Yaokin Cream Rusk

 

Despite having a rusk snack in the past, I'm still not quite sure I've figured out what rusk is. It seems that it's a type of sweet crunchy toast, which sounds quite nice, and it's obviously one that translates well into packaged form, with crunchy things staying good for a long time. And who better to make it than Yaokin, who time and time again makes some nice packaged pastries? But nothing has ever topped their pudding marshmallows, mmm... maybe this one can do it.

Unfortunately, as sometimes happens with shipped foods, this one broke in the package. But no worries, doesn't make it any less tasty. As predicted, seems this takes the form of a very crunchy sweet toast, and it certainly has a nice buttery, creamy smell coming from it. Hopefully it's not too crunchy, I want it to have a bit of satisfying squish.

Putting the first bit in my mouth, I'm definitely getting good things from this. The creamy flavor seems to instantly melt and fill my mouth with its comforting essence, all while I crunch away the rest of it. It looks like this is due to a thin top player of soft cream, and although tiny that really does help glue this all together. It's quite simple yet works so well. If a packaged snack is this nice and comforting, I'd like to try the real thing! It does suffer mildly from being a bit too one note, being only cream, I would love to see this paired with another flavor. But what they've done here is very nice.

Rating: 8 - Rowf!

Kit Kats - Wasabi, Sakura Nihonshu, Sakura and Roasted Soybean

Ever since I got my box of Kit Kats I've been fearing this day and alas it's finally here... the day I'm going to try the wasabi Kit Kat. I can stand some spicy foods, but the instant slap to your tastebuds that wasabi delivers can be a bit too much. I hope Kit Kat has realized this and dulls it down a bit, or maybe they'll go for the hyperrealism approach. If the worst-case scnario happens though, at least I'll get to cool down with some nice sakura flavors afterwards.

The wasabi Kit Kat seems benign from the outside, with its lovely light green color and creamy smell. But I'm not going to be deceived by that, no way. Wasabi itself has this same inviting color. I take a deep breath, and see if it's going to sting me the same way...

And surprisingly it doesn't burn at all. In fact the first thing I get is the creamy taste, which leaves me wondering if this is even the right Kit Kat. But then I get the taste. The familiar pungent taste that accompanied the quick fire that wasabi produces, but without any of the fire. How they did this I don't know, but it's a miracle and it's pretty wonderful. It's pleasant to eat and hides a complex flavor underneath it's simple creamy exterior. The Kit Kat creators must have been wizards to come up with this.

Rating: 9 - Arooooo!

Marukawa Kirby Mix 'n Match Gum

Even though I've gone through the anime snack box, this is Japan, so there's always more on the horizon! Or at my local Japanese market. This one is equal parts cute and iconic being Kirby, and what better way to celebrate a character that can copy so many powers by swallowing them with this gum having many different flavors and combinations? Since Kirby swallows so many enemies to do this, it'll maybe make me feel like I'm doing the same, except the powers I'd get from these... wouldn't be all that interesting.

There are a total of five flavors here, which are yogurt, soda (ramune), orange, apple, and the ever-enigmatic prank gum. That last one in particular scares me, what could it be? The combinations add another layer to this, where I can get flavors like... an orange apple hybrid? Intetive. Also lemonade, apple cider, milk tea, ice cream float, and cola. The last type of mix 'n match snack I had actually delivered on its wacky mixing promises, so maybe I'll get just those flavors here too.

Boruto Hand Gummy

There are two Boruto snacks in this box and both are pineapple flavored. I assume that's not a coincidence here and pineapple is the designated Boruto flavor. I wonder if they assign flavors to every anime? That would be interesting. This one is supposed to be energy drink flavored, while not an actual energy drink, but I did already get that vibe a bit in the last Boruto snack. Hopefully this will add something a little different into the mix, and if not, it'll at least be a different texture and same refreshing pineapple taste.

The gummy certainly seems to resemble one of those stretchy hand toys. I think I've said this before about other gummies, but this one more than any of them seems to be inspired by that. The hand is very loose and curls up just like those. The flavor is also quite unique and very distinct from the pineapple jelly. Where that was more sweet, this adds a sour component as well, which is really nice, creating an interesting balanced flavor.

When I eat it I just get more of that and it's really nice, definitely like drinking a pineapple energy drink and feeling recharged after a nice romp, except it's slightly more solid. The gummy texture isn't the most satisfying around though, there's a weird consistency too it where it's lacks a little bit of the bite it needs so it melts in your mouth just a little too quickly. I say that though because the flavor is so nice that I want to experience it for longer, but alas it's all over too soon. Not even the tiny second helping of the star can prolong the sadness after that nice flavor left me. Of course I wouldn't be saying this if the flavor wasn't amazing, so it is. Just don't expect it to last too long.

Rating: 8 - Rowf!

Thomas the Train Engine Chewy Candy

As mentioned before, Thomas is quite a strange inclusion in an anime box, but he indeed an animated character that's popular in Japan. I didn't actually know this but I guess it makes sense, with more animated characters and trains there. I actually liked these toys as a wee little pup, so it brings back a bit of nostalgia. Except I don't remember the stern looking engine on the right. This candy is also grape flavor which sounds wonderful to me right now on this hot day. Hopefully it'll be plenty refreshing.

Two surprises here, first of all this seems to be gum despite being labeled as chewy candy, and second, the packaging is all very unique! One seems to have a folding craft, one seems to be trivia. All very fun stuff. The gum has a nice refreshing grape flavor, so looking well here.

The grape gum flavor is just as nice as the smell. It's like biting into a refreshing red grape but it lasts so much longer. There does seem to be quiet a bit of sugar on the gum though which means the flavor might not last too long unfortunately, but for now it's very nice. And it's fading away and... gone? Well guess it's not gum after all, I was fooled. It may actually be better this way though since I was expecting it to last a long time. It still lasted a good amount of time for being chewy candy, and has quite a pleasant taste. How this correlates into Thomas I'm not sure, but between the packaging and the candy I'm digging it. I just want more than 5 of them!

Rating: 8 - Rowf!

Easter Banana Kit Kat

While I have already tried a banana Kit Kat, that one was chocolate banana, and this one is pure banana. It's also got cute bunny pictures on it, so what can go wrong here? I'm looking forward to seeing how the Kit Kat form factor works with a purely banana coating.

The appearance and smell, however, worry me a bit. I have stated before my issues with artificial banana flavors and I'm sure many can agree, and already I'm getting banana Laffy Taffy vibes from this. It's very shallow smelling, and a lot of sweetness and fake banana, and I hope the actual candy doesn't taste like this but I'll find out soon.

Fortunately, that doesn't seem to be the case. The filling saves it here, as it's a bit banana flavored itself and has a deeper, richer taste. It reminds me of a more ripe banana on the inside, very squishy, darker, and a lot more flavor, along with the signature Kit Kat crunch, and I quite like it. It's a surprise that the snack tastes so authentic when the smell isn't quite that, but sometimes the nose deceives. Especially mine. I'm so glad there are more of these included in the ToykoTreat box because it's a great way to get that banana fix in dessert form with a bit of crunch on the side. Kudos to Kit Kat for making a banana candy that doesn't suck!

Rating: 8 - Rowf!

Kyoro-Chan's Custard Pudding Snack

We finally get some pudding in TokyoTreat, ruff ruff! Interestingly enough these are chocolate flavored as well, which is a combination I don't believe I've had before. They are also supposed to look like Easter eggs per the packaging, which by the way is so cute with the bird popping out of the egg! I hope that doesn't actually happen with this snack because that would be pretty creepy.

I was surprised to learn that not only do these snacks look like eggs, but there's an Easter egg hunt right on the box! On the last try I finally found Kyoro-chan, that sneaky little rascal. The egg appearance of the candies is really nice, not only in shape, but the white color and specks are all very realistic and fun. And the smell coming from the box is absolutely tantalizing. While these are chocolate on the outside, the custard smell comes through loud and clear and I can't wait.

Interestingly enough though, the custard filling is more of a solid crispy wafer texture than the thick liquid-y texture of normal pudding. The flavor still comes through nicely. The chocolate seems to be white chocolate which actually works better, as the milky flavor blends better with the also milk-based custard. The milky flavor of these is also what sticks out the most, with the eggy pudding flavor as an accent. It's not what I was expecting but I do quite like it. It gets a little stale after a while but still a creamy milky delight in each bite. Makes me feel all cozy like I was inside an eggshell! But of course with all the energy to burst out and play.

Rating: 8 - Rowf!

Gudetama Orange Yogurt Hard Candy

If I was rating candies based on cuteness, this would probably get a perfect 10 already. Making a candy in the likeness of Gdetama himself? What a great idea! For those who don't know, Gudetama is a very lazy, possibly depressed egg, meaning he is probably all of our spirit animals at some point in time. And the flavor of this candy sounds very appealing, not too often we get an orange candy.

Well, it's a little disappointing that the outside of the candy isn't orange, nor does it actually have the Gudetama face on it. It's just the wrapper. To compensate though, there are lots of different faces on the candies. The bottom right one bother me the most... what became of this egg? Is that when he's hard boiled? There's only a very slight orange flavor from the candy, which makes sense since it's in the yogurt shell.

Instantly though upon putting this in my mouth I get a very yogurty flavor with an orange taste, and it's quite pleasant! It captures the taste of both things perfectly, the orange tastes perfectly natural and I get the milk tanginess of the yogurt too. After a while the candy breaks and I get this wonderful strong orangey sauce running though, I guess that would make this the yolk? It's very in your face and I appreciate that it isn't the flavor for the entire thing so it would get annoying, but that burst right at the end is pleasant and leaves quite a strong impression. Certainly doesn't make me feel lazy like Gudetama.

Rating: 8 - Rowf!

Kit Kats - White Chocolate Citrus, Pumpkin, Beni-Imo

Now that I've gotten past some of the standard fruit flavored Kit Kats, things are starting to get a little stranger. There's a white chocolate citrus flavor which sounds great and also has a baseball theme to it. Then there's some kind of pumpkin, which is always welcome, and a peculiar purple sweet potato flavor that sounds like it could be a recipe for success.

Oh no, the citrus one is melty! It has been a hot day, but I don't think I expected this. It's a plain white color, but has a distinctly orange smell that's really nice actually. Kind of reminds me of a creamsicle? I could go for one of those in this hot weather.

Despite the meltiness, this one really doesn't disappoint. It somehow creates such a refreshing feeling in my mouth that it's unreal. It's so creamy and orange-y yet feels so light at the same time. I don't even understand how it can be like this. You'd think that something with white chocolate would be so much heavier, but it isn't. This tastes like all those light refreshing orange-y drinks out there, except unlike those it's candy! I hope they hand these out at hot ballgames... except they'd melt. But you feel so relaxed and cool after eating these. Like a fan blowing orange scented goodness in my mouth.

Rating: 10 - AWOOOOOOO!!!

Meiji Meltyblend Green Tea

Few things sound more soothing than "Meltyblend". Mmm, a piece of silky chocolate dissolving in your mouth... And this one even has green tea in it, which should add to the soothing flavor! Also manufactured by Japanese snack staple Meiji, meaning this one should be a hit if everything goes well. Though I'm not sure I've had green tea and chocolate together before... we'll see if it's a combination that works.

Seeing as how the "melty" part of Meltyblend could get out of hand, I'm glad to see these are both in a box and individually wrapped. Otherwise one hot California day and these could all melty-blend together so fast! And I'm not trying to have them melty-blend with my paws. The chocolate seems to be on the more natural side of the spectrum. It has a grainy appearance to it which could be great, it brings to mind raw cocoa powder. Smelling it though, I get more of that delectable green tea flavor which is shown on the package. The two of these together is sure to be a hit.

As expected, the combination of chocolate and green tea proves to be slightly awkward at first as my palette adjusts to the two flavors, then is a hit. The chocolate provides a little bit of edge that the green tea calms down, and both provide a good bit of sweetness. It doesn't exactly melt as easy as I'd like it to unfortunately, it has to be coaxed into doing that with a few bites here and there, but as it does the soothing and rough flavors blend together, a representation of the comforts and struggles of life, going down my throat in a sweet fashion. I'd say this is almost too sweet, but it's only just over the edge. I think these two flavors could pop a bit more if they seemed more natural, but that's nitpicky. While unexpected, this combination works very well and I'll sure to have many of these melting in my mouth in the future.

Rating: 8 - Rowf!

Kit Kats - Rum Raisin, Shinshu Apple, Tokyo Banana

Another trio of fruity Kit Kats, this time with some more out of the ordinary flavors for Japanese fruit candies. Rum raisin is the most confusing one, as I typically think of raisins as being purple or brown but the packaging and picture on the package is decidedly blue. Maybe Japanese raisins are made from blueberries? Apple and banana are more standard flavors but in the context of a crispy wafer snack not too often seen, and both of them have their regional flairs with Shinshu and Tokyo.

Surprisingly, despite having a packaging seemingly fit for a blueberry, the rum raisin Kit Kat looks and smells more like one of the sake ones. I definitely get a bit of an alcohol smell along with a fruity smell, but I can't exactly decipher which fruit that is. I'd say it's closest to grape, but then wouldn't that just make this wine? What is rum made out of anyways? ...sugarcane, huh.

Unlike the sake kit kats though, the fruity flavor in this one is more pronounced than the alcohol flavor, giving it a much sweeter taste with a side of rum. The fruit flavor does actually taste somewhat like a mixture of grape and blueberry. It's probably one of those but my tastebuds are not distinguished enough to pick it out. Overall despite not being a fan of alcohol taste I quite like this. It's more sweet and refreshing than anything, like chilling out on a summer day, by the pool, not a care in the world. Can those days come quicker already?

Rating: 7 - Aroof!

Cadina Taro Chips

Well well, we've got one of our first bits of Engrish on a snack! That's when you know it's legit. Or maybe the definition of happy really is yummy taro chips. That would be quite a bold promise. Would anything else compare afterwards? I don't even know much about Taro except for having had a bit of taro flavored tea, but I do appreciate the sweet, gritty flavor that it offers. I can also see it transferring well to chips if the chips have a little bit of salt but don't go overboard. I haven't been impressed with too many Japanese chips though, so not holding my breath. Also not a fan of the creature-person-thing on the front. Looks like a Jimmy Neutron character...

Regardless of the look of the packaging, the look of these chips are quite nice. You can see the purple streaks of taro swirled through them in a marble-like fashion. It would be a nice texture to have on the walls or ceiling of a building. From the bag I get a smell that seems like a nice mix of salty and sweet root vegetable flavors, which is very promising.

From a taste point of view the sweet flavor is more present than the salty flavor in this one, which is good. I got taro chips and I want to taste taro, and I do taste it. It's an interesting addition to potato here. Since they're both root vegetables they mesh well together, and the taro shares the starchiness of the potato, but also adds a sweet nutty flavor to the mix, with almost a vanilla flavor in there. The salt in potato in this case don't drown out those flavors like other chips, but instead enhance it and stop it from being one note. The potato chip side brings out a bit more of the starch backing and some salt to overall enhance the sweetness of the taro. It overall works very well. It's not a snack that I'd be dying to eat all the time but it's certainly a more interesting and satisfying taste than your average potato chip.

Rating: 8 - Rowf!

Kit Kats - Kyoho Grape, Hokkaido Melon, Wa-Ichigo Strawberry

This time we have three more Kit Kats with some different fruity flavors. While matcha and strawberry are familiar territory, I'm really interested to see how grape and melon translate into Kit Kat's wafter structure. The last one is the ever-familiar strawberry but with Wa-Ichigo tacked onto it. I wonder if that will be any different?

As usual I look up the meaning behind any unknown words and see that kyoho grapes are a type of grape grown in Japan. Regardless  I don't expect this to be too different from the normal grape flavor, though this one has a lighter color and different smell than I expected. It smells... almost like grape toothpaste? Not sure if that'll be an entirely bad thing. It's definitely not pure grape smell, kind of muddled with a milky flavor and added sweetness.

The flavor does seem to work a bit in context of the wafer. Without it I imagine a pure grape flavor would be in stark contast to the rest of the treat. It still feels a little out place in candy, after adjusting to it, it's okay, but still odd and not quite what I'm looking for. It's a bit too sweet where from fruit flavors I expect something more authentic. This... is okay, but doesn't quite work for me.

Rating: 4 - Boof!

Kit Kats - Uji Matcha and Otono-no-Amasa

Technically both of these two are labeled Otono-no-Amasa (chocolate for adults), and so were the three I reviewed before, but the last one... doesn't seem to have any other label as far as I can tell. What I can assume is that it's some sort of upgraded kit kat for the more refined consumer, in this case tasting it with my unrefined puppy tastebuds should make it an extra good treat! Also in there is the Uji Matcha, in hindsight I should've tasted it alongside the normal matcha to compare but this is what we got now... if it's really different it should stand out on its own.

The coloring of this one looks mostly the same, maybe a little bit lighter than the other matcha, and gone are the speckles that were on the other one. I looked it up and Uji refers to a type of matcha that comes from a specific region. Maybe better quality? Who knows. As for the smell, it's a matcha smell alright, about as good as they come, not too overpowering.

Tasting this, I can definitely tell it's less bitter than the other one, which definitely makes this more mainstream-accessible, and I like it better too. As good as matcha is, to put it raw in this normally sweet wafer treat makes it out of place, so they got it right here. The matcha itself doesn't come out as strong, and I would like to taste it just a bit more, the sweetness masks it a little bit. But otherwise, comes closer to striking a nice balance, sweet but with that matcha taste I know and love.

Rating: 8 - Rowf!

DIY Chocolate Covered Banana

This is definitely one of those DIY kits where I could easily do this on my own... but why spend all that time when everything is here in one convenient package? For that reason it's been a while since I've had a good chocolate covered banana, so I'm excited to taste what lies within here.

Awrr... definitely a bit worried about this one. The "bananas" seem to be these banana flavored chewy candy which smells a bit too much like the banana Laffy Taffys for comfort. Does anyone actually like those? The rest of it is rather simplistic, with a bag for the chocolate frosting and sprinkles, and a toothpick.

After I poured out the chocolate and sprinkles, I was a little bit reassured because the chocolate frosting does smell very good, and the sprinkles are all ball-shaped, which should actually be very good for dipping.

The chocolate required a little bit of pressure to get to stick on the banana, but the sprinkles stuck right on which was a very nice surprise!

As for the taste... it actually works. The chocolate supplies a lot of the flavor that the banana candy is missing. It's really good chocolate frosting actually, sweet and rich but not too much so. The banana candy is no slouch either. It's a bit different from the banana Laffy Taffy in that the flavor is just ever so slightly more authentic, and not as chewy, so it doesn't feel like a chore to eat. The sprinkles also add a well-needed texture element to this, some crunch that makes it actually feel like I'm eating a frozen banana - but no brain freeze!

I'll admit I wasn't expecting much from this, and that banana flavor could still use some work, but it's much better than I thought it would be. Chocolate and banana is a dream come true no matter what form. Hear that Laffy Taffy? I got a product idea for you!

Rating: 8 - Rowf!

Tirol Gelato Pack

I already know Tirol churns out some great concoctions, and who doesn't love gelato? A bunch of other Japanese snacks have done a great job replicating ice cream flavors so far, but gelato is a new avenue, as are some of these flavors. The three here are pistachio, milk, and mixed berry, all of which are very exciting flavors. But I got my nose on that pistachio.

Pistachio is up first, and it has a super interesting appearance and smell. Both are true to the nut: the chocolate is green with brown flaky bits mixed in, which creates a fine nutty texture. The smell is equally nutty, and actually quite strong!

The taste displays a little more depth, as it's very creamy, I guess to stay true to the gelato theme, and that balances out the nuttiness very well. No special filling on the inside, but it really doesn't need it, the combination of the nutty flavor and creaminess and crispy rice gives it everything it needs. It really is a great treat that manages to evolve the pistachio flavor into something more. I wish I had more of these, aruff!

Rating: 9 - Arooooo!

Everyday Luxury Kit Kats

The runts of the Kit Kat pack I got, I'm not really sure what to expect from these. Many of them share the same flavors, with the top being the most basic and progressing from there. Will this truly be a luxury as Kit Kat claims? One thing's for sure, I sure can't have them every day... darn shipping times.

The first one is simply cranberry and almonds, hopefully a chance to get a feel for the core flavors that are in all three. Already it looks promising with that delightful Kit Kat smell I know and love plus an interesting looking crumbly top. No cranberries in sight, but they're probably inside.

First taste, and already I'm loving the inclusion of almonds in this! Normally the texture makes me not eat them raw but they really add a lot to the chocolate here. I still don't get any of the cranberry though. The inside seems akin to a normal Kit Kat. All in all very nice even with that flavor seemingly missing, not an especially different experience but still a welcomed addition.

Rating: 7 - Aroof!

Pokemon DIY Candy Kit

Who doesn't love Pokemon? I'll admit I was a little jealous when I saw that this was included in the February Japan Crate, so when I spotted it at a Japanese market I had to nab it for myself. I love how prevalent Pokemon themed products are in Japan, and considering how popular the series is in the US too, I have to wonder why we don't get more of them? Regardless, this seems to be a simpler DIY, consisting of a mold and some soft candy, though it could still be just as fun and tasty.

Kracie Popin Cookin Burger

Meat! AWRUFF! Okay so it's not actually meat, and thankfully I've already eaten dinner so it won't get my mouth watering like it is, but this DIY kit still looks mighty tasty. The bun could use a little more brown, but two patties on one of the burger, plus the fries look nice and potato-ey! My tail is wagging, telling me to dig in, but first I gotta make it.

As usual, we got packets, placemats, a molds, and two utensils! How exciting, not having to do everything with just a spoon or pick. Surprisingly low number of molds too, I see the hamburger buns, the cola, a stripey one for the fries, and a deeper one. Guess it does help that every component of a hamburger is round except for the cheese.

Pepsi Strawberry Shortcake

Once again, why does Japan get exclusive flavors of normally US products? It doesn't make the slightest bit of sense, unless everyone there has a refined palette like I do and wants to experience new things. But I still think this would sell very well in the states. It also is possibly mislabeled, saying it's Christmas Cola instead, and I'm not even sure what buyers would consider that to be... peppermint? Eggnog? Though from reading, it seems it was in fact offered in Japan during the holiday season.

Not even any pink tinting here, this soda is completely white in color, which I suppose could represent the cake portion of the strawberry shortcake. In turn it's also a more peculiar strawberry taste than most, where I do get more of the angel food cake taste with just a hint of strawberry. Not exactly sure what the angel food cake flavor is, maybe finally and egg?

Drinking a bit of this soda reveals a very similar flavor. The strawberry is subtle but I think after all the strawberry in this box I actually prefer it to the punch-in-the-face strawberry flavors of the others. This also meshes better with the existing cola flavor, providing a lighter note in there to balance out the flavors. The strawberry seems to just be the proverbial garnish to top it all off. While I would not normally drink Pepsi, this is way more refreshing and light than I'm used to, to the point where I don't even mind the bubbles that much. It's not sure to be my go-to drink, but Pepsi did a very good job of creating a flavor that is a bit different than the usually heavy soda flavor.

Rating: 8 - Rowf!