Reviewed by
Mary
May’s box of sweet and savory goodies from Japan marks very special occasion: TokyoTreat’s 6th birthday!
They’ve got a terrific selection of some of their must fun and tasty snacks. There’s also the usual fun giveaways and contests, as well as some little fun facts about Japanese culture. This month you can learn about a favourite party activity in Japan, karaoke!
Cheerio Kiss Choco Mint Soda.
This is a unique soft drink! It really is bright green, and despite the slight look of mouthwash, it actually does taste like both chocolate and mint. Unsurprisingly there is nothing else like this on the market anywhere, and it’s a real treat to be able to sample such an unusual soda.
KitKat Wholegrain Biscuit.
Japan specialises in a huge variety of different KitKats, and this is yet another version of the famous chocolate finger bar. Once again, they are exclusive to Japan, and inside the white chocolate are pieces of wholegrain biscuit, which are very like digestives. They’re sweet, but the slight earthiness of the biscuits give them an extra depth of flavour.
Tirol Choco Sakura Mochi.
Spring might be nearly over but there’s still room for the classic taste of spring – sakura, or cherry blossom. These chocolates combine the sakura flavour with a red bean mochi filling, and are really rather delicious.
The King’s Melon Pan, Sparrow Egg Crackers, and Grape Soda Gummy.
Melon pan is bread shaped like a melon, and is also a popular shape and flavour for cookies. These mini versions have a chocolate cream filling too. Sparrow Egg Crackers resemble eggs rather than containing them, and they are crispy coated peanuts flavoured with sweet spicy soy sauce. The gummy looks just like a traditional cola bottle candy, but instead it’s flavoured with grape, with a lovely fizzy coating.
Cabbage Taro and Aji Cheese.
The green flecks on the delicious corn snack are actually nori, and they’re also flavoured with Japanese brown sauce for a lovely umami flavour. Aji Cheese are similarly crunchy corn balls but this time with a deeply cheesy taste.
Frito-Lay Avocado Cream Cheese Tortilla Chips and Full Moon Pon.
These tortilla chips would add an extra bonus of flavour to your nachos! They really do taste like cream cheese and avocado, and give you a great savory hit, perfect with a beer. Full Moon Pon is so called because it’s in the shape of the full moon, and has the classic sweey-savory taste of soy sauce.
Mini Strawberry Milk Choco Balls and Umai Rings Cheese Flavour.
Rather like a little packet of pills, you can pop these little strawberry-covered chocolate balls right out of the foil for some candy therapy! The corn rings resemble slices of the corn snack Umaibo (see below) and have a delicious taste of rich melted cheese.
Texas Corn Potage Snack and Umaibo Mentai Flavour.
Corn potage is a rich nd creamy corn soup, and it’s a favourite meal in Japan. Snack with this unique flavour are very popular; this is one of several versions available, and it’s remarkable how it does taste exactly like sweetcorn. Umaibo are a favourite snack, especially with children. The crunchy puffed corn tube comes in a multitude of flavours, and this version is the popular and very savory taste of pollock.
Bubbly Taiyaki Melon Soda Flavour and Maple Syrup Hot Cakes.
Taiyaki are a Japanese street food pastry shaped like a fish and usually filled with red bean paste. This candy version keeps the classic shape but has a wafer shell filled with lovely bubbly chocolate. It comes in a variety of flavours, and this one is fantastic green melon. The hotcakes are mini pancake sandwiches, and are utterly delicious. Despite being packaged they taste incredibly fresh, and the fluffy pancakes filled with rich maple cream are a real treat.
Pringles Fish & Chips Flavour.
Pringles Japan have created a ‘Passport’ range of Pringles crisps, exploring classic dishes from around the world. This one, with the fun can decorated with the London skyline, recreates fish and chips with salt and tartar sauce flavour. A great twist on a famous British dish!
