ZenPop Ramen + Sweets Mix Pack is a monthly subscription from Zenmarket that sends unique Japanese ramen + sweets handpicked by their staff in Japan.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About ZenPop Ramen + Sweets Mix Pack
The Subscription Box: ZenPop Ramen + Sweets Mix Pack
The Cost: $24.50 a box with free worldwide shipping. Save with longer commitments.
The Products: 2-3 variations of noodles and 6-8 Japanese snacks, candies, or goodies
Ships to: Worldwide
ZenPop Ramen + Sweets Mix Pack August 2018 Review
This box comes with an info sheet that explains everything included! This month’s box has an overall energy drink theme.
Spicy Shio Tonkatsu Ramen
This ramen was a mashup of tonkatsu ramen and shio (salt) ramen, and the marriage of the two made for a very delicious broth. There was a hint of gochujang that supplied an occasional note of heat, but I wouldn't really classify these as spicy. The broth was excellent but I found the noodles to be thin, very soft, and a bit bland.
CupStar Tonkatsu Ramen
This is the classic Tonkatsu ramen and it was packed with flavor! It actually had some small pieces of dried pork, and I thought the broth was creamy and super flavorful. The noodles in these were the only disappointment, as they were thin and very soft.
Candemina Gummies
These gummies had the unique combination of being really firm and hard to chew, while also being coated in sugar. Chewing one of these made my teeth hurt, and they had that standard energy drink flavor. I did think it was neat that these were in the kanji character for “power,” which is a nice touch.
Tabe-ko Aquarium
These crunchy chocolate cookies are in the shape of marine animals and they are delightful! I normally don’t reach for chocolate, especially chocolate cookies, but these had a light crunch that combined with a really creamy flavor, even though these weren’t cream-filled cookies. Two thumbs up for this one.
Poricky BBQ
These pocky-esque sticks tasted like meat broth flavored crackers with a tiny whimper of spice and seasoning. There is nothing like American BBQ, and also not as tasty as some other Japanese BBQ flavored snacks I have tried.
Lifeguard Soft Candy
The texture of these reminded me a lot of Red Vines, and the flavor definitely was similar to an energy drink. I wasn’t a fan of this.
Suppa Mucho Vinegar Chips
I love salt and vinegar chips, but I usually want them to be so acidic that my lips pucker and I can only eat a few at a time (growing up, this was in the form of a chip brand called Poore Brothers, which was my dad's favorite and is a brand I can't find anymore). These did have a bit of a salt and vinegar taste, but it was much milder with a bit of sweetness.
Fruit Soda Gum
This is basically just bubble gum, but I did get an essence of fruit soda flavor. If you don’t think about it too hard, it is a nice change from the regular minty or sickly sweet gum flavors here in the states.
Puccho Cola
These cola-flavored candies reminded me of cola Hi-Chews! The texture is really similar, and as you chew you really do get a bit of a fizzy mouthfeel like you just drank a sip of soda. These were interesting and delicious.
Hunter’s Food
I don’t know what it is with Japan and energy-drink flavored snacks, but these too tasted similar to a Red Bull. The texture was a bit unique as the gummies are firm, but they have a light candy shell that you bite through.
The Verdict: This month’s box from ZenPop was an interesting mix of tasty and strange, but overall I am surprised by the amount of energy drink flavored snacks Japan has to offer—I don’t think there are such things here in America? That is just what I love about this subscription, however. It is so fun to try new snacks and branch out of my comfort zone, and it is fun to get a box of goodies shipped straight from Japan!
To Wrap Up:
Can I still get this box if I sign up today? No, but sign up for the September box here!
Value Breakdown: This box costs $24.50 + free shipping, which means that each of the 10 items in the box has an average cost of $2.45.
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