Häagen-Dazs Chesnut Mochi Ice Cream: This is another Japanese-exclusive Haagen-Dazs flavor featuring white bean paste (shiro an) flavored ice cream topped with mochi and a chestnut sauce, all topped with powdered sugar. I found the texture of the mochi to be not quite as good as the soybean flavor I had previously – a little too sticky and not quite as chewy. The flavor overall was also generally sweetener and less memorable. That being said, without the soybean powder, it was definitely much easier to eat. The same unique c... (read more) 3.0/5.0
icecream japanese hagendazs chesnut mochi ice cream 3.0
Häagen-Dazs Soybean Flour Brown Sugar Mochi Ice Cream (Hanamochi): The ice cream aisle in Japan consists largely of individual single-serving sized portions (kiddie-sized), whether for popsicles or regular ice cream. The most ubiquitous ice cream brand seems to be Häagen-Dazs, which has many exclusive Japanese flavors. Their Hanamochi series, originally introduced in 2015, features mochi-topped ice cream. The brown sugar soybean flour flavor I purchased has a peanut-colored powder that often coats traditional mochi treats. You ideally wait about 5 minut... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended icecream japanese coop hagendazs soybean flour brown sugar mochi ice cream (hanamochi) 4.0
Bandai Sumikkogurashi Taberareru Mascot: I stumbled upon these extraordinarily cute treats at my local Family Mart convenience store and couldn't resist getting this special Halloween offering. It came in the refrigerated aisle and features Sanrio characters from a series I'm unfamiliar with called Sumikkogurashi. Each character has a bean paste filling (according to the website, these two characters were milk and maple flavored) and the exterior is a slightly firmer but also generally soft marzipan-like coating. I've had this t... (read more) 3.0/5.0
familymart japanese bandai sumikkogurashi taberareru mascot 3.0
Tou Lan Tea Strawberry Latte with Boba: I had some bad experiences with several bubble tea shops when I first came to Japan (ones I didn't bother to review), but there was a highly rated spot not too far from the university that I decided to check out. They feature a handful of classic herbal teas along with a wider menu of fruit teas, smoothies, as well as a whole section of banana lattes (I'm not sure why!). The strawberry latte was excellent, like a milder and less sweet version of strawberry ice cream (I had it at their "les... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended drinks tokyo toulantea strawberry latte boba 4.0
Akai Bonshi Coconut Choco Sand Cookies: When I first came to Japan, I was surprised to always see the word "Sand" on cookie products but realized that "sand cookies" are a basic type of thin cookie somewhere between shortbread and sugar. This bag contained three varieties of sandwich cookies: pineapple, mango, and banana, which have different creme fillings. They're all pleasantly tropical and are equally sweet and rich, with a toasted coconut coating. Purchased at Queens Isetan grocery store in Tokyo. 3.5/5.0
recommended akaibonshi coconut choco sand cookies 3.5 japanese queensisetan
Trader Joe's Oven-Baked Cheese Bites: This small 2-serving packet of imported Italian cheese bites consists of baked rounds of "aged cheese" (not specifically identified in the ingredients list) as well as grana padano cheese. That's pretty much it - the ingredient list is literally two items. The bites are crispy, but because of the high fat content, they dissolve in your mouth quickly, leaving a bit of an oily aftertaste. The cheese is tangy and a little funky, definitely not your typical cheddar snack. I didn't really car... (read more) 2.0/5.0
traderjoes oven-baked cheese bites 2.0