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Kcal 122 Fat 6.3g Carbs 14.7g (per 23.4g)I really hope you guys aren't getting bored of these Japanese themed chocolate reviews, as they have not only been coming thick and fast, but there plenty more planned for the next few days. Why the rush you ask!? Sorry for repeating myself but J-List are cutting their stock of chocolate products soon in preparation for the hot Japanese summer - hence I need to get all the samples they sent me up on site before they disappear. On show today we have this Glico Pakitz Original, which is a product consisting of 'milk chocolate with tiny crispy balls of rice, coated in a layer of wafer' - you might say that this was an 'inside-out' chocolate bar'.
Paying homage to it's own name this bar came in two separate 23.4g packs, that I shared with a work colleague over a well earned afternoon coffee break. The packaging it has to be said for a Japanese product was somewhat subdued, though the usual combination of the outer cardboard box and inner foil wrappers kept the contents in fresh shape and the bars were unscathed despite the hectic air miles. Whilst I thought the exterior design work was good, the actual product was less to my liking as it was immediately apparent that there was a problem with the chocolate not sticking to the wafer ... more on that later! Despite being well protected by the foil wrappers, the bars didn't offer much in the way of an aroma, which did little excite or raise anticipation.
As I have mentioned above there was one glaring issue with the product, with the chocolate not being in harmony with the wafer i.e. it fell out from the wafer casing straight away. This subsequently left me with two things - on one hand a random layer of pretty flavourless wafer, and the other a block of milk chocolate with small rice crispy pieces. To be honest I didn't even bother eating the wafer as soon as I realised it was just a generic and dull tasting ice cream cone like layer ... a complete waste of calories if you ask me. The milk chocolate on the other hand was a tad more exciting, and had a surprisingly strong creamy cocoa taste that I found quite enjoyable. For me the inner rice crispy pieces proved to be more of a distraction than a pleasant addition taste wise, however I will concede that brought variety in terms of textures. At the time of eating this I wasn't particularly hungry, though I guess this was pretty lucky as this probably wouldn't have done a job worth mentioning in this sense.
Overall this was far from being a disaster, however Glico have made a product that fundamentally doesn't seem to work. The idea of placing the wafer on the outside of the product may see like a funky concept, but it was flawed in it's execution as it failed to contain the inner chocolate layer like it was supposed to. When you also factor in to the equation that the actual wafer itself was just of a plain and unfancy variety (yes you can get fancy wafers), then the necessity of it's presence becomes somewhat questionable, and I for one did without it after it failed at attaching itself to the chocolate. Speaking of the chocolate, it was actually surprisingly good quality, though it wasn't like it was good enough in my mind to make up for the failings of the actual product concept. It is on this basis that I wouldn't recommend this as product that you guys and girls should bother with. There are so many options out there in the Japanese marketplace, that average products like this Glico Packitz are simply not worth wasting your money on.
6.5 out of 10
Posts
21 comments:
Hm this doesn't sound very exciting. I think we are all used to seeing more extravagant chocolates from Japan.
Do you think the workers in the factory got the production wrong and stuck the wafer on the outside lol.
I think this is a really cool idea. It looks like a sort of mega cross breed of a kit kat and a crunch bar, both of which I love.
I understand that it falling apart isn't a good thing but I don't let things like that bother me.
Rxxx
I think I would buy this sort of thing if it was ready to buy in my local shop (I would at least try it) but I can't see me splurging on buying it all the way from Japan.
Its not as if you would getting anything new or out of the ordinary for all the money you would have to spend.
:-) :-) I am smiling because I am one of those people that would more than likely break it up in to separate pieces anyway. LMAO the wafer coming away from the chocolate would probably save me a load of hassle :-)
Dx
Jim,
Firstly congratulations on your 1000th post. This site is brilliant so long may it continue. I have been thinking about what I would like to see improved and I have come up with just one suggestion.
If you could include the price of what you are reviewing somewhere in your review or in the headline I think that would be good. For instance I would like to know how much this cost today without having to go to the effort of looking on the website.
Thanks for all your efforts. Please continue doing what you do.
For a chocolate from Japan this looks really boring. Sorry Jim that isn't a criticism on your writing, but I think like David said this just looks too original next to things like that green KitKat you did the other day.
Why the hell would you put wafer on the outside? I bet it was really annoying and messy to eat. I would cry if they started putting the wafer on the outside of Kit kats.
This doesn't look particularly appetising sorry. It is pretty uninspired for a chocolate from the Far East, I was expecting something a little more unusual when I saw the title. Oh well.
I never knew that Glico made more things that just Pocky. Speaking of which it would be brilliant if you were able to review some of the new pocky flavours if you get the chance. It has been ages since you last reviewed anything along those lines.
By the sounds of it this doesn't taste half as good as you make it look in the picture. I have never understood the fascination of manufacturers using wafers in everything.
The bit where you say about 'fancy wafers' made me giggle. I understand what you mean though, you can get really nice ones with bits chocolate bits and creams in.
This was an interesting idea but sounds abit failed in its design. I think a better wafer with chocolate middle were those balls that you tried with the soft chocolately centre, I can't rememeber the name but I remember saying they were abit like Coco pops rocks and would be nice heated with icecream lol
An inside out Kit Kat. How very novel, if a little uninspired.
Could the japanese be running out of ideas perhaps? I doubt it :-)
I like the idea but I would have liked them to have made it a bit more exciting by putting someting a bite extra in there. I bet this would have scored higher if there was something like caramel, nuts or the like in there.
To be honest I think it's a nice idea but obviously silly in practice. I generally dislike bland generic wafer products. This reminds me actually of the inside out Kitkat, I forget where I've seen it though.
Even if it was just white chocolate I think this would have been about ten times more cool. Using milk choc isn't thinking outside the box is it. That isn't usually something we accuse the Japanese of now is it.
Any chance you could review something we can buy in old Blighty Jimbo? LOL only joking my friend. It is alsways nice seeing on all these things that we miss out on over here.
They make so many things with wafer or biscuit don't they. Everything you can buy from Jlist seems to contain one or the other. Pocky, Toppo, Crunky, Mikado etc etc you could go on forever. I'm not complaining, it is just a matter of fact.
Lovely review again Jim. I always find it refreshing to see that you are so honest when it comes to the samples you get sent.
It must be hard not to write reviews which aren't written with a positive tangent when you get sent these things that don't meet expectations.
Glico should just focus on Pocky. Their other chocolates are never that great.
David
I don't think you were the only one to think that today. I have certainly reviewed weirder products from Japan before haven't I.
Anon
Haha I don't think that was the case. I am pretty confident these were supposed to be like that.
Rachel
It is a bit of a hybrid of both of them isn't it. I think I am a bit more fussy when it comes to things falling to bits. I normally eat my daily portion of chocolate outside the home, so it is really noticeable when things are really messy.
Nick
I can see your reasoning for viewing things like that. I would agree with you that it isn't worth the cost of importing.
Daisy
You must be one of those people that plays with your foods eh!? :D I am like that with things like Jaffa Cakes, but I generally try to avoid things getting messy like this bar did.
Lily
Thanks for the nice words about the 1000 posts.
I normally include pricing information about the stuff I buy, but I sometimes forget to do so for the onces I don't I will try to make sure I do so going forwards.
Golden
Don't worry I think you are right. It wasn't as exciting to write about than some of the more extrvagant things i have been sent. Don't worry - things will get more interesting :D
Kevin
It was chap. The wafer broke away from the chocolate with ridiculous ease.
Justin
Haha have you guys just copy and pasted each others comments or something :D
Emma
Don't worry Emma I have had quite a few requests for more Pocky reviews. I have some upcoming in the next few weeks.
Lauren
You do get fancy wafers I swear! The ones that Ferrero put in their products and the like!!
Thanks for the nice words about my photos.
Alan
If the wafer was all the way round I see the potential that this could be pretty nice when heated a little ... actually that would be a damn good idea for a wafer cased chocolate! Lets copyright that idea right now chap :D
Richard
I very much doubt they are running out of ideas. Judging by some of the other things I have been eating from Japan recently this accusation couldn't be further from the truth :D
Matt
You could well be right. A layer of sticky toffee between the wafer and the chocolate not only would have solved the issue of it falling to pieces, but I bet it would have tasted damn tasty aswell.
Phil
There was an inside out Kit Kat? When did that happen? I must have missed that one.
I too try to avoid most things that comprise mainly of wafer. They all tend to be a bit samey.
Kieran
I agree - a flavoured sort of chocolate might have worked a bit better than just original. One thing to bare in mind is that this is the 'Original' flavour ... I think they do a few more.
Tricky
Uh oh - if it is UK products you want to see reviewed you might have to hold on for a few days. I have had so many new products sent from abroad I have to get them out the way for the minute. I have a new batch of Hotel Chocolat coming in this week though so hold on.
Resph
You are quite right. They make a lot of their products with wafers especially. Perhaps we are thinking a bit too much about the Japanese Kit Kats though? If you take them out the equation the options become a bit more limited I guess.
Kim
Thanks, I guess you are on the opposite end of the spectrum to Tricky then. It is a fine balance that I have to continually think about. Some people want to see me review chocolate from all over the globe, whilst other want me to keep it closer to home. It is a hard balancing act.
Sakura
Na come on - it is nice to have a bit of variety from manufacturers. It is not as if makes them neglect their Pocky range is it? We still get a lot of flavours from them.
Thanks everyone - more exciting Japanese reviews coming soon.
JIM
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