There are a few essentials for late night studying: a comfortable chair, pencil and paper, eraser and, of course, snacks. On our quest for unique snacks, we stumbled across Nijiya Market, a Japanese supermarket found in Mountain View. To find the best snacks for Paly students, we sampled all sorts of items, from crackers to brownies to yuzu candy — and overall, the snacks were delicious.
GGE wheat crackers ($1.99)
We started off with a strong choice in the GGE Wheat Crackers. Recommended by many, these golden cubes made of dried noodles packed an initial crunch that then melted in our mouths. Its potent flavor was unexpected but delicious, and the barbeque spice perfectly complemented the noodles. We recommend this snack for late-night binges and during movies, especially if you don’t have the time or energy to warm up instant noodles. Rating: (7/10)
Orihiro Purun Konnyaku Jelly ($3.09)
Next up was the Orihiro Purun Konnyaku Jelly, a fruity confection that provided a nice change of pace from the crunchy crackers. This snack comes in a large plastic bag with adorable, bottle-shaped plastic packets of jelly inside — not so environmentally friendly, but we’ll give that a pass because the jelly, though sometimes hard to squeeze out of the packet, was delightfully chewy. Sadly, the flavor, reminding us of a cold, artificial grape, didn’t compare to the texture. Perfect for hot summer days, this snack can also solve late-night cravings. Rating: (7/10)
Daifuku ($5.75)
The bar was left decently high after the first two snacks, and the daifuku did not disappoint. Some say your eyes eat before your stomach, and ours sure did as they admired the colorful white, green and pink packaging. Daifuku is a dessert with red bean paste covered in a thin layer of sweet mochi. With a slightly chilled, delicate texture and a strong mochi aftertaste, the snack left us wanting more even after it was gone — which didn’t take long. We recommend this snack for any mochi fans, though fair warning: the strong red bean flavor might be an acquired taste. Rating: (9/10)
Kobayashi Kanten Jelly Yuzu ($5.49)
These honey-gold, citrus-flavored jellies, coated with a clear rice wrap, looked delicious, but sadly, the good ends there. The jellies were too sweet, making the candy taste more like condensed sugar than yuzu. The jelly clung on to our teeth, providing an unsatisfying bite. With its comparatively high price, this candy let us down. Rating: (4/10)
Bourbon Choco Brownies ($5.49)
Hopeful for redemption, we moved on to these bite-sized brownies topped with chocolate chips. Unfortunately, they tasted slightly dry and more like a dense chocolate cake than a brownie. Unfortunately, the brownie was one-dimensional, with a flat, weak chocolate flair. We would have preferred a more moist, layered dessert. Rating: (6/10)
Calbee Shrimp Chips ($3.49)
After eating four sweets in a row, we decided to open the signature pink and white package of Calbee Shrimp Chips. We were immediately hit with an intensely umami smell. These golden chips were incredibly light, crispy and unsurprisingly addicting. A symphony of flavor, they had a solid crunch and left us wanting to buy a couple dozen more bags. Rating: (10/10)
Salmon Onigiri ($2.99)
After the shrimp chips we decided to try a salmon onigiri from the refrigerator section of the supermarket. The rice ball was hefty and cold to the touch. But it mostly consisted of cold rice, with a thin layer of seaweed on the outside and barely a spoonful of salmon. The salmon was flavorful and tasted like vinegar and soy sauce. However, its flavor couldn’t surmount the stale rice, leaving the onigiri flavorless and disappointing. Rating: (5/10)
Mizuho Hand Made Rice Crackers ($2.33)
Last but not least, we opened up a bag of Mizuho Hand Made Rice Crackers and were instantly greeted with a strong whiff of soy sauce. These carefully shaped orange-colored crackers came wrapped in seaweed and had a loud, satisfying crunch, giving us a strong sense of nostalgia. Rating: (8/10)
Final Thoughts
Nijiya Market offers an amazingly diverse selection of authentic Japanese snacks, ranging from fruit jelly to seafood onigiri. We had a great time exploring the store, choosing our snacks and tasting them. However, a few snacks just let us down. Visiting Nijiya Market is an inexpensive way to explore Japanese food and find your new go-to snack, especially if you go with friends so you can sample more. Rating: (8/10)
