Lakkris from a Rose

A Legendary Combo Comes to Life.

Name: Þrista Stubbar
Category: Chocolate Licorice Candy
Ethnicity: Icelandic
Brand: Sambó

Throughout my travels in Iceland, I can say with certainty that I’ve fallen in love with Licorice. Most of my American friends make fun of me for my gastro “downfall”. Yet I chew in anger. Why is this flavor so polarizing? I find the base flavor to be herbal, sophisticated, earthy, and mesmerizing. Pair that with chocolate and caramel? You have yourself a treat you’ll never forget. I’m talking about Þrista Stubbar, people and I urge you to try it one day. This product is no secret to Icelanders. Family-owned Sambó Lakkris has been making licorice and chocolate products out of Reykjavik for nearly 60 years. This product is right in their wheelhouse. Medium-sized rectangular pieces of juicy licorice feature a layer of caramel, then enrobed with sweet and mellow milk chocolate. While the licorice is a bit chewy, the rest is creamy, gooey and chocolatey. Now this company may not make dozens of products. But they are rock stars at what they make. And to me? That’s all that counts.

Final Word: The Nordic countries all boast fantastic licorice treats. As of now, this is in the top five of all-time favorites. 

Russians Love Croutons?

Stale Rye Bread Rocks. Especially with Cheese!

Name: Rye-Bread Cheesy Croutons
Category: Drinking Food
Ethnicity: Russian
Brand: Flint

Russia must be explored as a frontier for food exploration. I am certainly a novice when it comes to its cuisine intricacies. Sure, I know some of the food my family served me as a kid, like Pelmini, Borscht, and Beef Stroganoff. But I desire to adventure beyond the classics. Now sampling cheesy baked rye-croutons is nowhere near real Russian Food. It IS however, a brief glimpse into this massive country’s daily snacking culture. More importantly, here’s what you need to know: Rye-flour crotons are EXTREMELY common snacks to eat with cold Russian beer like Baltika and all flavor flankers. This snack happens to be cheese flavored, which like most people, isn’t a problem. They are SUPER crunchy little rectangular croutons that taste like rye bread and aged parmesan. Yes, they actually taste like the $20/pound Italian staple; it’s rather uncanny. Each bite is savory, crispy, and well, bready. Though I have never eaten this snack, it comes as no surprise that these little guys are very popular. With it coming in so many other flavors, it’s clear that Flint is on a roll with their flagship snacks.

Final Word: Perfect crunch with a cold one. Now I just need to get my hands on some Baltika lager. 

Lucia's Banana Chips Rock

Name: Plantain Chips
Category: Dried Fruit Snack
Ethnicity: Filipino
Brand: Lucia

Like all South East Asian countries, The Philippines is obsessed with bananas and plantains. And why wouldn’t they be? The lush archipelago features the ultimate climate for growing juicy, ripe, sweet, and savory bananas and plantains. Whether you know it or not, you’ve had many Filipino bananas. The country is the second largest exporter of bananas in the world. I mean, THAT’s BANANAS! The chips presented here is made from the Cardava banana. But actually it’s really a sweet plantain commonly known as a Saba. Saba is a critical crop and ingredient featured in Filipino cuisine. Boiled, fried, sautéed, baked, and dried, these plantains are multi-faceted and can easily complete the perfect Filipino dish. These Lucia banana chips are incredible. They’re crunchy, thin, nutty, fruity, salty, and sweet. They are fried in a mixture of brown sugar, coconut oil, and banana syrup. I can’t stop eating them honestly. Maybe because the already starchy, sugary plantain has 7 extra grams of added sugar. But Filipino food is all about comfort and these snacks give me that fuzzy feeling inside. Give them a try and taste for yourself.

Rating: A - (Above and beyond your typical plantain chip)

I Like to Snacku, Snacku…

Name: Snacku (Veggie Flavored Rice Crackers)
Category: Rice Crackers
Ethnicity: Filippino
Brand: Regent Foods Corp.

“Proudly Pinoy” is stated on this brightly green bag of veggie chips by Regent out of Manila, Philippines. With just one look I am lit with joy. Snacku is a brilliant name; one that both makes total sense (it’s a snack) and is also silly (Snacku sounds like an infant saying “Snack” wrong). Another wonderful thing that Snacku features a picture of the product that accurately reflects the actual product itself.

Snacku claims its little green puffy rice sticks are flavored like a mixture of vegetables. Regent couldn’t be more wrong. Unlike the accurately described veggie sticks by Korean/Japanese brand Lotte, these taste like American barbeque sauce crossed with onion powder. I’m talking deeper, saltier, more savory in taste than veggie snacks typically offer.

But I wasn’t expecting a deep vegetal flavor because…well, they’re crackers. Like many of the Filipino treats I’ve had through the years, Snacku isn’t trying to reflect reality. Rather, it’s trying to give you comfort food flavors you know and love. In this regard, Snacku doesn’t disappoint. As I think about it’s unique flavor, I keep eating and enjoying the green savory snacks with pleasure. Now that the bag is done, I think I’m going to make a salad…

Rating: B+ (Savory, BBQ-Flavored Non-Veggies!)

Take a Trip on the Light Side

Snow or Shine, Gun-Gun-Gurt Hits the Spot

Name: Gun-Gun Gurt
Category: Non-Carbonated Yogurt Soft Drink
Ethnicity: Japanese
Brand: Calpis (Asahi)

Yogurt drinks are dime-a-dozen these days. It’s almost like you cannot have a Ready-to-Drink product line in Asia without a non-carbonated yogurt soft drink. And that’s really what Gun-Gun-Gurt is: a delicately sweet milky soft with a smooth tartness you’d find in a serving of commercial yogurt. Now, Japan’s Calpis (owned by Asahi) has put no major claims on the bottle designating this as a truly “healthy” probiotic drink. Yakult out of Korea is the king in this category. But I’m fine with this. I take probiotics every day so I’m not relying on this. But recently, I’m all about refreshment. This drink is so light you can’t help but love it. I love a drink that’s bright, mild and not too rich or creamy. It didn’t help that I tried GGG (Gun-Gun-Gurt) in the dead of winter. Still, I was surprise how much I love the flavor. It’s actually lower in calories and sugar compared to it's competitors. This drink is seriously tasty and will be your go-to drink during those hot summer days.

Rating: B+ (a great summer drink for refreshing your taste buds!)

Kachha Aam Hajmola Candy

Raw Mango Candy Packed with Ayurvedic Herbs

Name: "Kachha Aam" Hajmola Raw Mango Candy
Category: Candy
Ethnicity: Indian (Mumbai)
Brand: Parle Biscuits

In the almost-forgotten neighborhood of Kips Bay, Manhattan exists one of the finest global food markets in New York City. Kalustyan's has represented India and the Mideast's infinite supply of exciting foods, spices, herbs and teas since 1944. It is a glorious store that houses hundreds of interesting items from Ceylon tea to Sumac to suit all your culinary exploration needs. I go there all the time to smell and feel my way to tonight's dinner. Though I will be writing many in-depth posts about the Kalustyan foods that shape my palate, theses little mango suckers caught my eye an ear. 

As the mayor of Honesty Town, I will tell you that at my last visit, I was fighting a cold and had a terribly irritated throat. As I eyed down this clear bag of green candies, a store employee told me that these candies are pure magic for an upset throat and stomach. In the market for some relief, I snagged them up and popped one in my mouth. These Hajmola candies are traditional hard candies flavored with raw mango juice and a bunch of special ayurvedic herbs. And that is exactly what they taste like; sweet, tangy, and herbaceous little mango suckers. Due to the power of the herbs, Kachha Aam Hajmola Candies aid digestion, settle stomachs, and even strengthen your appetite. I of course, put these guys to the test and I will say they make me feel a little better after a big meal. They even make a sore throat slightly less sore too. But I think that I'll stick to Cepacol and Pepto Bismol for the bigger aches. For now, Hajmola Candies by Parle out of Mumbai hit it on the head with this candy. It's a rather complicated candy, beginning with the sweet tanginess of mango but then dives deeper with bright and clean flavors of a complex herbal combo. These are a new go-to candy. Now what else to get at Kalustyan's?

Rating: B+ (Ayurvedic Medicinal Digestive Powers to the Rescue!)

Mets Cola: The Finest Diet Cola of All

Japan's Kirin Reinvents Diet Soda While Helping Keep Your Weight Down

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Name: Mets Cola
Category: Soft Drink
Ethnicity: Japanese
Brand: Kirin

For decades, the delicious tooth-withering syrupy soda has always been accompanied by its "healthier" aspartame-ridden brother, diet soda. First Tab, then Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi, people started flocking to the somewhat tasty no-cal drink because it gave them caffeine without the calories. So it does make sense that paired with mesmerizing ad campaigns, diet soda, specifically, diet cola, would become massively popular in American. Currently, the beverage industry is satiated with dozens of popular diet sodas, guaranteed to give you a refreshing jolt while keeping the "S" word out of your diet. Not that I agree with diet soda being healthy, but Americans tend to add unnecessary sugar into almost every processed food made in the country; it's not the worst way to cut calories for the average American. Diet Cola has received a few updates over the past years but none that I would consider game-changers. That is, until I tasted Mets Cola. Japan's beverage giant Kirin created a carbonated diet cola that I believe is the finest of all the diet colas. I see Mets Cola as the Diet Coke lover's dream drink. The most important box this drink checks off is that it tastes almost exactly like Coca-Cola (to me the most critical goal of a diet cola taste). The taste is undeniably light and refreshing. The body tastes like a sophisticated herbal cola with a light finish and no nasty aspartame aftertaste. Each sip, I am not reminded of a synthetic laboratory soda but a real drink that tastes natural and purely delicious. As a diet coke drinker, I have found what I've been looking for for so long. Perhaps I've been drinking American diet sodas so long that I chose not to search for better tasting alternatives around the globe. But this Metz Cola is something else; it transcends the category in both taste and presentation. And I didn't even get to the best part...

Japan's premier beer maker Kirin has made the world's first health-conscious soda. Beside from keeping consumers cool, Mets Cola is scientifically designed to help you keep fat off. What allows for this is an added fiber supplement that makes it more difficult for your body to absorb fat molecules during mealtime.  Kirin has also vetted this beverage's functionality by backing it up through successful clinical research. From a marketing standpoint, Kirin successfully targeted and won over men in their thirties who love indulging in food and drink but fear putting on extra weight. Seems young Japanese men love a drink that can help keep up with late night jaunts at their local Izayaka.

With science and marketing on their size, Mets Cola wins huge in the battle for the best diet cola. Most importantly, Mets Cola has massive longevity because it has 10 calories and tastes like the real deal. It's not an easy beverage to find. But when you see it, DRINK UP!

Rating: A+ (This Drink is the Current King of Skinny Colas!)

Cheese Pretz (Cho Umaboso)

Above and Beyond the Duty of "Cheese-Flavored Pretzel Stick"

Name: Cheese Pretz
Category: Pretzel
Ethnicity: Japanese
Brand: Glico

It's hard to sometimes break associations of foods with the places they originated from. Even as an intrepid food eater, I sometimes get weirded out when ethnic foods are taken out of context and appropriated into different cultures. Take pretzels for example. The traditional lye-treated pretzel we all know and love is a European-born doughy treat from the middle ages most famously perfected by the Germans. Though pretzels are sold and consumed throughout the world, they are typically not associated with Asian cuisines. Japanese snack generals Glico have decided to create a line of pretzel snacks and turn the pretzel world on its head. Well, that might be taking it a little too far. But I am very impressed. To me, PRETZ isn't a box of pretzel sticks. PRETZ turns boring old salt pretzels into flavorful works of art. They of course do not come close to the authenticity of hard, dried baked pretzels. But they do something else: they improve upon them. PRETZ sticks are seriously thin and come thirty to a box. The portion is important because it seems like they know I will be wanting many more of these as soon as I devour the first five sticks. These pretzel sticks are simply amazing. They're crunchy, delicate, and deep in savory flavor. Now just like pretzels aren't indigenous to Japan, neither is cheese. Well, butter and other dairy products are quite prevalent in northern Japan (Hokkaido) but elsewhere it's just not around. These pretzels are covered top to bottom in an absolutely delicious aged cheddar cheese flavor that I cannot get enough of. It goes beyond cheese too. Each bite gives something new notes to love: peppercorns, basil, soy sauce, Parmesan, complex saltiness. After each bite, I am reminded that these are really not similar at all to the cheese-covered pretzels I ate for most of my life. Then I realize that I don't care because PRETZ are so much more than your average pretzel snack. The crunch is perfect, the flavor is rich in profile and the size is just right for serious snacking. There are dozens of PRETZ flavors and I plan on trying them all with great zeal. I have Glico to thank for taking someone else's snack and making it more delicious and interesting than ever before. Thanks for the innovation!

Rating: A (Sophistication is a Cheese Dust Pretzel Stick)

Crown Corn Chip with Modena Balsamic Vinegar

Korea Gets Too Experimental with This Bland Corn Chip.

Name: Crown Corn Chip with Modena Balsamic Vinegar
Category: Corn Chip
Ethnicity: Korean
Brand: Crown

Korea has been impressing me with their corn chips as of recent. There have been a few that really stood out to me regarding seriously crunch textures and that amazing saltiness we all dig in a chip. Though Korea has set the standard with their world famous shrimp chips, some other snacks just don't hit the mark. I was thoroughly let down with these Corn Chips with Modena Balsamic Vinegar by Crown. These corn chips were straight-up stale, bland and pretty much lacked the kick that so many Korean chips bring to the table. Each soft chip is boring at first with no corn flavor. Following that up is a little sweetness from the corn which is a little pleasant. But these chips aren't salty at all. The worst part is that they have absolutely no Balsamic flavor whatsoever. I'm even confused about why this flavor even exists. Koreans don't use balsamic vinegar ever. It is a foreign ingredient to them, which is totally fine. Countries surrounding the Mediterranean do incredible things with balsamic vinegar and I respect that (Shout out to Modena, Italia). But this ingredient has no place in this chip. It's also funny that they name drop "Modena" as the style of Balsamic, which packs no punch at all. What Koreans need to focus on are the flavors that people know and have grown to love. I have faith in Korean chips, trust me. Just don't start with this one as it is just a silly snack. This snack will make my next shrimp chip that much more mind-blowing.

Mmmm shrimp chip...

Rating: C (Experimentation is Critical. But Make Sure to Hit the Mark.)

Korean Sparkling Pine Bud Punch

Korea's Forest in a Bottle: Taste the Pine, Dude!

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Name: Sparking Pine Bud Punch
Category: Soft Drink
Ethnicity: Korean
Brand: Lotte

There is nothing I love more than a perfectly-timed soda. I know, I know, the western world has declared war on all sugary carbonated beverages. But when the time is right, a cold bubbly soda paired with spicy Mexican or soy sauce satiated Sichuan food is an incredibly satisfying experience. Yet while most soda flavors quench the pallet perfectly, others mystify, bewilder, and shock. Recently I ran into Sparkling Pine Bud Punch and I must say, I was stunned by what I just consumed. Sparking Pine Bud Punch is a Korean soda flavored with the taste, smell, and general milleau of a Pine, YES, Pine tree. It has a marvelous mild green color which obviously references the rich green pigment of pine needles. I approach my bubbly concoction with trepidation but move forward as the CO2 starts to tickle my nose. I sip gently. The flavor is deeply herbal, earthy, and sappy. I am then hit with the big bass note: Pine, pine, pine. I never knew I was familiar with that flavor until I tried a soda of its namesake. This punch is a funky tree flavor with a fragrance and taste of Pine tree and Pine needle essence. I am shocked by how this creation came into existence.

Surely the world has created soda flavors from natural sources like birch, ginger and sarsaparilla. But never did I think a soda would come from the great Pine. The soda is sweet as to be expected, but not too sweet. It is carbonated, but not overwhelmingly so. The pine flavor is intriguing, but nothing to fawn over. If you zoom out from this soda, you get a semi-sweet herbal pine tree soda reminiscent of a carbonated natural household cleaner and degreaser. If you were to carbonate and sweeten Pine Sol, you would get Sparkling Pine Bud Punch. And I’m not sure many Americans would get understand this drink. I’m not sure I get it either. But I must admit at the end of the neon green bottle, I don’t hate it. I simply love the idea of the drink and flavor more than the taste itself. Korea has an uncanny ability to bring new flavors of all foods and drinks to life. This silly drink is no exception. One thing I know for sure: this drink is not the next world-wide success. We also know its way better than licking your neighbor’s Pine tree. 

Rating: B (It's certainly an acceptable drink, but I don't know why.)

Tiger: Poland's Most Aggressive Energy Drink

Energy Drink Inspired By One Tough Dude...

Name: Tiger Energy Drink
Category: Carbonated Energy Drink
Ethnicity: Polish
Brand: Maspex
 

Before we begin, I need to get something out of the way: I do not enjoy energy drinks. It's not all that complicated, really. Energy drinks alway feature extremely high levels of sugar, unnatural flavors, and strange additives that give off a rather foul taste. I just don't love them.  But still, I drink them sometimes because I respect the functionality of the beverage, which is of course, to send your body and mind into hyper-drive for around 16 minutes. I do think that energy drinks as a product category are interesting and I feel the need to explore a bit of their presence from other countries. For my foray into this beverage group, I present to you Tiger. I came across Tiger in my local Polish deli, liked the obsidian blue can and decided to give it the old Polish try (I'm Polish and I tried it). Tiger Energy Drink is a powerful drink to say the least. It is heavily caffeinated, loaded with sugar, and packed with thousands of tiny tingly carbonated bubbles. At first sip, I am reminded why I don't like energy drinks. I am just overwhelmed with the amount of sugar in this beverage; so much so that it hurts my teeth. I move forward. I get a blast of intensely acidic and bitter citrus flavors of orange and lemon, followed up by a stingingly tart cherry flavor. The strange taste and boost of Taurine is truly salient and I almost feel my tongue is about to dance around in my mouth. As I continue to sip, I am reminded that these energy drinks all share then same yolk and that I am not to hate on them simply because they don't agree with tastes.

They are immensely popular because 1) they taste different from standard caffinated sodas, 2) They are fully functional energy-inducing drinks meant to pump up your body and stimulate your mind and 3) their association with energy-empowered lifestyles such as extreme sports. Tiger here is no exception. This drink is named after famous Polish Boxer Dariusz Michaelczewski and branded as "Tiger", which is the fighter's nickname. Dariusz is a fierce, ass-kicking fighter that embodies the ferocious qualities natural to a wild tiger. It makes perfect sense that an energy drink is the perfect endorsement for this Polish warrior. Nothing is more fun than to consume something and immediately feel stronger, faster and more powerful. Maybe this sounds like drugs? Well sugar may seem like a drug but for now, but Tiger is Poland's response to the infamy the world-famous energy drink category. If I can be honest here, I will say that this drink doesn't taste that bad, really. It's not perfect but the small can ensures you won't be making whiskey face for very long. Best of all it makes you  feel a bit more energized than the moments preceding consumption. Isn't that burst sometimes the feeling we all need on a Monday at 2:30? I may just drink these voluntarily when I feel like making more moves. THE POWER IS BACK!

Rating: B- (Caffeinated Polish Pride Punch Proves Only Decent)

Bikkle: Japanese Yogurt Drink

The Tastiest Yogurt Drink from Asia. Bikkle Get's It!

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Name: Bikkle
Category: Yogurt Soft Drink
Ethnicity: Japanese
Brand: Suntory

Meet Bikkle: a Suntory manufactured Japanese yogurt-centric drink that will have you hooked at first sip. Bikkle is part of a popular style of milk-beverage that is as functional as it is tasty. These drinks contain additives such as probiotics, nutrients and bacterial cultures which are known to balance acid in the gut and aid in healthy digestion. This one contains fermented milk, skim milk, citric acid, lactate and sucralose.  There are many successful brands in this milk-based beverage sector including Yakult from Korea and Wahaha Lactic Acid Bacteria Drink from China. Bikkle here is one of the finest examples of why yogurt-based drinks have become so popular in Asia over the last several decades. This drink comes in a two sizes: the two-sip tiny size and the 500ml version which I thankfully tested. The bottle features a strikingly cute label, adorned with a hand-drawn Bikkle mascot and fun complementary colors of cream, gold, blue and red. The hue of the beverage is creamy, opaque and straight-up cloudy; not even necessarily appetizing. It’s slightly golden cream color is reminiscent of grapefruit juice or peach nectar.

Upon first sip, I am in love. This is like a yogurt drink soda without the carbonation. I know I’m tasting a yogurt drink but its flavor is brighter and bolder than I’m used to. The flavor is the ultimate combination of airy sweetness and the yogurty sourness people clamor for. The flavor develops quickly. The sweetness and sour flavors turn to a fruity tartness found in an orange and a creaminess found in a banana. I am stunned by how each flavor balances out so perfectly. Every sip I distinctly each facet of flavor : sweet, sour, acidic, tart, juicy, creamy and milky. As I continue to consume each delicate sip, I start to realize why I love this so much. Bikkle tastes like many flavors found in the breakfast foods and drinks I grew up on: orange juice, cereal milk from sugary cereal, sweet and sour yogurt, and slices of ripe bananas. Maybe I’m going to far? Notes of butterscotch and roasted almonds, anyone? How about this: Bikkle is a sour orange creamcicle yogurt drink you are going to fall in love with. Bikkle may look like soapy dishwater in a bottle marketed to kiddies, but it is a complex drink with fantastic flavors, both new and old. Bikkle is bold and beautiful and now I want more. 

Rating: A- (Completely Unique and Utterly Delicious)

ITO EN Mugicha Barley Tea

Japanese Barley Tea Misses the Mark Behind Korean Barley Tea Giants

Name: ITO EN Mugicha (Unsweetened Barley Tea)
Category: Cold Tea (Bottled)
Ethnicity: Japanese
Brand: ITO EN

Japan has some of the finest tea in the world, right? White, green, oolong, black, sencha, matcha, jasmine, Japan simply has some of the best that you can get. And when it comes down to these lovely teas, ITO EN is a leader in the business. Their bottled teas are easily the best bottled teas I've ever consumed. Even when they branch out from their classic flavors into lightly sweetened teas and even coffee flavored lattes, they're pretty much flawless. With ITO EN, I expect excellence in every bottle because that's what they've always delivered. That is...until now. Here is ITO EN Unsweetened Barley Tea: a normal looking ITO EN tea bottle with great packaging and presentation. On the bottle, it claims that the barley is steamed and roasted twice for a robust taste and aroma. They claim to use premium whole barley, not powdered or concentrated barley. Sounds good so far. Upon first taste, I am not in a good place: The tea is sour and bland. The tea leaves a sharp and bitter taste in my mouth. It has no notes of roasted barley or wheat, which is often requisite in barley teas. Now, I will say I have had many barley teas in my day, and yes they are different from other teas. They are typically light in flavor, mellow, and rich in roasted nuttiness. This version simply did not have those classic tastes I've come to know and love from Korean barley teas. I don't think Japan makes bad barley tea. However, I do think that Korean barley tea is so fantastic that Koreans should be the leading producers of this gently, subtly nutty, golden roasted liquid. ITO EN is a king beverage manufacturer but this one should be cut from the line. 

Rating: C- (Japan Better Start Improving Their Barley Tea)

Lay's Beer n' Brats Potato Chips

Beer n’ Brats Potato Bring Life to the Party

Name: Lay's Beer 'n Brats Potato Chips
Category: Potato Chip, Snack
Ethnicity: American
Brand: Lay's (Frito-Lay, Inc.) 

Here is another funky flavor from Frito-Lay’s “Do Us a Flavor Contest”. The flavor? Beer n’ Brats Potato Chips. Now this is a smart idea, people. Meat and potatoes are two complimentary flavors inseparable since the dawn of time. It’s clear a potato chip that tastes like meat would be a natural conclusion. In this case the chip is replicating both the juicy, salty, meaty bite of a freshly grilled bratwurst and the crispy earthiness of a fried roasted potato. But then Lay’s throws a curveball by introducing “beer” into the occasion. Now we are getting somewhere. See Bratwursts are German by descent and are always consumed with delicious German beer. Just as in Germany, Americans love this combination just as much as Germans, hence the need for a very American potato chip deprived from the flavor. I am very excited to eat such a funky flavored chip. Upon first bite, I taste very little. You’d think the flavor would immediately be explosive and intense because the proposed flavor is so strange. But then it develops into something special. Like Violet in the chocolate factory, I taste as if I am eating a classic German dish. I am tasting big notes of schnitzel (no joke) and creamy and buttery mashed potatoes. The flavors start to come alive. The seasoned pork and the crunch of the chip go so well together. Each bite of another brings memories of my juicy grilled sausage and hearty roasted potatoes, in chip form! Yet as I continue to eat, I am searching far and wide for the beer flavor; it simply isn’t there. Shouldn’t this chip have some sort of light beer faint happiness or malt notes? Well man, it’s a chip! I didn’t notice the beer flavor. Yet, as I wind down my taste test, I notice that there is a texture that I have not noticed before. A slightly carbonated sensation is noticed on my tongue. Is this what they were going for? Maybe I’m just dreaming because that would be too insane. Or would it? Regardless of the possibility of Lay’s making a beer chip feel like beer on your tongue or not, this chip is insanely good. It is, in fact, one of the best lay’s chips I have ever consumed, period. All chips should have or start with this flavor. Start with this as a base and move upwards. They’re savory, deeply satisfying, salty, and for once, real tasting! The poor bugger who invented this flavor won’t the props they deserve. However, I think it’s kick-ass and proves that creativity in a boring snack world could bring some miraculous results. 

Rating: A- (Mostly all Potato Chips Should Start Here)

Skal Premium Mango Drink

Japan Makes the World's Finest Mango Soda. It's Science.

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Name: Skal Premium Mango Drink
Category: Soft Drink (Bottled)
Ethnicity: Japanese
Brand: Minaniniho

If we were to look at the history of soda flavors, Mango would probably not be remembered as a powerful, influential, or popular choice. Mango isn't even common fruit indigenous to Japan, the manufacturing country. But wouldn't you know it, Japan has figured out a way to take Mango soda and make it a smashing tropical success. I say Mango soda but it's more like a Mango soft drink. This drink is half carbonated and half still, producing a gentle and delicate bubbly effervescent mouthfeel that proves seriously refreshing.  It is, however, a soda in that it tastes like candy; a sugary squishy mango gummy to be exact. For one, it is quite sugary and mimics the sweetness that only candies and fruity nectars share. Secondly it is balanced elegantly by the sourness found in mangoes and the hyperbolic candies that inspire them. Overall, this drink is more sophisticated than people might initially think. Along with bright mango flavors, there are sweet exotic notes of lychee and mangosteen.  Though it has sweet candy qualities, it is not overly sweet. Though it tastes like a mango candy, it also tastes like a real mango. And unlike a soda, overly packed with carbonated fizzies, its bubbles are light and mellow. It's a spring and summer drink; one that would balance a plate of pan-fried gyoza or a spicy noodle soup. Its fruity bursting flavors and refreshing nature make put Skal as the finest mango soft drink I've come across as of yet. 

Rating: A- (The Perfect Mango Soda When You Need Sweet, Sweet Refreshment)

Lay's Southwestern Queso Potato Chips

The Tex-Mex Crunch that Needs No Dip

Name: Lay's Southwestern Queso Potato Chips
Category: Potato Chip
Ethnicity: USA
Brand: Lay's (Frito-Lay, Inc.)

Americans know it all too well: the cheese dip. Its a thick, golden yellow sauce that has graced hundreds of millions of party tables and Tex-Mex dishes throughout this fine country and Mexico for decades. The cheese dip is creamy, fatty, salty, and processed to the point that it almost doesn't even look like cheese, which I am pretty sure is the point. In an American get-together, friends and family would take their salty carb snack of tortilla chips, potato chips, or pretzels and scoop up the yellow liquid for their mouths to feast on. The cheesy crunch sustains us as a party crew and entices our appetite for the lovely meal to come. But the cheese dip in its original state is quite different from what is commercially sold and consumed in America currently. The original cheese dip is of course MEXICAN, hailing from Mexico and then traveling through the US states that boarder it (Texas, New Mexico and Arizona). Called "Queso", after the Mexican word for Cheese (Hello!), this dip or sauce includes flavors indigenous to the origin area. This dip begins with the base of mild to sharp cheeses like Pepperjack, Monterey, Velveeta, or other processed cheese blended together over heat. Milk or cream cheese can be added for extra creaminess (potential stomach ache alert). To achieve the classic Queso flavors, fresh chopped tomatoes, jalapeños and bell peppers are finely chopped up and incorporated into the hot cheesy sauce until ready. 

Now, was that too much? Perhaps. But our snack of the hour is an experimental one that cleverly plays with this important dip to both Mexico and America. As a part of the long running fan-flavor contest, Lay's has invented possibly their best and most "normal" experimental chip flavors. First these chips are excellent because they provide a clean canvas for weird funky junk food flavors. I must say, the flavor of this chip is right on the money. As soon as I take my first bite, I get a rush of salty, peppery creamy cheese flavor just like scooping up some killer queso. Then I get delicious and requisite tomato and bell pepper flavor followed by the deeper sophisticated Southwestern cumin flavor. I just think that this chip hits the classic dip flavors so well. I love that the cumin flavor isn't overpowering as it often is, if improperly used. The balance of pepper and spiciness has been met perfectly. And though Queso features a classic artificial flavor, this chip tastes truly natural to me. Slightly spicy, cheesy, salty, peppery: these representative Queso flavors brightly shine through on this chip. It is the perfect party chip, with the dip built right in. Party On, America and eat this chip!

P.S. Drunk college students salute you.

Rating: B+ (The Dip Everyone Gushes Over, in Chip Form. Thanks Lay's!)

Walker's Cheese, Cucumber & Salad Cream Potato Crisps

Finger Sandwich Potato Crisp Psychedelia

Name: Walker's Cheese, Cucumber & Salad Cream Potato Crisps
Category: Potato Chip (Crisp, Dude)
Ethnicity: English (Leister, UK)
Brand: Walker's Snack Foods

England is obviously known for their Crisps and for good reason: They're usually fried right, seasoned well, and are typically addictive. Walker's Snack Foods is the brand that brings English chips to the masses and have been for almost 70 years. It doesn't hurt that their parent company is PepsiCo either. Walkers have dozens of flavors from famous to foreign but what stopped me in my tracks was last year's new line of "Sandwich-Flavored" chips. Though I haven't tried too many of these flavors, I was able to get my hands on what I consider their funkiest new flavor: Walker's Cheese, Cucumber & Salad Cream Potato Crisps. To many Americans, would be a strange-ass flavor. Even though I traveled to London last year, I did not encounter this sandwich anywhere. It is however, very cool that there is a potato chip that tastes like one. Regardless of whether I am an English sandwich connoisseur , it is obvious that this chip tastes like this sandwich. Put frankly, it is a cheesy pickle potato chip made to emulate this rather strange English finger sandwich. The first flavor is a mild cheddar cheese taste that pairs well with the second flavor of veggies. I don't really get the flavor of cucumber but for the purposes of this chip, no one really cares. The last flavor is Heinz Original Salad Cream, which oddly enough ties this chip together beautifully. But let's just try to understand this strange English condiment. I mean, what the hell is it? Is it mayo? Well they have mayo too in England. Is it for salads? Of course! This dressing is a go-to pre-made cold salad ingredient meant to make your salads instantly creamy and vinegary. Just add veggies and/or protein and you have a convenient cold salad to go with your lovely sandwich. Whatever this creamy liquid is, I have to say, is really good with these chips. The salad cream brings a tart, creamy and slightly yogurt flavor that I did not expect. So was this a good flavor experiment? Absolutely.  The flavor combination is strange but just works right. It is basically a cheesy, mayo, pickle sandwich rolled into a potato chip and if that doesn't get your drunken taste buds going, I don't know what will! 

Rating: A- (Funky, English, Creative, Oddly Addicting, Baby!)

Korean Salty Seasoned Cuttlefish Corn Chip

Seasoned Fish Chip for the Unseasoned Funky Food Adventurer

Name: Salty Seasoned Cuttlefish
Category: Corn Chip
Ethnicity: Korean
Brand: Hwani Global, Inc.

Who knows Cuttlefish? Americans are kind of clueless about Cuttlefish. We are way more into Calamari, primarily the coated and deep-fat fried version served in Italian-American restaurants and bars. Cuttlefish, like squid is consumed all throughout the world and is an obvious go-to snack flavor especially for Asian countries. Here we have a corn chip that is seasoned with salt and cuttlefish seasoning. I must say, this snack is really not too bad. Besides the fact that the chips were expired by several months, they were crunchy C-shaped airy potato crisps with faint shrimp and squid flavors. I thought they were going to taste much fishier but were surprisingly mellow. Each bite presented a tingly feeling on my tongue but I attribute that to the MSG the snack is unabashedly loaded with. Every little C is a tiny bit nutty, a bit sweet, and barely fishy. So should you go run out to your nearest Hmart and buy these crazy little snacks? Well if you want to push the boundaries of your snack game, this is where you can start. It is a squid-like flavored chip that you most likely can handle in a heartbeat. Regardless, you can always stand by their unifying package statement: "Delicious Cuttlefish snack to munch for any occasion with friends, family yourself..."

Rating: B+ (An unexpectedly good tasting snack if you don’t love seafood chips)

Spicy Korean Crab Stew (Kkotgetang) Flavored Chips

A Boldly Spicy Korean Soup Gets its First Potato Chip

Name: Spicy Korean Crab Stew (Kkotgetang) Flavored Chips
Category: Potato Chips
Ethnicity: Korean
Brand: Bing

Sour cream and onion, barbecue,  jalapeño, spicy crab stew: one of these flavors are not associate with potato chips? Oh, what's that you say? Not a fan of seafood flavored chippie crisps? Try telling that to Asia. Every country in Asia has at least 5 seafood inspired potato chip snacks! The flavor of this chip has been developed straight from a classic Korean Cookbook. Kkotegtang is the Romaja spelling of Spicy Korean Crab Stew, a soup that has sustained South Korea for hundreds of years. Now this stew features complex flavors of fresh crab, doenjang, gochugang, fresh herbs, sea kelp, Korean chiliesgarlic, scallions, radish and sesame oil. Distilling that deep profile into a potato chip is a difficult task but Korean brand Bing seems to nail it as best as they can. Upon first observation, these chips are shaped like crab already making them cute as hell. First bite, the flavor is intense, peppery, and smokey. The flavor then turns into a sweet seafood flavor, reminiscent of crab, clam and shrimp. These chips contain soybean, milk, and shellfish extracts. Seriously, it's like the chips are alive. Lastly, there is a slowly rolling spiciness that permeates through your mouth. I dig how the spice lingered and developed from the chip. Texture wise, the chip was crispy but then airy on the inside; it almost melts effortlessly in your mouth after chewing. So what's verdict? Well, to be truthful, they're excellent. I've never tasted a chip that has such a sophisticated and refined seafood flavor. It's sweet, smokey, and spicy and seriously delicious. If you don't trust me, why don't you ask the chef on the package? He's happy. He's wok-tossing the chips. Just like Grandma!

Rating: A- (sophisticated seafood flavors infused into a delicate chip)