Nico Sweet potato donut: There's a pocket-sized store close to the train station that sells freshly made donuts about the size of a Montreal bagel. They're a bit pricy relatively, compared to how inexpensive most things are in Japan, but a purple Japanese sweet potato donut caught my eye, and I purchased one at about $2.50. The texture of the donut was very unique, not crumbly like cake donuts, but also not oily at all like heavily fried donuts. Almost like a very light pound cake, but barely sweetened. In fact, th... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended tokyo japanese dessert nico sweet potato donut 4.0
Hakkaisan Amazake Sweet Rice Drink: I purchased this fermented rice drink (that's from Japan) at The Market in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. While Amazake is generally a sweet sake, this drink is alcohol-free. Koji rice, the basis of this drink, is rice that has been affected with a fungus named Aspergillus oryzae that's commonly used for making familiar ingredients like soy sauce and bean paste. The drink is kept frozen for freshness and needs to be defrosted before consuming. It has a thick milky consistency and a distinct whi... (read more) 3.5/5.0
japanese japan rice drinks koji hakkaisan amazake sweet drink 3.5
Sanko Sweet Rice Cracker: On my last trip to Hong Kong Supermarket, I felt nostalgic for the iced rice crackers I had growing up but decided to try a different brand than normal. Unfortunately, the Hot Kid Want Want Shelly Senbei crackers are much better than this one from Sanko. The Sanko rice crackers are saltier and not as crunchy, so the balance of the salty cracker with the sweet icing is not quite right. Definitely an example where sticking to the classic would have been the better choice. 3.0/5.0
asian ricecrackers hongkongsupermarket sanko sweet rice cracker 3.0
Way Better Snacks Sweet Chili Whole Grain Corn Tortilla Chips: I got these chips with my lunch and was pleasantly surprised by how good they were. They have a kind of sriracha flavor that is mildly sweet and whose heat builds up over time, and the chips have a satisfying crispy texture that feels healthy yet flavorful. The chips contain flax, quinoa, chia seeds, broccoli, and radish seeds. I don't really like plain tortilla chips because I never buy dips - these are multigrain chips that stand on their own! 4.0/5.0
recommended chips sriracha spicy multigrain waybettersnacks sweet chili whole grain corn tortilla 4.0
Skittles Sweet Heat Candies: First, I did not purchase this snack. It was shared with my batch at the Recurse Center earlier this summer, and when a bizarre snack is freely offered to me, you can bet I will at least give it a try. The bag contains your standard Skittles colors and flavors: strawberry, watermelon, orange, lemon, and mango. Just like normal skittles, they are way too sweet and consequently send sharp pains immediately through your dentures directly to your taste receptors. But a few seconds after the ... (read more) 3.0/5.0
candy skittles sweet heat candies 3.0