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
Riska Takoyaki Corn Snacks: I loved sampling the different Umaibo flavors available from the local Japanese supermarket when I was living in Berkeley, CA, but I actually had no purchased any Umaibo since living in Japan. However, when I saw this Takoyai flavor, one I had never come across, I knew I had to try it. The snack consists of ring-shaped corn snacks (this one actually included some octopus-shaped pieces too). They're coated in a robust seasoning flavored like takoyaki sauce, which is sweet and a little bit ... (read more) 3.0/5.0
japanese lawson riska takoyaki corn snacks 3.0
Tohato Tsumamel Deep Cheese Puffs: Tohato caramel corn (and it's other sweet seasonal flavors) always stand out on the shelves with their cute packaging. I've tried a few flavors both in the states and in Japan, but I recently learned there's a savory line of flavors called Tsumamel, which includes flavors like corn potage, fried chicken, and this deep cheese flavor. The curled corn puffs are like miniature Jaxx cheese snacks you can get in America, but this cheese powder is a combination of both cheddar and Camembert. You c... (read more) 3.0/5.0
japanese aeon tohato tsumamel deep cheese puffs 3.0
Lotte Gateau Fromage Petite Choco Pies: I was amused by the "coffee & something" tagline of Morihico, the coffee chain whose "gateau fromage" (cheesecake) is the featured flavor of this limited edition Choco Pie. The petite Choco Pies are pocket-sized and good for snacking, but I typically eat two which may defeat the purpose. Each individually-wrapped pie consists of two layers of cake with a cream filling the color of egg custard, all covered with a thin layer of milk chocolate. The cheesecake filling tasted like it was seasone... (read more) 3.0/5.0
japanese aeon cake lotte gateau fromage petite choco pies 3.0
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
Fanta Premier Peach Soda: Fanta has all sorts of flavors in Japan that you can't get in the US, including melon, pineapple, and now peach. It's made with 13% actual juice (Minute Maid branded) to give you a sense of a potential gap between packaging / marketing and actual contents. The soda has a champagne gold color and tastes very much like peach-flavored candies. In particular, I used to love eating Kasugai Japanese fruit gummies that came individually wrapped and were shaped like half domes; this drink is like... (read more) 3.0/5.0
soda japanese aeon fanta premier peach 3.0 drinks