Dydo Melon Shake: There were always tons of Dydo vending machines in Tokyo selling discounted drinks at most street corners or metro stops. Perhaps because drinking in public is considered a bit of a faux paus in Japan, lots of the vending machines sell very small bottles for quickly quenching your thirst. This small melon shake came in a stout aluminum can / bottle and is an uncarbonated combination of melon and sugary milk. It had an unmistakable cantaloupe flavor but tasted more like candy than a drink.... (read more) 2.0/5.0
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Koikeya Roasted Shrimp and Garlic Corn Snacks: Shaped like crunchy Cheetos, these corn sticks are heavily seasoned with a roasted seafood flavor that's both salty and sweet. Like an amped up version of Shrimp Chips, with the same level of saturated flavor as a Frito Lay's snack but distinctively Asian with its use of shellfish in junk food. Purchased at Inegaya. 3.5/5.0
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Daybird Strawberry Lemonade: This strawberry lemonade is exceptional on its own but even more so as a companion to spicy foods. I had it alongside the fried chicken sandwich at Daybird (which is definitely worth seeking out), and as amazing as the sandwich was, I was actually left most impressed with the freshness of this drink, which captures perfectly the tart and sweet flavor of fresh strawberries. You can see the quality just in the color of the drink itself, with it's striking red-orange hue. I can't think of any w... (read more) 5.0/5.0
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Hop Shu-Kuri-Mu Matcha and red bean bread: There is a small bakery in the heart of Azabu-Juban in Tokyo that has the most delicious cream puffs – they also sell a variety of other baked goods, including fresh loaves of bread with visually striking swirls of flavor baked in, similar to what you might see for flavored milk bread loaves at Asian bakeries more generally. Their loaves tend to be about half the size of what you might see in the US. I really enjoyed the spongy, stretchy texture and faint sweetness of this loaf. If you ev... (read more) 3.5/5.0
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Seijo Ishii Butter Chicken Curry Rice Crackers: Seijo Ishii is a 24-hour supermarket I lived closed to in my early stay in Tokyo which stocked a variety of international goods and flavors. One of the most intriguing and memorable series of snacks I had there were their curry rice crackers, featuring classic southeast asian dishes like green curry and butter chicken. The non-resealable bag contains several servings of large crispy rice crackers coated with a powdered seasoning – this happened to capture the taste of creamy butter chicken... (read more) 4.0/5.0
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Meiji Horn whipped chocolate snacks: Tall chocolate treats with milk chocolate on either end, an aerated chocolate coating over the middle, and a chocolate biscuit-like interior. Some ingenuity here is in the shape itself, as the snack is meant to be paired with coffee - it's tall enough to dip into a hot beverage and get the combination of crunchy milk chocolate with a whipped chocolate center that melts in your mouth. For me, this was a theoretical exercise as I don't drink coffee and ate these individualky-wrapped snacks on... (read more) 3.0/5.0
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