TokyoTreat sent me their December snackbox to review. If you aren’t familiar with TokyoTreat, the company offers a monthly subscription that sends you a themed box of Japanese goodies. For those who aren’t familiar with Japanese snacks, TokyoTreat includes a booklet that introduces every goodie along with their allergy information. The booklet also contains cultural information about Japan, such as how Mayo Jaga pizza is popular around Christmas (pizza topped with onion, corn, potato, pancetta, paprika, and mayonnaise). The booklet is glossy with great photographs, and it comes in handy if you want to buy more of a single snack.
So what about the treats? Out of the snack boxes I’ve tried (Korean and Japanese), December’s box would be familiar for most Westerners. The Westernness of the box makes sense; Christmas came from the West and retains much of its origins. Let’s start with the most interesting and, to me, the most British.
Royal Milk Tea
Okay, milk tea isn’t really British, but it makes me think of Victorian teas. Milk tea is, well, what it sounds like: black tea with milk and a little sugar. Don’t expect super sweetness. Japanese sweets aren’t sweet by American standards. They are good though! The blend is nicely balanced. Neither the tea nor the milk flavors overpower each other. The can is smaller than many would expect, but American serving sizes lean toward the large side.
Milk Tea KitKats
I look forward to seeing what flavor of KitKat these boxes hide. I’ve yet to be disappointed and Milk Tea KitKats continue the goodness. The flavor has a floral Earl Grey undertone. You can see why I think Britain. Earl Grey is one of my favorite teas. The KitKats were my favorite in this box. Kinda expected!
Nori Potato Chips
Nori, or seaweed, seems like an odd flavor for potato chips, but it works well. The savory flavor works well against the other sweets. TokyoTreat boxes have a good balance. These taste like Pringles, if I have to name a brand. They have a green tint, but other than their small size, there’s nothing unusual about them if you are a bit finicky about trying new things.
Salmon and Spinach Cream Pasta
This might be the “weirdest” item for many people. I like salmon and spinach pasta and this hit the spot during lunch. There’s a slight fishy flavor from the salmon, but the spinach might scare you off more!
Christmas Fugashi
This was a new one for me! This sweet has a great airy texture and the coating of brown sugar was perfect. Again, this isn’t as sweet as you may consider goodies should be, but it paired well with a cup of coffee. Most of these understated sweets work well when paired with tea or coffee. If you haven’t enjoyed an afternoon tea or coffee with scones, grab this box’s fugashi, a KitKat, and the bag of the “beary” light snack I will leave a mystery.
Maneken White Chocolat Waffle
Speaking of coffee or tea pairing, this cocoa waffle made for a great breakfast with my morning coffee. The white chocolate and cocoa pairs well together, and the waffle was nicely moist. This was the largest single-serving portion in the box, weighing in at around 320 Calories (or kilocalories for everyone else).
I will save the rest of the goodies for you to try. Every box needs some surprises! I purposefully didn’t write about the Pocky (I can say it is good!). It is the most recognizable Japanese item in the box. I put together another of my poor videos if you want to see everything as I unpacked it. Please excuse the shaky camera. I ought to buy a stand. And lights. And a better setup, but I prefer writing over filming.
If you are iffy about trying a snack box like this–there’s nothing wrong with being a little food-finicky–but you’ve wanted to, this is a good one for you to try. Most of it should be familiar if you are American but with just enough of a twist that you’re stretching your comfort zone. The Milk Tea items might be a strange combination for you, but still “normal” enough for you to try. I don’t like milk with my tea, with the exception of a London Fog, yet I enjoyed the can of milk tea and the KitKats.
Just for clarity, TokyoTreat sent me the box in exchange for writing this review, but my opinions are my own (I’m pretty easy to please most of the time).
So if you’ve always wanted to try a TokyoTreat box, but you’ve been a bit afraid of the flavors, the December box is a good place to start. There’s nothing wrong with feeling uncertain about the unfamiliar. I know many people who are like that. “Seaweed potato chips?! Yuck!” Taking small steps, however, increases your food-trying confidence, especially as you find new flavors you enjoy or a different spin on a familiar flavor. The box shipped fast. I received it around 3 days, so if you are wanting to buy a box for someone or for yourself before Christmas is finished, you still can.
