Yoku Moku Rolled Cigares: In Japan, there is a very strong culture of giving gifts to people you work with. There were several times when I found myself purchasing gift boxes from depachika, the underground food courts in Japanese malls, where you can find everything from boxed chocolates, rice crackers, cookies, and candies in beautifully ornate boxes. I would usually browse all the stalls before picking a few I thought looked the most delicious (which was both very hard, because there were so many options, and qu... (read more) 4.0/5.0
exception cookies japanese uwajimaya yokumoku rolled cigares 4.0
Lay's Roasted Seaweed Potato Chips: Since when did Lay's make Pringle's canister potato chips? Unlike the classic crispy, transluscently-thin Lay's potato chips, these are very much in the style of Pringles, though slightly smaller. They surprisingly come packed in a pull-out plastic tray (so you don't have to dig for the chips at the bottom, I suppose). I purchased them from Uwajimaya (the Japanese grocery chain in the PNW), though these are Chinese. The roasted seaweed flavor has a really satisfying savory sweet flavor and... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended chips fritolays chinese uwajimaya lays roasted seaweed potato 4.0
Macfuddy Pepper Elixir: Orca Beverage is a wholesale distributor for vintage sodas, featuring the likes of Dad's Root Beer and Bubble Up. I didn't actually know about Orca Beverage until I had already purchased a few bottles of sodas from Uwajimaya, a Japanese grocery store that somehow also features a wide range of non-Asian beverages. They all had a vintage vibe, and it wasn't until I returned home that I noticed they all had Orca bottle caps. Macfuddy has a definite Dr. Pepper vibe but also manages to have a ... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks uwajimaya macfuddy pepper elixir 3.5
Shen Zen Tea Ginger Kombucha: There are a lot of local kombucha brewers in Seattle, so I’m getting to expand my drink reviews. This brand, Shen Zen Tea, sells product at Uwajimaya but also holds a stand at the Ballard farmers market on Sundays. The drink combines ginger and lemongrass and is lightly sweetened. It has a prominently fermented sour and tangy flavor. I liked it the more I drank it, and the bottle, while on the expensive side, at around $6, lasted for multiple servings. 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks uwajimaya shenzentea ginger kombucha 3.5
Bin Bin Coconut Milk Flavor Rice Crackers: I grew up eating Bin Bin rice crackers, the classic kind containing individually wrapped packets of 2 peanut-shaped rice crackers coated with a sweet and savory MSG seasoning. But did you know that they had coconut milk flavored crackers? I didn't until this weekend, when I stumbled upon this product at Uwajimaya. The coconut flavoring seems to be in the biscuit base itself, which still has the familiar crispy cracker texture of the original. I was hoping it would be a little more savory... (read more) 3.0/5.0
uwajimaya binbin coconut milk flavor rice crackers 3.0
Calbee Takoyaki Balls: Puffed corn snacks coated in a sweet and savory seasoning blend that tastes just like takoyaki sauce (sort of like Japanese Bulldog sauce or Worcestershire sauce, deep in umami). In other words, it doesn't taste like seafood but just the sauce that typically coats the normally octopus-filled balls. Undoubtedly a substantial amount of MSG. Purchased from Uwajimaya, but actually a product of Thailand. 3.0/5.0
uwajimaya japanese calbee takoyaki balls 3.0