Normally, I don't go for Pocky or Pocky-clone snacks, but the lure of matcha made me buy these. Unfortunately, they were a little melted (as I suspect they were shipped during summer to the store from which I bought them), but I don't think the taste was affected.
Kabaya is a big snack company, but this snack is definitely a Pocky-clone. According to the package, these are extra crunchy sticks, and should make a "snap" noise when eaten (paki, in Japanese onomatopoeia).
The scent of matcha was very strong when I opened the package, which is always a good sign for me. The flavor of the matcha white chocolate coating was also strong, just how I like it. However, they were not kidding about these being crunchy.
The stick part was very hard, crunchy, and a little tough on my teeth. It also had a distinctly salty flavor that I didn't love, but didn't hate. The saltiness was especially apparent in the aftertaste. So, even though I loved the matcha flavor, the stick wasn't to my liking.
I should mention that I wrote those notes about the crunchiness the day I opened the package. After a day or two of being opened, the sticks seemed a little softer and I liked the Pakiri better. However, if you like crunchy snacks, eat these right away.
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Kabaya website
The one thing I'm starting to love more and more about Japan is the way in which things are individually wrapped or in small portions. I really don't like having to eat all of something at once to stop it from becoming stale!
ReplyDeleteI guess one of the sure signs that I've been here too long is that I actually prefer smaller portions rather than complain about how expensive they are. ;-)
I do like that, too. Halloween is a good time in the US for big bags of smaller portioned items, though!
ReplyDeleteWe have some "100 calorie pack" type snacks here that come pre-portioned, and many people call them wasteful and a rip-off...but I agree, it's very convenient!
They really look like pocky, I think I only try this brand once but I forgot what it was. But the look of it, makes me want to give it a try.
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