Hot Garlic Shrimp Crackers: Another unexpected take on this classic Chinese shrimp cracker, this time "hot garlic." Ridged crisps are tossed in a tangy seasoned coating that is unmistakably garlic but not particularly spicy. Somewhat reminiscent of a sweet paprika flavor mixed with MSG. Same delicious savory shrimp flavor. I don't know if I like it more than the original, but I don't regret trying it either. 3.0/5.0
berkeleybowl seafood chinese calbee hot garlic shrimp crackers 3.0
Hu Wang Roasted Seaweed Prawn Crackers: From Taiwan, these shrimp crackers are much lighter than the multi-color prawn crackers sometimes served at American-ized restaurants. They taste much better too, with a slightly sweet shrimp flavor dusted with powdered nori, which adds salinity without being overly salty. According to the packaging, "nutrients intact!" Recommended if you can find them... 3.5/5.0
recommended seafood chinese huwang roasted seaweed prawn crackers 3.5
車えび : This snack was part of a larger gift set shared in my office's kitchen area, a place where abandoned snacks go to be consumed by unassuming coworkers. Myself being one of them, I took at random one of the sealed packages, expecting it to be sweet Japanese biscuits or cookies. I was surprised, to say the least, when I found what appeared to be dried, flattened prawns (head, legs, and all), fried to a crisp, along with what appeared to be thin wheat crackers with swirls of nori. Several attemp... (read more) 2.5/5.0
japanese seafood shrimp 2.5
Riska Mentai Corn Snack: I love that Japanese culture is seemingly contradictory. There is the upmost respect for serenity and simplicity, along with an obsession with quality and workmanship (e.g., tea gardens, sashimi and sushi rice, Yurbai melons) - yet, at the same time, it can be loud, brash, and colorful (e.g., manga, Pachinko). This purple bag of Mentai (cod roe) puffed corn snacks is sensory overload all on its own, with multiple exclamation points, bold lettering, and metallic silver foil highlighting. I... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional japanese mentai cod roe fish seafood junkfood riska corn snack 4.5 tokyofishmarket
Ikedaya Mangetsu: Shrimp crackers in disc form, flavored with sesame seeds, cuttlefish, and MSG. Similarly textured to the bright pink shrimp crackers sometimes offered at American-ized Chinese restaurants, those these are a bit more dense. Not as boldly flavored as shrimp crackers, though the nori does add a new salinity to the mix. Purchased from Tokyo Fish Market in Berkeley. 2.5/5.0
japanese shrimp crackers seafood tokyofishmarket ikedaya mangetsu 2.5