My fave Japanese supermarket is probably Tokyo Central. And I am not even being biased because I used to work there. It used to be Marukai Supermarket but was bought out by the famous Japanese company "Don Quijote" (the one with a blue penguin as mascot!)
If you have ever been to Japan at all, there is no way that you do not know Don Quijote! It is also my fave store in Japan because they have literally everything.
Marukai then renamed their stores to Tokyo Central because "Don Quijote" is copyrighted or something over hurrr in America. So with that change, Tokyo Central has even more cool goodies from Japan like interesting and unique snacks! They usually have more unique (and cheaper) stuff compared to Mitsuwa Supermarket.
Recently, on a random excursion to the supermarket (because this is what Kevin and I do for fun during our free time...), we found mentaiko flavored Pringles! WHOAAA! This is absolutely one of my fave Japanese flavored things. Mentaiko means "spicy cod roe" in Japanese!
Random note: Woops! I messed up photoshopping this thumbnail image. Accidentally left out part of the pringles flavor name in photo... AHHHHHH! WHYY. It's really bugging me right now but just not enough for me to fix it LOL. My laptop is really slow for some reason and I need to clear all the random crap on it but feeling lazy :(
Aside from that though...WOW! Who would try this!?
It is pricey, at $3.48 per container but why not try? Right?
So time for the review!
First impressions: These Pringles chips are so tiny compared to the American version. The chips itself are smaller (can totally fit in my mouth no problem while American version is too big) but they are actually slightly thicker than the American version.
The smell wasn't fishy or anything. Hmm...
FIRST BITE.... was.... well... hmmmmmmmm where is the mentaiko flavor?
It was sorta salty. Maybe too salty at first. And then came a burst of savory butterness the initial salty taste. Wait a minute.... this reminds me of another popular Japanese flavor....
BUTTER SHOYU!
*NOTE: Shoyu means Soy Sauce in Japanese.
These chips are amazing if it was re-labeled as butter soy sauce. I didn't taste any fishyness nor did I smell any fishyness that usually comes with the mentaiko flavor for other snacks. However, these chips are very savory and buttery 0_________0. I enjoyed them as chips, as butter shoyu flavor, but I am disappointed knowing that they are supposed to be spicy cod roe flavor.
So, why doesn't it taste like mentaiko? After a quick glance at the ingredients, the first few mentions butter and soy sauce! Well, no wonder! The only fish related thing is salmon flavor in the ingredients which is near the end.
After knowing that fact, the chips did taste like butter soy sauce salmon, slightly. But mainly just butter soy sauce.
I think I like the "butter soy sauce flavor" of these "mentaiko pringles" better than the official butter soy sauce pringles (review here).
Found these chips from Tokyo Central Supermarket in Costa Mesa. Here is the address:
Tokyo Central
2975 Harbor Blvd
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
WOULD YOU TRY THIS!?
Let me know in the comments below!
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