Japanese Foodie: J-LIST BOX (SNACK DX) APRIL 2017 REVIEW

I just received my April J-List Box (Snack DX) and it totally feels like the beginning of Spring! There are much more variety this time: candies, chocolate, cookies, dorayaki, pocky, chips, DIY candies, and my favorite: dried kombu!

Just got my J-List Box at door step!

I found a hand-drawn thank you note when opened the box! > v <

Torobe kombu (from Hokkaido)

Dried kombu (kelp) is thin and hard, Torobe kombu (from Hokkaido)

This dried Kombu (kelp) snack is one of my favorite snacks! It comes in a thin piece and has a smooth and hard surface. When you start chewing, the texture will become softer and softer.

As we already know, all the water content is removed from the drying process. The natural flavor and nutrient still remain in the snack as well. Kombu naturally has the umami flavor (makes it a natural MSG) that we all love. That's why sushi chefs use kombu to marinate their fish, it can also be used as a soup base, and many others. If you love kombu and dried snacks, make sure you get your hands on Torobe Kombu!

Coca-Cola in sakura 2017 Edition bottle

The Coca-Cola tastes the same as the original, but the bottle is too beautiful to get thrown away. I am keeping this on my decoration shelf!

Dorachoko Mini Dorayaki (Chocolate filling)

Holding a mini dorayaki! Dorachoko Mini Dorayaki (Chocolate filling)

Umaibo Cheese Flavor

If you had Umaibo before, you know the texture is somewhere between Cheetos and senbei rice crackers. It has a light crunch and sometimes melt in your mouth.

Morinaga Hi-Chew Candies, Soda & Cola Flavor

When you eat this candy, it feels chewy and sweet at first, but then there are these tiny carbonated ramune candy powder that melt in your mouth. There are two flavors: Soda & Cola. It's actually pretty cool and tasty!

UHA puccho Ball, Ponkan (Japanese honey orange flavor)

These orange candy balls are very fun to eat. There are three stages:

First, when you put it in your mouth, something start bubbling... It comes from the outer fizzy powder layer of the candy.

Then, the second stage is just a typical tasty harden candy.

Lastly, the core feels "liquidy" and slightly sweeter.

It's a fun experience every time because this candy is trying to mess with your mind! By the end of the bag, it still gives me surprises even though I already know there will be 3 stages... ^_^"

Tirol Chocolate Matcha Mochi Chocolate

Lotte March of the Koalas, Custard Pudding Flavor

How cute! Lotte March of the Koalas, Custard Pudding Flavor

Ah, another childhood snack! It has crispy cookie outer layer with custard pudding flavor core. When I tasted it, it feels more like caramel than pudding flavor... I guess the caramel in contrast stand out more...? Anyway, I think I will stay with the original chocolate flavor Koala. ^_^

Kit Kat, Baked Butter Cookie Flavor

Kit Kat, Baked Butter Cookie Flavor (Back)

If you are a Kit Kat person, you probably already know another way to enjoy this chocolate biscuit is to bake them first in the oven. Like you see on the package, this Kit Kat actually recommends you to bake them for best result! Make sure that you bake them on a baking sheet until Kit Kat surface is lightly browned.

Doritos, Ume (Sour Plum) Flavor

Koikeya Pride Potato Chips, Matsutake (mushroom fragrance) Flavor

Koikeya Pride Potato is my second favorite! Their chips are super thin and you can still see the skin of the potato on their edges. It's a very addicting snack flavored with mushroom and somewhat it tastes more like yuzu... Anyway, the whole bag will be gone in a matter of seconds...

Lotte Fit's Gum, Apple Pie flavor

The gum tastes like apple and only a little bit of cinnamon. I can see why they will name it apple pie. Anyway, I actually likes the pleasant flavor because it is not too sweet, but the flavor will stay for... maybe 5-10 minutes? The grape flavored Lotte Fit's gum should taste great as well!

Kracie Popin' Cookin' DIY candy, Japanese Happy Festival Edition

And the DIY candy? Making the candy myself was actually more fun than I thought. They provide you candy powders and small tools to work with. You just need a small amount of drinking water to make this DIY candy project. You can see the result at the photo below. (I made a video of it, and will link it to here later.)

And the flavor? The yellow candies are all banana flavored. (Banana is my least favorite flavor T_T) The corn is a hard candy. The fries and banana are soft candies and I didn't really like their mushy texture. The sauce on the banana is chocolate flavored sauce and it is still a bit wet even after it is cooled. The red candy is cherry flavored and it turns out to have a jelly texture.

To be honest, I don't really enjoy the eating part as much as I enjoy the making part! I still look forward to my next DIY candy though!

RESULT of Kracie Popin' Cookin' DIY candy, Japanese Happy Festival Edition

Toppo After School Snack Sticks, Strawberry

These strawberry pocky sticks are thinner than expected. The amount of cream they put inside the cookie tube is just right for me. It tastes like strawberry and more towards tart than sweet.

glico pocky, creamy vanilla

Morinaga Koeda Milk Chocolate Bar, Matcha flavor (11 packs)

J-List Tissue Pack

Lastly, I want to say how happy I am when seeing these tissue packs! In Japan, these promotional tissue packs are everywhere. You will find people giving them out on the street. Ah, how I miss Japan... Anyway, I love tissue packs as they come in handy and petite enough to put in a purse.

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