Ginbis Yogurt Ginza Rusk

Ginbis, my old friend. Haven't had anything from you for a while. The strawberry ginza rusk from a few boxes back was a nice treat, and this time for the summer I have this cooling yogurt flavor. Sounds just perfect! And now that I know what rusk is from the other rusk snack in this box, I'll have a better understanding and appreciation for the texture. Already the cream drizzling onto the toast cubes on the package looks so tantalizing. And it has lactic acid to help with digestion!

The first thing I notice about these is they seem to have a slightly squishier texture than the other ginza rusk. Not by much, but I definitely noticed it pulling these out of the bag, there's just a bit more give to these and they feel denser than the other one. The yogurt flavor is very nice too, more on the tangy side, exemplified by the herb shown on the bowl of yogurt in the package.

Though the first thing I notice eating this is that it does in fact have a nice bit of sweetness. And then after that I still get the more tangy aftertaste. It almost does seem like an herb or something, but I really can't tell too much myself. This makes it a very well balanced yogurt flavor: yogurt has both sweet and savory applications and this seems to highlight them both together. The texture as I expected is also crunchy, but less so than similar snacks. It feels like there's some moisture in this as well, and since this is yogurt flavored, that blends quite well. It has this nice creamy consistency going down too, like that extra bit of moisture in it helps the whole thing melt in your mouth.

If I had any complaint with this it's that it's too one-note. Yogurt is great but I feel like it needs another flavor, it would be great alongside strawberry or blueberry. Maybe blueberry since that's rarely seen in Japanese snacks. Still though, very solid snack and the extra digestive benefits are well appreciated for my next feast!

Rating: 7 - Aroof!

Morinaga Healthy Snacking Squishy Lemon Gummies

Another Morinaga snack in this box! Everything they've made has been excellent so far like Hi-Chews so this will likely be no different. Though it is supposed to be healthy this time, so maybe it'll be a little less good... or even better due to being healthy.. These gummies are supposed to create a sense of being full with fiber and protein, and I am truly the test case for this as I'm never full... so if it works on me it should be golden!

At first glance and sniff, these gummies remind me of lemon bars. They're not purely the squishy clear lemon juice based gummies I've seen before but they have some bread or egg type element in them which makes sense given that they have protein and fiber. The smell is exactly like a lemon bar too. I get some egg in there and some of a shortbread smell.

The texture is slightly chewy but not as hard to chew as some other gummies. Just enough to be satisfying but not so much as to be difficult. And the taste still reminds me of a lemon bar. It's nice and pleasant, strikes a good balance of being light but fulfilling at the same time. Though I wish all the flavors had some more "oomph" to them. They're nice but they don't really pop. I'd get more out of eating a lemon bar than this, which is fair because this is healthier. But I would like just a little more lemon flavor. It also feels very "dry", I get very thirsty eating this, where some of the other gummies feel very juicy as they dissolve in my mouth. All that aside though, this is a really nice and unique flavor, and healthy to boot! A nice midday snack.

Rating: 7 - Aroof!

Ginger Tea Hard Candy

This is the kinosei snack in this month's TokyoTreat and it unfortunately came a little late for me, as it's suppose to sooth throats, and I had a cold last weekend... But regardless, my throat could always use a little soothing. The flavor for this one worries me just a bit because ginger in the past has been a bit too strong for me at times, but maybe this candy will strike a nice balance.

Unexpectedly, the candy came invidually wrapped in these foil wrappers, which made it a bit difficult to open, but that also should be good since it helps them maintain their freshness. The candy itself looks really pretty. It's this slightly clear amber color and the most aesthetic rounding that a rectangle could have. No noticeable smell though, but that has been the case with hard candies before and hasn't affected the flavor.

The flavor thankfully isn't overbearing. It's actually quite pleasant - slightly sweet, it's almost like a warm ginger tea hug right by the fire.Everything about this flavor feels nice and gentle with a little bit of spice that only serves to emphasize the warmth and caring it seems to give. As time goes on that hug only seems to be warmer as more of the flavors release. And it really does feel soothing to the throat - as those flavors slide down, my throat gets clearer, as if the spicy was attacking all the gunk in it, and replacing it with the earthy taste of the tea.

The flavor doesn't ever really evolve into anything else, or have any change of texture, but it's nice and solidly comforting, and really doesn't need to be any thing else. While I doubt it would ever be a substitute for cough drops, this is a really nice way to soothe a throat that has taken a beating, and even without that this flavor is sweet, earthy, pleasant, a little spicy... All like a nice warm hug.

Rating: 9 - Arooooo!

Lotte Rose x Berry Glamatic Tablets

One unique factor of the TokyoTreat box is that every month it includes a kinosei snack in the box, which means a snack that provides health benefits. That being said, I'm not sure what health benefits this is supposed to have, because as far as I can see, it's a breath mint. Maybe health for my packmates as I lick them clean? Not too sure, but nevertheless, a treat that improves your breath and is tasty is always a plus. Let's see what these are like!