CW Chocolate Rice Cake Cookie

Is that Ryu helping to make these cookies?

The Attraction:
The box caught my attention because they looked so similar to Choco Pies, but when I realized that these have a rice cake center, I was instantly intrigued. I quickly plunked down my $5 and it was on...

The Review
Not only does the box look similar to Choco Pies, but like Choco Pies these cookies come in individually wrapped packages. When I tear one open, they also look about half the size of a Choco Pie. I decide not to waste another moment and take a small bite into the cookie. My first bite was, I hate to say it again, reminiscent of a Choco Pie; chocolate covered exterior with a cookie crumbly interior and some cream in the center, but I did manage to get a small nibble of the advertised rice cake center. It's definitely a chewy texture. So much so that I would recommend just putting the whole cookie in your mouth should you get a considerable amount of the rice cake in your mouth for your struggle to take a bite will result in you destroying the cookie and watching it all crumble either on your shirt or the floor (don't ask me how I know).

The rice cake center doesn't really add anything flavor-wise, but rather throws an interesting textural component into the mix. How interesting you may ask? Umm...not really that interesting. I think this is a case of the idea being far better than the actual result.

It takes a few more cookies for me to put my finger on it; this Chocolate Rice Cake Cookie is like a Mallomar the same way the Choco Pie is like a Moon Pie.

Why does this remind me of a Mallomar?

The Sweet:

Not too sweet and very much like the fabled Choco Pies.

The Bitter:
The rice cake isn't easy to take a good bite out of when you get a hold of it.

The bite after this photo left most of the cookie on the floor

Conclusion:
Do you enjoy Mallomars? This is essentially an Asian version of it, but instead of a marshmallowy filling, there is cream and a rice cake center to give it some chewiness with some Choco Pie cake thrown in. Though these aren't bad, for the trouble and the cost, you mind as well get a box of Mallomars where the filling seems to be more forgiving. Although CW offers many interesting and most likely tasty snacks, the Chocolate Rice Cake Cookie doesn't distinguished itself enough to warrant a return trip in my shopping cart.

Video of the Week
Our friends over at Vice recently challenged Japanese Youtube celebrity Megwin to a food challenge that included salamanders, fermented herring and spicy chilies from Mexico or in the case of the last challenge, all three. The results are nothing short of riveting...

The last challenge is the funniest, 

so be sure to watch the whole thing!

Glico Pocky Almond Crush

Can Pocky get any better?

The Attraction:
Anyone familiar with Asian snacks is familiar with Pocky. It's been a crowd favorite for years with it's simple, yet effective formula of chocolate-dipped biscuit sticks. As for me, after ODing on it a few years back, I've been slowing down the consumption, but today I was strolling a new Asian grocer and saw these calling my name. I've seen these around for awhile and there are several variations, but today for some reason, I felt inclined to try one of these. Perhaps the draw of almond crunch was too much to resist.

The Review
Pocky to Asian snacks is like Oreos to American snack culture. Just like any smart snack manufacturer, Glico rode the success of Pocky and created multiple alternate flavors and variations, one being Pocky with crushed almonds. Upon opening the box, it was clear that the quantity was very different. I know it's been awhile since I had Pocky, but I believe the original package has 4 packs of 8-10 sticks. This almond crunch version has 2 packs of 8-10 sticks. Burn...

I crack open a pack and take a bite....and the rest is history.

It's hard to imagine improving upon a classic, but the addition of almond crunch is amazing! 5 minutes and 2 wrapper packs on the floor later, the verdict is clear.

Come here my pretty

The Sweet:

Take all you know about Pocky and add some crunch to it. Yes, it's that much better. The almond bits add so much more, both textually and flavor-wise. It takes the once simple snack and adds some delicious complexity to a once straight forward product.

The Bitter:
Umm...only 2 packs?

I wonder if I can freebase or snort this stuff?

Conclusion:
This stuff is good. Very good. So good that this will become my new standard when I get Pocky. It's interesting how such a seemingly small addition can net such a huge gain. Speaking of small, I would love it even more if there were more than 2 packs of it in each package, but for now, I guess I'll have to buy 2 boxes every time. Damn you, Pocky!!!!

Video of the Week
I know I'm late to the party, but apparently there's been a chip craze in S. Korea over the last couple of months. Honey Butter Chips? Now I must somehow get my hands on some!

Chips as a status symbol?

Oreo White Chocolate

Can life get any better?

The Attraction:
In case you didn't know, I like Oreos. I like Oreos so much that I try all kinds of new Oreos. (as noted here, here  and here). So it really shouldn't come as a surprise when I saw this on the grocery shelves, that I had to pick one up.

The Review
This one is a little different. As you can already tell, it's not the conventional sandwich cookie configuration you've come to expect from Oreo. This new offering of the fabled cookie classic appears to have the cream on top of a rectangular chocolate flavored cookie in a triangular shape with white chocolate drizzled across.

Each box comes with a 8 individually wrapped packs of these little guys and when I opened one, I thought to myself if it would be too sweet with a mountain of cream on top AND white chocolate on top of the cream. Let's get to it. I bite in and surprisingly, the cream is not quite the same cream in a standard Oreo cookie. It's a bit harder, but the flavor is the same. The cookie also has the same classic crunch and flavor. That wasn't bad, but it didn't exactly rock my world...you can taste the white chocolate, but it didn't seem to really make a huge impression.

It's shaped almost like a hotel in Monopoly

The Sweet:

The texture contrast is still there, albeit in a different configuration and not quite as crunchy. The flavor is still unmistakable, you know you are eating an Oreo.

The Bitter:
The sweetness of the white chocolate seems to push the sugar level over the top. Even though they label it as "white chocolate", this doesn't feel like anything new.

Not too shabby, but not earth shattering

Conclusion:
Different shape, a new flavor introduced into the mix, but the results are the same...literally. Yes, you do taste the white chocolate in there, but it isn't a game changer and barely registers a blip on the radar. It's not bad, but not enough to go out and quickly pickup every box before they go away. In this case, for the dollar and for the trouble, you are better off sticking to the American classic.

Video of the Week
Out of boredom this week, I started to surf around youtube this weekend and came across this little treasure. It comes from a show called "Whose Line is it Anyway?" with a special guest named Richard Simmons, a fitness guru here in the States. I've seen this multiple times, but it always seems to entertain.

"Who likes my shorts?!"

Cracker Jack Chocolate Peanut Butter

This is almost too good to be true!

The Attraction:
Cracker Jacks are an iconic American snack. Mostly known for being devoured during sporting events, these treats are also popular in some homes. When I saw these Chocolate Peanut Butter versions of the classic popcorn snack, I thought this could be the perfect marriage of some of my favorite things; popcorn, chocolate and peanut butter. Oh, it's on, sucker!

The Review
I got to admit, I do enjoy the original Caramel Coated and Peanut Cracker Jack, but rarely enough to indulge in picking up a package to be stocked in my snack locker, but when I saw this new offering, I was excited. I love peanut butter and chocolate offerings and have been a sucker for that combination as witnessed here and here. I had high hopes for this product, but would I be burned again like some other items that fell short?

I quickly tore into the bag of Cracker Jacks and was ready to dig in. I popped a piece of popcorn into my mouth and was greeted with the identical crunch as the original Cracker Jack. I was impressed that even with a potentially heavier ingredient like chocolate covering the popcorn, it may lose it's crispness, but not in this case. They do a great job of keeping the texture consistent between flavor offerings. Let me have some more...

As I continue to nosh on several pieces of  Cracker Jacks, I begin to feel a slight twinge towards the back of my throat. "Why is that?", I think to myself. The popcorn is just too sweet and literally starts to hurt my throat! I had to stop and have a drink of water. It was just too much on the sugar scale..

Looks tasty!

The Sweet:

Has it's classic crispy crunch that you would expect from a Cracker Jack. The flavor is good if you have only a few pieces, but...

The Bitter:
... if you are like me and have a few more than 12 pieces, it may make your throat hurt due to the sweetness.

Proceed with caution

Conclusion:
This item starts off with so much promise; crispy crunch, nice chocolate and peanut butter flavor, but somehow, the sweetness begins to accumulate until my throat started to hurt. Now, to be fair, I was enjoying eating these treats up to that point, but at the end of the day, anything that makes your body react like that, can't be a good thing. As much as I wanted this to work, it seems that Cracker Jack Chocolate Peanut Butter was just too much of a good thing.

Video of the Week
Do you like girls? How about girls that sing, dress and dance well? Get ready, cause you won't find them below.

If I could clone myself 5 times, I might kill myself 5 times

Karamucho Hot Chili Potato Chips

The Attraction:
Potato chips are an iconic American snack. Why not find out how the Japanese do with their version of a classic American treat? If VCRs and cars are any indication of their ability to translate foreign inventions and make them their own, we are in for some good snackin'!

The Review
It wasn't too long ago that I tried another spicy Japanese potato chip called Calbee Hot and Spicy. Although I enjoyed that snack, I was curious if I just happened across a good potato chip or is there just a high-level of snack-dom within the Japanese food market. If their chocolate items are any indication, this one could be "in the bag".

As I picked up my first chip, it was clear that these babies are a hefty chip. They are the equivalent of the Ridges potato chips. Just like their American counterparts, these chips have some serious ridges and about twice the thickness of a standard potato chip. I also notice that like the Calbee chips, they aren't as oily or greasy as most chips here in the States. Wow...all this before I even take a bite.

So finally I dig in and as advertised, it's spicy, but not overly so. In addition to the spicy nature of these chips, there's a another flavor that's present. Surprisingly, there's a seaweed component that shines through as well. Hmm,,..interesting twist.

This is a serious chip!

The Sweet:

Crispy, yet not oily. These chips also add another layer of complexity by tossing in some seaweed essence to keep your taste buds entertained.

The Bitter:
Some might not like the thickness of these chips. If french fries were regular potato chips, these would be the equivalent of steak fries.

Can't just have one

Conclusion:
If it weren't for that dash of seaweed flavor in there, one could almost say there these Karamucho Hot Chili Potato Chips are just a thicker cut version of the Calbee Hot and Spicy chips. That little difference is enough to set these two snacks apart, but where the similarities come back up again is that both items would have a return engagement in my shopping cart.

Video of the Week
Have too much money lying around and need some help protecting you and said finances? How about a bodyguard? Even better, how about a female bodyguard?

I'm still waiting for one that looks like Zhang Ziyi

Ego Japan Pancake

Boy, this looks promising!

The Attraction:
What's not to love!? Bright red packaging, the word "Japan" on it, waffles and chocolate. I think I don't even need to taste this to know it's a winner...

The Review
I was really excited about this. I've been seeing this on the shelves for awhile at the Asian grocer I go to, so it was only a matter of time I would succumb to temptation....so I finally did.

Each pancake is individually wrapped, which I've always appreciated, but what I did notice is that each pancake is harder than what I was expecting. I opened the package and sure enough, they are hard! I don't know why, but for some reason, I thought they would be softer. These guys have don't give at all. I take a bite and I could swear it crunched because it was so dang hard. After a few crunchy-filled bites, I also noticed that the chocolate cream flavor was like a mousse, but a very light mousse....like I can barely taste it mousse. This isn't panning out the way I was hoping it would...

Hmm...this is not what I had in mind...

This is rather shocking to me. Japanese treats tend to have a elegance to them. Even if you don't love the snack, there is almost always a degree of refinement with each product. If you just look at the photo above, that doesn't look very refined. Upon further inspection of the packaging, I discovered that these pancakes are made in Malaysia! Well, I'll be a monkey's uncle! Now it makes sense. I'm not sure if I was relieved it wasn't made in Japan (and their standards have dropped substantially) or that the packaging on the outside took advantage of using the word "Japan" on it.

Err...next snack please

The Sweet:

If you like crunchy, borderline hard cookies, you might find these OK. (I didn't)

The Bitter:
It's hard. Imagine a waffle cone you might get with a few scoops of ice cream. Now make that cone about twice, maybe triple the density and you have the outside of this pancake. Perhaps even like a really hard rice cake. The cream isn't any better as it doesn't convey much of a chocolate flavor.

Conclusion:
There isn't much of anything for me to like in this product; the texture is too hard and the cream doesn't have much flavor. I've never been so wrong about a product before in my life. Fortunately, as the old saying goes, there are plenty of other snacks in the sea.

Video of the Week
I know I posted a Conan video last week, but Conan recently visited Cuba and took in some culture, including a dance lesson. I just couldn't resist.

I want to take dance lessons here!

Hangzhou Dingyuan Food 3+2 Lemon Flavor Biscuits

It's like the Big Mac of Cream Cookies

The Attraction:
How do you improve upon a successful formula? How about more! That's the theory here I think with the 3+2 Biscuits by Hangzhou Dingyuan Food. They've taken a popular item, crackers with a cream filling between them and added a third cracker and another layer of cream. Will this be too much of a good thing? I had to find out...

The Review
Lemon flavored crackers are popular in Asia. This might be the 4th or 5th version I've seen of a product like this. I've had several of them, but this one stood out cause of the 3 cracker "gimmick". OK, it may have suckered me it to try, but how are the actual results?

Will this be too dry?

Sure enough, as I opened the package, there was a lemon aroma wafting out. That's a good start. The crackers or biscuits are laid on a plastic tray. I quickly pull one out and take a look. As advertised, it's 3 crackers sandwiched with 2 layers of cream. (I know I said that early, but the package was all in Chinese and I assumed that's what 3+2 meant, but I wasn't really sure til I set eyes on the real thing.

I take a bite and several chews in, the lemon flavor of the cream comes through. I initially worried that with three layers of cracker to flavor, that the lemon cream would either not be strong enough or not enough would be applied to carry the snack. My concerns we unfounded in this case. These suckers are as tasty as any other lemon sandwich cookies!

Sweet lemon cream! Come to daddy!

The Sweet:

There's enough cream in these biscuits to balance out the crackers. The lemon flavor is as good as any other lemon cream filling.

The Bitter:
It's gimmicky, but it's hard to knock it since that was how they drew me in.

Conclusion:
I had some doubts on this one. I've had some conventional lemon flavored cookies in which they've skimped on the cream and the result was a mouth full of dry crackers with a momentary cream reprieve, then back to dry cracker-ville. In this case, even with the addition of a third cracker, 3+2 manages to pull it off with a flavorful and generous amount of cream to carry you through each bite. They also over a ton of assorted flavors such as Blueberry, Tomato(?) and Taro. In the case of their lemon flavored cream offering, 3+2 equals happy snacking.

Video of the Week
Ever wonder how Grindr works? Me neither, but our friend Conan O'Brien sits down with his pal Billy and sets up a profile on this gay dating app to see how quickly he can reel in the dates...

What man could resist this?