Asian Snack Attack is our ongoing series where we weed out the good from the bad in the wild and wooly world of newfangled Asian snacks.

Asian Snack: Kokuto Miruku

Manufacturer: Sanko

Country of Origin: Product of Japan

Pre-Consumption Expectations: I've been snacking on sweet and salty Japanese rice crackers, called yuki no yado, for years. While in the rice cracker aisle, the "new" label on this bag caught my attention -- probably because it's one of the few words I can read! A closer inspection of the helpful sticker on the back of the bag listing ingredients in English revealed items I hadn't seen before in this type of cracker: cocoa powder, condensed milk, and caramel flavor. This had me at cocoa; I never say no to chocolate. 

Texture: Crispy, light 

Taste: This flavorful rice cracker marries sweet and salty with each bite. If you love kettle corn, then you'll understand the genius of this sweet and salty snack. The added cocoa and caramel flavors don't stand out, but they add up to a heavenly maple aroma.  

Quotes From the Snack Panel: "Nice crunch!" and "I love the consistency; it's super crispy but melts in my mouth." "This is more like a light cookie than a cracker." 

Stars: 5 out of 5, for satisfying that craving for sweet and salty

Want us to review a particular snack? Or want to share photos of your own Asian snack discoveries? Drop us a note and share away in our Flickr group!