Snacklins Barbecue Plant Crisps: I purchased this bag of plant-based "cracklings" from Whole Foods not knowing anything about the brand's Shark-Tank success story. The vegan crispy, puffed crisps are made with a combination of yuca, onions, and mushrooms and have a light, melt-in-your-mouth texture that is definitely the closest I've ever tasted to meat-based pork crackling (though more like the softer versions than the heavily fried crunchier ones). Comparing it to a meat product is a little unfair though, because they a... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended wholefoods vegan snacklins barbecue plant crisps 3.5
Kuze Fuku & Sons Yuzu with Apple Cider Vinegar: I enjoy switchels so I was hopeful about this apple cider vinegar-based drink purchased on sale from Uwajimaya, but the verdict is that it was not good - it tasted like an unbalanced mix of lemon juice and apple cider vinegar with little more, somehow both bland and a little too sour. Would not recommend this low calorie beverage. 1.0/5.0
drinks uwajimaya vinegar kuzefukusons yuzu apple cider 1.0
Kitkat Matcha Kitkat: I’ve probably had surprisingly few KitKats in Japan despite it being the dominant market for unique seasonal flavors, so I’m always grateful when they are gifted to me and I have an excuse to try one I haven’t had before. The matcha KitKat has a waxy coating that seems like it’s probably white chocolate based, rather than milk chocolate. The flavor was more nuanced than I expected - not just a standard matcha-flavor taste but a little more bitter than the typical. I think my overall take on... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended candy japanese kitkat matcha 3.5
Ghia Ghia Ginger: I love ginger, so I was excited to try the ginger version of Ghia Soda, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Their ginger soda is a little more subtle in flavor but has a pleasantly peppery aftertaste (it contains black pepper abstract). Overall, it had similar flavor notes as the normal Ghia Soda (combining grape juice, yuzu, fig, orange) along with a hint of spicy ginger, but it wasn't as strongly flavored as the original, which I preferred. Still, a solid drink. 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks ghia ginger 3.5
Ghia Ghia Soda: Some people have asked me why drinks are considered "snacks" on TastySnacking, and the simple answer is that I love beverages and am always seeking out new flavors –– often even more so than with non-liquid snacks. So when I find a drink that's especially good, it's extra exciting for me. This soda has a wondrous mix of ingredients including grape juice, yuzu, and fig combined with orange peel, ginger, and elderflower. Those flavors are expertly melded to give a fruity spiced drink that's... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional drinks ghia soda 4.5
Kam Hing Pandan Sponge Cake: Kam Hing offers ~half a dozen flavors of sponge cakes, and after working out of NYC for a couple weeks, I've sampled a good number of them including pandan, original, brown sugar tea, ube, coconut, and black sesame (to be fair, I also brought back a bunch of them to share with my parents at home). The first one I purchased was pandan, a spiky tropical fruit that looks like a cross between a pineapple and durian but has a milder flavor that belies its spiky exterior. Overall, it has a pleas... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended chinatown nyc kamhing pandan sponge cake 3.5