Bokksu Review April 2017
Bokksu is a premium subscription service for people to discover delicious snacks and teas from all over Japan. Having lived in and snacked through Japan, Founder Danny Taing curates a gourmet box for subscribers every month filled with authentic Japanese snacks and tea pairings. They kindly sent us this box for review.
I’ve been having SO much fun with my Bokksu reviews….really I have. The last two boxes were pretty darn awesome. The Kit Kat themed box will forever be a favourite, and last month’s box was full of really fun little treats…..I sampled them all!
April Theme – Gluttonous Osaka
The theme for this month’s Bokksu box is Gluttonous Osaka. Here’s what the product card has to say:
Known for its colorful dialect and fun-loving people, Osaka is located in the heart of the Kansai region and is the third largest city in Japan. Steeped in culture from its past as an ancient capital of Japan, Osaka is also the birthplace of Kabuki (classic danced-drama theatre), Bunraku (traditional puppet theatre), and many of the top Japanese comedians today! But most importantly, Osaka has an incredibly robust food culture and is widely regarded as the gourmet capital of Japan. In fact, the love for food in Osaka is so strong that the city is sometimes referred to as Kuidaorenomachi (the city where you eat until you drop). This month, to give you a taste of this gluttonous lifestyle, we’ve curated a vibrant assortment of mouthwatering snacks only found in Osaka.
Osaka Caramel Cake
This bite-sized sponge cake is known for its deep caramel flavour and rich aftertaste. No wonder it won the prestigious Monde Gold Award in 2014. One bite and you will want to give it an award as well.
This is moist and flavourful, and not too sweet. Perfect paired with a cup of tea.
Osaka Cheese Stick
This fluffy cake stick is layered on top with camembert cheese and baked to sweet and savoury deliciousness. We also recommend chilling Osaka Cheese Stick for an hour to enjoy a refreshing difference in texture.
These definitely have a bit of a cheesecake flavour, not as good as the caramel cakes, but still pretty good.
Rich Baked Chocolat
As the name suggest, this rich cake is slowly and carefully baked in the oven to chocolate perfection. Enjoy the melting dark chocolate and subtle hint of rum with each flavourful bite.
This is my favourite out of all the snacks this month. You can never go wrong with chocolate cake.
Osaka Chocolate Egg
Encased in a thin layer of white chocolate, this egg-shaped cake is deliciously fun to eat. The white bean filling inside the “egg” further enhances the sweet flavours of the white chocolate and cake.
This little treat is perfect for the month of April. The white chocolate layer wasn’t as sweet as I was expecting it to be.
Takoyaki Corn Puffs
Takoyaki, a classic Osaka street food, are pan-fried balls of tako (octopus) topped with sauce and powdered seaweed. These fluffy and light corn puffs perfectly recreate the savoury takoyaki flavour and are dangerously addictive.
Octopus? Sorry, but I just couldn’t bring myself to test these out. They smell really good though. I like that we received some savoury snacks this month.
Mayo Okaki
Available only in Osaka, Mayo Okaki (rice crackers) is a super popular snack made using quality rice from Saga Prefecture and tasty Japanese mayo from Osaka. Each bite is enhanced with creamy mayo aromas.
Another savoury treat. These actually sound really good.
Okonomiyaki Senbei
Okonomiyaki Senbei is about as close as you can get to the real flavour of Osaka! It’s a rice cracker topped with freeze-dried ingredients you would normally find on an okonomiyaki (grilled Japanese savoury pancake). We’ve included two flavours for you to enjoy: cabbage and mayo.
I would have tested them out but I wasn’t crazy about the smell. I do love senbei though. I might still give these a try….
Glico Caramel
These heart-shaped caramels were named after gylcogen and were first sold in Osaka! Not only are they deliciously chewy, but they’re also filled with Vitamin B2 and Vitamin D. Ezaki Glico claims you can expect to run 300 meters with every piece, hence the marathon runner on the box who represents a healthy lifestyle.
Would you look at the cute little toy we received with these!!
Genmaicha Green Tea
Genmaicha is a tasty blend of roasted brown rice and green tea. This unique Genmaicha blend also contains Matcha, which adds a pleasantly rich taste and a vivid green color to the tea. Enjoy the toasty aroma and nutty flavour of the roasted rice!
I have green tea almost every day. This is my favourite part of the box. I love that they send us tea to pair with the treats each month. It makes for a fun experience.
Bokksu Review April 2017 – Final Thoughts
Here’s what I love about Bokksu box. Each month it gives me an excuse to sit down with a cup of tea and taste test fun new treats. I am doing this as we speak, and it is SO much fun. normally I don’t eat treats like this, but I save my cheat day for Bokksu, and I truly enjoy the tasting experience. These’s something really fun about taking time out of my day to sneak in some fun little snacks. I love the experience Bokksu provides. Everything about this subscription is an experience. From the packaging, to the monthly themes, and the new treats I get to taste. I never thought I would love a Japanese snack box as much as I love this one. I honestly look forward to seeing this box in the mail.
XOXO