Meiji Mango Chocolate

It's no secret that mango and matcha my flavors. I'm not picky, but I won't go out of my way to buy just anything. When it comes to desserts (or any food, really), if matcha or mango is an option, the odds are quite good that I'm going to pick one of those.

So, it should come as no surprise that my latest order from napaJapan included both matcha and this Meiji Mango Chocolate bar. I've enjoyed similar Meiji strawberry and blueberry bars in the past, so I felt pretty confident that the mango would be tasty.


The bar was thin and smelled of milk chocolate and tart mango. From the first bite, I was very impressed. The mango flavor was incredibly authentic! Just below the thin chocolate coating, the filling was tangy and had a texture reminiscent of real fruit (maybe from "mango powder" listed on the ingredients).

The slightly sweet milk chocolate was just right, and the size of the bar made it a delightful, light treat. It was sweet, a bit sour, rich, and unquestionably mango. This isn't a gourmet bar by any means, but it was delicious, and definitely one of my favorite products of the year!

A+

Meiji Website

Meiji Marshmallow Chocolate Bar

Here's a neat little bar from Meiji with some nostalgic connections. I'm sure you can guess where I'm going with this: Swiss Miss instant cocoa with mini-marshmallows, a.k.a. the best thing about playing outside in the snow. OK, so it's nowhere near as good as fancy drinking chocolate, but it sure hit the spot after an intense snowball fight or an 8 hour shift of building snow forts. These days, the last thing I want to do when it snows is go outside, but I still hit the cocoa every now and then.

The mini-marshmallows in this bar added a new texture for me. I'm sure other companies have done it, but most marshmallow confections I have tried are chocolate-coated marshmallow (or sugar coated marshmallow, like Peeps, but I'd rather not discuss Peeps), which is usually too much marshmallow for my tastes.


The bar smelled like basic milk chocolate, and really, the chocolate was nothing special. It was milky and sweet with a slightly sticky melt, but it didn't need to be anything more. The marshmallows were what made this bar interesting.

Though I was expecting them to be freeze-dried, the marshmallows were spongy, soft, and light. They added an interesting texture to the chocolate, though not much in the way of taste. Since I've never had anything like it, this bar felt fresh and unique, and both my husband and I enjoyed it.

A-

Meiji Royal Milk Tea Meltykiss

My love affair with Meltykiss goes back years. I can't remember exactly when I first tried them, but I've tried so many varieties that I've come to consider them a sure thing. New flavors therefore must be sampled.

This winter, Meiji brought out Royal Milk Tea Meltykiss, which doesn't seem to be a re-release. I purchased my box from napaJapan for $4.99, which is 50 to 70 cents more than other flavors, suggesting this could be rare (or popular) even among limited edition flavors.


The cubes were wrapped in a lovely bold metallic blue, and had the signature Meltykiss dusting of cocoa powder. They smelled bitter and a bit floral (much like milk tea). Initially, the cocoa powder seemed extra bitter, but it's been a while since I've had Meltykiss, so my memory could be failing me.

The chocolate reminded me of Earl Grey tea, and though it tasted like bottled royal milk tea mixed with hot cocoa, it was missing that rich heavy cream note. Of course, the chocoalte had that signature Meltykiss meltaway texture. Despite the lack of heavy cream, this was a very tasty flavor, and if it was available locally, I'd certainly buy them again.

B+

Meiji Website (Japanese)

Meiji Crunchy Biscuit Chocolate

I've always liked cookie bits in chocolate, so Meiji Crunchy Biscuit Chocolate was an easy pick during my most recent napaJapan order. There's something about the texture combination that really appeals to me; for example, I don't normally like Oreos, but coat them in chocolate and I'm there.

Since I really can't think of anything to say here, bear with me as I throw in another quick promotion for the Trident Layers Giveaway, which ends tomorrow! Now, on with the review.


The bar was stamped with a lovely texture (I'm glad my camera captured it) and it had a rich, warm cocoa scent. From the first bite, I enjoyed the crunchy texture and slightly bitter chocolate flavor of the cookie bits, which added depth to the sweeter, milky chocolate of the bar.

The crunchy and creamy combination was delicious, similar to a Hershey's Cookies & Cream, only with milk chocolate (and better flavor). The only thing that kept it out of "A" territory was the finish, which I found to be too salty. It didn't ruin the bar by any means, but it was definitely noticable.

B+

Meiji website

Meiji Mango Pudding Sweets Gum

Have I ever mentioned my mango phase? When I was in college, there was this local hipster video rental store near campus (I may be young, but I had a VCR) with an attached smoothie bar, and I was addicted to their more-tart-than-sweet mango lemonade smoothies. Bubble tea may have been trendier, but I was hooked on those smoothies.

Once I graduated, I got over my addiction, but I still like mango. It’s fitting that this Mango Pudding gum came in a package from a dear college friend. Even though it happens subconsciously, I love associating scents and flavors with memories, and mango reminds me of fun with college friends and good grades.


Now that I’ve gone off on a complete tangent, I had better get on with the review. The shape of the gum was interesting – sort of like Combos or Collon. According to the box, the outer ring was gum and the middle portion was soft candy, but it all chewed down the same. At first, it was on the hard side, and it was difficult to get the chewing started.

The initial flavor was a delightfully sharp, sour mango, but after a few seconds, the gum became much softer, and the flavor dulled to a mild, waxy tropical. The way the gum became so soft reminded me of the center of a Charms Blow Pop, as if the candy portion somehow altered the texture of the gum for the worse. That first burst of tart mango was great, but along with the satisfying texture, it was short-lived.

B-

Meiji website

Meiji Yogurt Caramels

Welcome to part 2 of my caramel mini-series. You could say it's an unconventional caramel series, because part 1 was matcha, and today is yogurt. As for part 3, all I can say right now is that the flavor is even weirder. To be honest, I'm still a little scared of them.

Although Meiji is a dairy company, I had never heard of Meiji caramels when I purchased these at Mitsuwa marketplace (near Chicago). The size and shape of the packaging, while not identical, is very similar to Morinaga's, and I'm sure it's no accident. In addition, even though there's no mention of Calpis on the package, the blue polka dots look a little familiar...


Meiji's caramels are just barely smaller than Morinaga's, and were wrapped in wax paper (complete with cute face) instead of foil. The yogurt caramels didn't have a strong scent, but the taste jumped right out at me. Surprisingly, they tasted a lot like classic bubble gum at first, but as I chewed, the flavor become more what I expected.

They tasted a lot like Calpis and a bit like Yakult (a Japanese yogurt drink) - slightly milky with a yogurt and citrus tang. The texture got a little grainy as I chewed, and just a bit like plastic (just the texture, not the taste), but I did like how they weren't too sticky. I liked these, but they didn't have that addiction factor.

B

Meiji website

Meiji Strawberry Cheesecake Kinoko no Yama

These special edition Kinoko no Yama and Takenoko no Sato boxes really aren't a good deal. I don't know how much they cost in Japan, but in the United States, they are usually one of the pricier snacks in Japanese grocers, often over $3 a box.

For that price, there really isn't that much inside. This package might have had 6 or 7 individually wrapped pieces. That's probably good for portion control, but it's beginning to get to me in terms of value.


It had a potent strawberry smell with a hint of cheesiness. There were actual strawberry seeds embedded in the chocolate, and the strawberry flavor was pretty authentic. The cheese taste was subtle, a little yogurty, but recognizable.

The cookie/chocolate balance in the larger size held up better than the Takenoko no Sato that I tried recently, but the chocolate did feel a bit overwhelming and sweet on the finish. In general, though, I'd say these were better than the average strawberry cookie snack.

B+

Meiji website

Meiji Strawberry Tartlette Takenoko no Sato

Notes for this review have been sitting around since Japan's most recent strawberry boom. It seems to come around every year, but despite seeing the same KitKats every year, these Takenoko no Sato were new to me.

For me, the question was, "Will that little ring of white chocolate around the bottom of the cookie really change the taste enough to distinguish these from any other strawberry Takenoko no Sato?"


I'm not sure I've had a tartlette before, but these had a nice, tart, fairly authentic strawberry flavor. The slightly salty crunchy cookie did remind me a bit of pie crust, but it took a little imagination.

What stood out was the slight yogurt flavor (probably to mimic the cream in the picture), and that extra bit of tartness did make a difference. However, I've said it before and it still stands true - the crunchy/chewy balance just doesn't translate to the big, special versions.

B

Meiji website

Meiji Apollo Vanilla Pudding

Custard purin (or pudding, similar to flan) is one of my husband's favorite desserts. We made a point of trying the famed Kobe purin, and it is as tasty as they say. This was the reasoning behind purchasing this particular flavor of Apollo, which a typically lackluster Meiji product.

According to the box, this is a special release for the 40th anniversary of the snack, and vanilla pudding was the number one requested flavor, I'm assuming by popular vote. This explains why the quality of the product seemed better than usual, as described below.


The candies smelled like milk chocolate, and the top portion had a nice, mild vanilla flavor with some caramel notes. The two sections of chocolate blended well, and the cocoa was neither underwhelming nor overpowering. It did taste like purin, and was better than the typical Apollo.

Normally, Apollo chocolate can seem kind of cheap, and it did feel a bit oily at the end, but the flavors were good enough to make up for it. It's certainly not gourmet chocolate, but it had a nice, milky, distinctly Meiji flavor.

B+

Meiji website

Meiji Marron Chocolate

I apologize for the unannounced review hiatus. A quick vacation and the game Mass Effect 2 have distracted me, but I've been stockpiling candy and reviews in the meantime. I'm ready to move from one nerdy hobby to another.

This review isn't terribly current, as chestnut is a fall flavor in Japan. That's when I bought the bar, and when I ate it. I misplaced my notes, though, and didn't find them until about a week ago, and since there's a good chance the flavor will reemerge next year, I wanted to post it.


The aroma of this bar was amazing, it smelled just like roasted chestnuts. The smooth filling tasted a bit like coffee, but it was well balanced with the moderately sweet milk chocolate.

The textures of both the filling and the chocolate were wonderful, and the flavors of milk chocolate and chestnut went together perfectly here. My husband and I both enjoyed it thoroughly, and on a side note, the box was very pretty.

A

Meiji website

Meiji Juicy White Grape Pupurun

Do you peel your grapes? My sister and I liked to peel grapes when we were little, and then we would say they were eyeballs. We grew out of that (for the most part), and I like grape skin pretty well.

When my sister studied in Nagoya, Japan in 2002, she sat down with her host family for some grapes, and was surprised to see them peeling their grapes. The grapes in Japan typically have a thicker skin than the grapes in the US, but it struck me as an interesting.


I thought of this because the white grape Pupurun do an excellent job of imitating actual grapes. The texture balance of the candy involves a thicker gummy skin around a very soft gummy center, and this worked particularly well for grape.

The gummies smelled intensely of green grapes, but not in a fake way. The flavor was mildly tart, and pretty much a dead ringer for muscat. They were very enjoyable, with a solid flavor and fun texture combination. This was probably the best of the three Pupurun flavors I tried.

A-

Pupurun website

Meiji Lemon Pupurun

The second of three Pupurun flavors I bought is lemon, a flavor I usually enjoy. A few weeks ago, I saw an adorable Pupurun commercial on YouTube, but didn't realize that it was the same candy I bought.

I'm glad I didn't make the commercial connection right away, as it's harder to eat something once it's been personified. Still, I wouldn't hesitate to eat them in the future.


The scent in the bag was not nearly as overwhelming as the tropical flavor, but it still smelled sour. I was used to the texture, so I could focus on the flavor. It was quite tasty, and the lemon was fairly authentic. It was tart and slightly floral, but managed to avoid tasting like cleaner or cough drops.

I should mention the texture again, as it is what really sets Pupurun apart from other gummies. The skin is just a little tough and the center is amazingly soft and glossy. This time, I took a picture of a gummy cross-section to try and get that point across. It was the blend of those textures, coupled with the solid lemon flavor, that made these gummies another winning Pupurun variety.

A-

Pupurun website

Meiji Tropical Mix Pupurun

On my recent trip to Mitsuwa near Chicago, I picked up several flavors of Meiji Pupurun gummies on clearance. The line still appears on Meiji's website, so I am not sure why they were so cheap. Perhaps new packaging is on the way? In any case, the first of the flavors up for review is Tropical Mix.

The big selling point of these gummies is that they have 1200 mg of chewable collagen. I'm fairly certain that there is no scientific evidence that ingesting collagen does anything special for your skin, but it probably helps sell products.


Upon opening the bag, I could smell pineapple and mango, but the smell reminded me of fruity quasi-boozy cocktails. The gummies were quite large st almost 20 mm in diameter. The texture was a bit weird at first, with a tougher, chewy outer layer over a soft, sticky center.

The flavor was very juicy and a little tart, with a distinctly tropical flavor. It was a lot like pineapple juice, with a splash of mango. There were both natural and artificial flavors listed on the label, as well as both agar-agar and fish collagen. No results on skin smoothness yet, but despite the gimmick, the gummies were very tasty.

B+

Pupurun website

Meiji Cheesecake Takenoko no Sato

I am a dessert person. However, cheesecake is not one of my favorites. It's so rich that I can't ever seem to eat a whole piece (even though I can put away a lot of cake), and I'm lactose intolerant.

Still, I purchased this cheesecake Takenoko no Sato because the line hardly ever steers me wrong. These are much bigger than the normal chocolates and they come individually wrapped. The flavor is Takesato's cheesecake, although I don't know if Takesato is a real person.


The smell of these reminded me of cheese cracker sandwiches or Cheese Whiz, which was a big turn off. After touching them, my fingers smelled like that, too. I could smell a little white chocolate sweetness, and my husband thought they smelled just like cheesecake. Luckily, they didn't taste like electric orange cheese.

The chocolate itself was sweet, but not cloying, and the cookie center reminded me of shortbread. It lacked the sharp tang that often comes with cheesecake, but I didn't mind. I was too busy being impressed with the mildly sweet white chocolate and vanilla flavor. As usual, the textures went well together. Even though the chocolate was very rich, in a nice small portion, I was pleased.

B

Meiji Website (Japanese)

Meiji Hokkaido Melon Apollo

Despite mixed feelings on Apollo, I bought this box of limited edition Apollo at a Japanese import shop. Since it's a premium pack, the chocolates are much larger than the normal size and come individually wrapped.

According to the box, this is from Meiji's Hokkaido line, and both the white chocolate and the melon flavor come from Hokkaido. Specifically, this is Furano Melon, or melon from Furano, Hokkaido. Fancy melons are quite the treat in Japan, and it's not uncommon for them to cost hundreds of dollars.


The chocolate smelled like what a melon buttercream frosting might smell, and it tasted like that as well. The flavor, despite containing 4% Furano melon, tasted a little fake to me. It was very interesting, but maybe it just didn't blend with the white chocolate as well as I wanted it to.

The white chocolate was sweet, of course, but could have been a lot sweeter. It was creamy and rich at first, and then the fruity flavor kicked in. My husband thought the quality of the white chocolate was very good, but also wasn't crazy about the melon flavor. I'd still like to try real Furano melon, but for the time being, these provided a cheaper tasting experience.

B

Meiji website

Meiji 100% Chocolate Cafe (part 2)

The main attraction at Meiji 100% Chocolate Cafe is their 56 varieties of chocolate. In the previous post, you can see them all together at the counter. The chocolates are hailed for their attractive, eye-catching package designs. Many are based on the country of origin for the cocoa beans, but there are also several flavors like rose hip, soy milk, and cheese.

After seeing pictures online, I assumed these chocolates were small, like the chocolate of the day. Actually, they were much bigger than I anticipated, and they were also much more expensive than I anticipated. I suppose I could have just checked the website, but 4 of these will cost you 900 yen (about $9 US). We ended up getting Royal Milk Tea and Maple. It was a hot day, so they packed them with ice for us to take home.


This picture is of the Royal Milk Tea. It smelled like milk tea, and it was sweet and floral. The silky texture of the chocolate was much better than the normal Meiji fare, and the flavor was complex and delicious. If I have one complaint, it's that it was a little too sweet.

The Maple was interesting, because it wasn't maple flavored but sweetened with maple (syrup, I presume). It melted right on the tongue and had the perfect sweetness for me. The milk chocolate was again much better than normal Meiji chocolate, and there was the slightest hint of maple in the flavor.

Both chocolates were delicious and worth the price for me. If you are in the Tokyo area, it's definitely worth stopping in at the Meiji 100% Chocolate Cafe. The decor is beautiful - be sure to look up at the ceiling and see what it reminds you of. I also suggest going earlier in the day so you can have your first choice of the treats.

Meiji 100% Chocolate Cafe

Meiji 100% Chocolate Cafe

My recent trip to Japan included a visit to the Meiji 100% Chocolate Cafe, a place I've wanted to visit for a couple years. It is located right next to the Meiji corporate headquarters in Tokyo, about a 10 minute walk from Tokyo station. My husband and I met some friends there for a snack.


I wanted to get a small cake and a drink, but they were out of the cakes (and I can't even remember the name), so I just got the drink. It was called ショコラスクワッシュ (chocolate squash), and it was quite tasty. Basically, it was a bittersweet chocolate soda. It was a nice, delicate balance of sweet and savory, and it was a pleasure to sip.


It also came with the chocolate of the day. The most exciting thing about the cafe is that they have a special, unique flavor for every day of the year. This one (Sansho, or Japanese pepper) wasn't as peppery as I was hoping. It was very good dark chocolate with a slight taste of black pepper and a gritty texture.

I also bought a couple of the chocolates that they have in stock every day, numbers 20 and 48, specifically. I will post a review of those soon.

Meiji 100% Chocolate Cafe

Meiji Creamy Almond Kinoko no Yama

I'm afraid my reviews of Kinoko no Yama are rather predictable. Nearly every kind I've tried has been a huge hit with both my husband and myself. I am a lifetime Meiji customer because of Kinoko no Yama and Takenoko no Sato. The shapes are cute, the original flavors are delicious, and there are always new, tasty varieties to try.

We found these Creamy Almond chocolates at Jungle Jim's in Fairfield, OH and bought them without hesitating. We were so excited to eat them that I didn't wait to get home to review them; I took the pictures in the car that night.


The chocolates had a generally nutty and lightly sweet smell. I tasted the chocolate by itself, and it was a mild white chocolate with tiny chopped nuts inside. However, Kinoko no Yama are meant to be enjoyed as a whole, so it doesn't really matter how the chocolate tastes alone.

Together, the crunchy cookie blends well with the chocolate, balancing out any difference in sweetness and adding a fantastic texture. The almond flavor was pleasant, enhanced by the real nut pieces, and never too sweet. My husband and I had no problem polishing off the entire box in under 30 minutes.

A-

Meiji website

Meiji Noir Venezuela Blend

Meiji might not be the masters of gourmet chocolate, but they certainly try to put out a variety of chocolate offerings. I hope to go to their 100% Chocolate Cafe someday, but in the meantime, I'll sample what I can.

The packaging was very attractive, and it calls itself "chocolate for the enjoyment of cacao," and "a superbly balanced blend of variations of beans." The box was loaded with individually wrapped thin squares for sharing.


The chocolate smelled milky and a little spicy, with a little bit of the scent of alcohol. The snap was good, with a satisfying bite. It tasted a little bitter, and the chocolate was smooth, melting on the tongue with a buttery texture. The finish texture was a little grainy.

It wasn't Meiji's best, but it was an enjoyable dark chocolate at 63% cocoa. There really wasn't anything wrong with it, but nothing terribly exciting, either. Meiji's 100% Chocolate Cafe offers all kinds of specialties, and here's a little bit about it from an English packaging design blog.

B

Meiji Website

Meiji Rich Pistachio

Two Meiji reviews in a row! My husband loves pistachios, so the last time I ordered KitKats from JBox, I picked this up with him in mind. The deep green packaging was quite attractive, which also lured me in.

I feel like I should mention the recent United States pistachio recall, but this bar is from Japan, and to my knowledge, Japan has not been affected by this. Plus, neither my husband nor I got sick from it.


The bar was a pale green (lighter than the matcha bar) with brown flecks. It smelled a bit like roasted nuts. The flavored white chocolate tasted rich and smooth, and the bar had a lovely texture. As for the pistachio flavor, the bar was just a bit salty with a mild pistachio taste.

The bar wasn't too sweet, and had just a hint of nuttiness. All in all, it was another good white chocolate bar from Meiji! Personally, I thought the pistachio flavor could have been stronger, but my husband was able to detect the taste better than I was.

B+

Meiji Website