I was in my favorite local Asian market (AKI Oriental Foods) this weekend getting some Miso (going to attempt Rocco DiSpirito’s Grilled Pork Chops with Miso and Apple Dressing), and I noticed that there was Pocky everywhere. Now, I like to try new things, and I know people rave about these things non-stop, so I thought I’d give ‘em a try. All of the flavors they had in the store ended up coming home with me, and as I try them, I’ll give them a review here.
Today’s flavors are:
Pocky Marble: Rum Raisin (Kaoru Rum-Raisin)
Pocky Dessert: Strawberry Shortcake (Ichigono Shotocake)
First up we have Strawberry Shortcake (as you see below, the label says Ichigono Shotocake, but a bit of translating romaji revealed to me what it was)!
The box looks quite interesting… apparently this is a decadent form of Pocky (which in my mind is kind of like a decadent form of an Oreo, but I digress) and it shows:
Damn, that’s some fine packaging. I wonder if the product looks as nice as it does on the box? Well, once I got it opened, I was presented with individual bags of Pocky, each containing 3 sticks (I will assume that’s the serving size, as you can see the label above isn’t that specific) that look pretty close to the images on the box:
When it comes to taste, I’ll admit, these are pretty good. The frosting, as I don’t know what else to call it, is very thick and sweet… think of a cross between fondant and Oreo filling. As the flavor goes, it is kind of a neutral vanilla with an intense strawberry aftertaste. It’s not bad. The stick makes it easy to eat and it’s not as messy as it looks. I think I understand why Pocky is so popular (although I don’t think it’s as life changing as some make it out to be).
Pocky Dessert - Strawberry Shortcake: Rating
Taste: 4/5 - Pretty tasty… I could see myself eating these again.
Looks: 2/5 - I feel like I should be eating these at a little girl’s tea party. Definitely not a “work” snack.
Price: 3/5 - At $3.50 a box, it’s about the same as other “100 Calorie” packs, but it only has 4 servings.
Oddness: 3/5 - While it’s strange in shape, it’s essentially as weird as an Oreo… but man, look at it!
Overall: 3/5 - I may buy these again, but it’s not a “must buy,” and neither is it something I’d want to be seen buying.
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Okay, one Pocky down… one to go! Next up we have Rum Raisin (the label says Kaoru Rum-Raisin, but I have no idea what Kaoru means!):
Now, this looks completely different from the previous box. Gone is the gold label and fancy packaging… this looks more artistic and has a neat flip-top. I don’t quite get all the hearts, I assume it’s just part of the artwork and not the flavor:
So, upon opening the product I assumed it would look like the previous Pocky, with it’s clear wrapping showing the product inside, but that’s not what I got:
Just tin foil… well, fancy tin foil, but that’s beside the point. I guess I’ve come this far… let’s open it!
When it comes to taste, let’s just say the label wasn’t lying… I don’t think I’ve ever had a more potent rum tasting food that wasn’t actually rum. So, as with the previous Pocky it was quite sweet and the stick made it convenient to eat, but the similarities end there. While the box says Rum Raisin, it would be more accurate to just call it rum flavor. Or perhaps RUM flavor. It’s almost eye-wateringly intense… perhaps my tastebuds are too “Americanized,” but this is not really a flavor for me. Sadly, it looks pretty cool, but that’s all it really has going for it.
Pocky Marble - Rum Raisin: Rating
Taste: 2/5 - It didn’t make me spit it out, but it’s not something I’d enjoy eating again.
Looks: 4/5 - Sadly these looked pretty sharp, if only they tasted that way.
Price: 3/5 - At $3.50 a box, it’s about the same as other “100 Calorie” packs, but it only has 4 servings.
Oddness: 2/5 - Sorry, the flavor is just too weird for me. Rum? Really… rum?!
Overall: 2.75/5 - While they look pretty cool, the taste has pretty much stopped me from buying these again.
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Okay… that’s all for now! Join us next time for another two Pocky flavors (or any other odd candy I come across)!!!
