Cadina Happy is yummy taro chips! review

it's no secret I got these at T&T

During Chinese/Lunar New Year, it is a bit of tradition in my family to get Taro Chips (or some kind of crispy item made from taro). Usually once the new year gets here... these taro crispy items all disappear. Things were a little different this year when I found these at T&T.

contents and nutrition information, seems natural enough

impressions:

• tasty
• light
• sweet and salty
• slight herbiness
• addicting
• what you see is not what you get (the contents only make up about 35% of the package... the rest is ... air)

According to the ingredients, these chips were made from fresh taro, They were fried with Olive Oil and seasoned lightly in herbs. The chips did not taste or feel oily. They were lightly coated in a salty, herb . enough to enhance the taro taste and did not steal the taste away from the taro taste.

they all look similar to these ones

I am not sure if it was my bad luck or whether all the other packages' contents were mostly crushed. I was lucky to find a few that weren't for this picture.

My taste buds were so happy and satisfied when I took a bite out of these chips. They were nicely coated in a salt, sugar and herb seasoning. They were crispy with a soft crunch.

the bag was big, but the bag was only 35% filled

I was a disappointed when I opened the package, the bag was only 35% filled. I just opened this and took a picture... see how little taro chips there are compared to the size of the bag...

rating: 9/10 

no website

XiangXun NiuGan Fungus (Penny Bun) snack review

packaging

Boletus edulis or more commonly known as "Penny Bun" is one of the more strong tasting fungus' I know. They enhance soups (e.g. cream of Mushroom soup, to give it a more mushroomy taste), they enhance meaty dishes (to give it an extra touch). Chances are, if you had a really delicious Cream of Mushroom soup, you might have already had a taste of Penny Buns.

While shopping at a local Asian grocery store, I came across these, the "NiuGan Fungus" name caught my eye and I wanted to try... at first, I thought they were the dried ones used for cooking, but later I realized they were a snack! (cool!)

thoughts:

• chewy
• reminds me of beef jerky
• spicy (reminds me of Sichuan kind of spicy, but definitely less "hot")
• (in short, they are penny buns drenched in SiChuan spicy chili oil)

packet of XiangXun Niu Gan Fungus Snack (there are about 10 of these per package)

I have no idea how long these have been around, but they sure are good... I find that you really "snack" on them, they are too spicy (as in too many flavours) to be taken in "large amounts" (I make it sound like it is something illegal... oops). It reminds me of vegetarian beef jerky, its texture is very chewy (and a bit hard). 

If you are into savoury and strong tasting foods/snacks I highly suggest you to try it. It is a bit spicy hot too, so be careful if you are not a spicy eater.

rating: 8.5/10

UNICEF Tap Project challenge

http://tap.unicefusa.org/

Millions of children lack clean water,

how long can you go without something far less vital...

...like your phone? - Unicef TAP PROJECT

This is super cool and meaningful!! Let's do this challenge together! <3

How long can you go without touching your phone?

UNICEF's  Tap project is challenging you to see how long you can go without touching your phone. For every 10 minutes you go without your phone,  their sponsor will donate a day of clean water to a child and their family in need.

website: http://tap.unicefusa.org/
on a side note, I seriously think they need to make this into an APP!


My best record was 35 mins.
My best record was 2 hours! :D What's yours?

What better to help others and challenge yourself at the same time!

Meiji Hokkaido Milk Bars review

Meiji (明治) is one of my favourite Japanese brands. Aside from their packaging, I am interested in all the different types of innovative snacks they offer.

Hokkaido milk is extremely tasty. It is very milky. It is kind of hard to describe it. You gotta try it, once you have you will be able to recognize its rich distinctive taste.

thoughts:

• milky
• large portion
• creamy
• tastes like Hokkaido milk
• not very sweet

they were not joking when they said "jumbo", the bar was the size of my hand

I thought they were joking when they said "JUMBO" since Japanese snacks come in small/tiny quantities. After unwrapping the bar, I was slightly worried I couldn't finish the whole bar.

The texture of the bar is very soft and chewy, kind of like a soft caramel. It tastes very much like Hokkaido milk, I was also very thankful that it was not very sweet either.

If you like milky foods/snacks, I highly suggest you try these!

8.5/10

website:

I couldn't find the exact product on their website but it looks similar to this:

http://catalog-p.meiji.co.jp/products/sweets/icecream/010517/4902705109902.html

Ajisen Ramen (味千拉麵) review

Ajisen Ramen logo

Tis the addiction to ramen! :D v.

Ajisen Ramen has always been one of my favourite places to go for ramen because it was one of the first places I have ever had "real" and "authentic" Ramen (buffets/all you can eat places don't count).

Japanese Beef Shank Rice Set

I don't like their set dinners unfortunately, this was the first time I have ever gotten a set dinner from Ajisen and I will probably never will again. Here are some issues I found with this Japanese Beef Shank Rice Set: 1. the beef shank was badly marinated (hardly any taste and quite dry), 2. portion was small, don't let the size the tray fool you, if you look closely at what they serve, you will see how much there really is. Most of the "space" is being filled with slices of vegetables.

Unless they announce that they will be making better set dinners... I will never again order set dinners at Ajisen Ramen again!

seasonal special ramen: black pork ramen with pork bone soup

So from now on, I'm only going to Ajisen Ramen for their ramens and appetizers only. (If any of you go with me remind me!!)

I usually get their Ajisen Ramen (the typical one) but this caught my eye. I wanted to see what was special with this Black Pork Ramen. 

To be honest there isn't a "Real" significant difference. The biggest difference lies within the pork... with their "normal" ramens, they use normal pork, but for this, (I don't know much about pork meat) you can definitely taste the "higher" quality of the pork meat. There is not only more, it is also much thicker and much more juicier.

fried chicken knee caps with sour Thai sauce

Whenever I go to Ramen, I usually get "Chicken Knee Caps". They are one of my favourite appetizers (they sound disgusting but they really aren't)  Ajisen makes them more "traditional" by deep frying these chicken knee caps. (I know, so unhealthy but so tasty). If you like chicken and fried things. I highly suggest you give these a try!


website: http://www.ajisen.ca/

Daiso Horse oil Hand Cream review

bottle of Horse Oil hand cream

Were you like me when you read the title or have you already heard about this product? I was very interested in what it was when I first saw it in a shop window. I thought, what IS Horse oil (馬油)? I didn't even know they had oil. I guess this is similar to Emu oil (I hope you heard of that).

a word of precaution: 

It is stated in the packaging that if you have skin problems like cuts, wounds or eczema, you should not use this product.

The Label says: 
Do not use if you have any skin trouble such as scratches, swelling or eczema. If it gets into eyes, rinse thoroughly with water. Please keep out of reach of children.

warning label

I think there are some contradictions here, I have heard that some brands marketing Horse Oil as a cure for Eczema yet, the labels says to not use this if you have Eczema. I used to have eczema, so if I touch something that is "bad" for skin, my sensitive skin will react. I have used this product for 3-4 days already and I have not had a reaction. (e.g. itchiness, redness, swelling, etc). However, that being said... if you have eczema, use at your own risk... some say this product cured their eczema, but I think the warning label is there for a reason...

back of packaging

Impressions:

• lightly scented of "oil" (you can sort of tell it is from an animal)
• smooth
• don't need a lot
• great for winters
• "thin: cream (it is not creamy, kind of a oily watery consistency)

applying on my skin... see how it droops? that's because this cream is very light and thin

The consistency is between water and oil... It feels oily at first, but as you smooth it out, it doesn't leave 'oil" on your skin. There is almost no scent, so it is great for people who have allergic reactions to "heavily scented" creams. It does smell a bit oily though, you can sort of smell and tell it is from some kind of animal, I find the smell very "natural" it doesn't seem like they have added much, if any, scent/fragrance to this cream.

Horse Oil hand cream, I got the smallest size available

You can find this product in beauty product places like Bonjour,卓悦, (This was where I I picked up this cream at). There are different sizes, since I was just testing out this product, I got the smallest size.

rating: 8/10

no website

Cold stone creamery review

So... I know... I am crazy... my friends are crazy... why did we end up getting ice cream in such a cold weather? We must be crazy!

I heard about Cold Stone Creamery, I heard about them in America, one day after a heavy meal, a few of my friends decided to go for ice cream, we were walking around downtown and came across this place. I did not know they had made their way to Toronto. (more specifically, Tim Horton's).

process of combining the ingredients together

I decided on Mint Mint Chocolate Chip, it is one of their signature creations. Mint Mint Chocolate Chip is actually a combination of Mint Ice Cream, Chocolate Chips, Brownie & Fudge.

a kid size serving of Mint Mint Chocolate

impression:

• large quantity (I can't imagine how a "kid" can finish all that ice cream)
• very sweet
• well blended
• simple

If you like classic tastes (nothing REALLY fancy), you might want to give this place a try. But not so if you are looking to try something new.

website: http://www.timhortons.com/ca/en/menu/cold-stone-creamery.html

Kiehl's.ca - Free Express Shipping! Offer ends Feb. 9, 2014! (ended)

This is for all of you Canadian Kiehl's Fans! Kiehl's is offering Free Express Shipping On All Orders! (No Code Required) Offer ends Feb. 9, 2014!

For those in the USA, Kiehl's is offering 3 complimentary samples + free shipping (on orders of $50+)

Paramount Fine Foods Restaurant review

Paramount Find Foods Restaurant

Paramount Fine Foods serves Lebanese food. The restaurant has a nice simple cellar type environment, with a mix of a bar table and restaurant, it is a nice casual environment to chat and eat. They have quite a selection of food choices, from sandwiches to pizzas to burgers and grill items.

Restaurant Impressions:

• nice simple relaxing environment
• bad service
• spacious seating

complimentary bread (?)

My friend who recommended this place to us was very excited for this complimentary bread to come. We could understand her excitement when the waitress brought over the bread.

another view of the complimentary bread, see how big it is?

We were laughing when the bread came because it was so big! This bread was served very hot and fresh. Its taste is very light and crispy. This bread is hollow. We didn't end up finishing this bread though. The other foods were very filling themselves. This bread did make waiting for the food much easier. We were all very impatient hungry people. (=D)

our pizzas left to right: Spicy Chicken, Cheese with Zaatar and Spinach with Cheese

Upon my friend's recommendations, we decided to get 3 pizzas and split them. We ordered Spicy Chicken, Cheese with Zaatar and Spinach with Cheese! They were all so tasty and served really hot! They were thin hand made pizzas. They didn't have a strong taste nor any "pizza sauce" (like Italian pizzas). they were special. (check below to see the menu, the prices were very reasonable). The portions did not look very big, but don't let that fool you. We were so full when we finished our last slice.

1. The Spicy Chicken was a little Spicy, I didn't know Spicy chicken can be turned into a pizza dish (in a good way). The pizza contained diced grilled chicken flavoured with spices & mixed with a spicy sauce.

2. The Cheese with Zaatar tasted strongly of herbs. (Zaatar is a type of spice, the blend it with), the pizza contained Melted Accawi cheese with Zaatar. It was everything you needed to satisfy your taste buds: oily cheesy, salty and herb...y.

3. after having the 2 pizzas I thought, ok, there shouldn't be anything better... but once I tried the Spinach with Cheese pizza, I was surprised, there IS something else that is better. This pizza was Spinach mixed with onions & sumac topped with melted Accawi cheese. A different kind of goodness from the other 2 pizzas.

Kebbeh Piece

We ordered these appetizers called Kebbeh Piece, they didn't come till we were half way done our pizzas though. I think the waitress should have brought these out for us first since they were "appetizers". Anywayz... I have never had Kebbeh before, but it is really delicious! These Kebbeh were served with hummus (as a dipping sauce).

This restaurant makes Kebbah with Ground sirloin mixed with cracked wheat & stuffed with spiced beef & cashew nuts fried in vegetable oil. (am I making your mouth watery? :D)

So what are Kebbeh? It is made from Bulghur (a type of wheat) mixed with minced onions and beef/lamb. It is then fried. I did some research and discovered that Kebbeh is considered a national dish of the Lebanese. (Some spell Kebbeh like Kibbeh, but they are the same thing).

This was really delicious too! (I highly recommend these Kebbeh Piece)

partial menu of the appetizers

partial menu of the pizzas

The prices are reasonable, as a party of 3 hungry people (and given we were all hungry from work and rehearsal), this meal costed less than $20 in total. I am absolutely content by the quality and quantity of this restaurant. I will definitely be coming back to this place very soon. (I hope they improve on service soon!)

I am so glad to be acquainted with Lebanese food this time. I have never thought about what food they have,  I am so glad to have had the opportunity to try something new! Thanks to my friend Lydia for recommending us to this place!

rating: 9/10

website: http://www.paramountfinefoods.com/index.html 

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stain review

All a girl needs is lipstick! This is what we say when a lip colour is good enough that all we need to put on is that lip colour, and we do not need to wear any more make up... This is so true for this lip balm.

photo source: http://www.dailyglow.com/beauty-365/makeup/lip-stain/revlon-just-bitten-kissable-lip-balm-stain

5 words: This is a fantastic line!...  

I have been using this product for about  a year now, and I still have quite a lot of product left on the product I purchased since last year. I have only used one the 025 - Sweetheart Valentine. One is enough to convince me that this is a wonderful line. Of all the colours available, the 025 Sweetheart Valentine seems to be the most attractive. The other colours are good too, but this swatch seems to be the most versatile of them all (the colour is both casual and formal, it is suitable for most occasions).

you can see how vivid the colours are here, I used the product on the left side of my lips

I love it because the color is very girly. It doesn't make it look like I am trying to hard to impress yet enough for people to notice the girliness. When you apply this product it literally glides on to your lips easily. (Sometimes when I'm putting on this product I like to pretend I'm like those women in movies where they easily put on lipstick in one try, this product makes it happen like that)

pros:

- great colours

- vivid colours (very pigmented)

- affordable

- long last colour

- long lasting product

- slightly moisturizes your lips

- build-a-ble (range from soft stain to bold lipstick colour)

- easily glides on lips (like those commercials)

cons:

- NOT a lip stain

- weird minty taste

- suitable for summer but not winter (especially for moisturizing reasons)

see how vivid the colour is, and notice how the top stroke is less pigmented then the second one

You can see how the product is build-a-ble.Take a look at the first stroke compared to the second stroke. For the first stroke I only applied the product once and for the second, I applied it twice. You can see how the second stroke is much more vivid. You can also compare the colour with the product before it is applied to my hand. AND despite my hand being so pale (compared to normal lips) you can see how vivid it looks. Imagine how it would look on lips!

what it looks like when I wipe it product with tissue (the tissue and the skin)

This proves this is not REALLY a lip stain... maybe close to being a lip tint. See how easily the product can be wiped off and left with almost no presence on my hand.

The colours are more suitable for Summer as well as the moisturizing capabilities. (the product helps me moisturize my lips during the summer time but for winter, I will need to apply some lip balm before using this product). 

I like the colour range they have, price is reasonable (did I tell you one stick lasted me for a year? I put on that lip colour almost every day), you can find it at most drug stores (if not all)

Update Feb. 19, 2014:

Since I have finally finished this product. I want to mention how I appreciate the ease they have made it that even when you are almost done your product, the container does not drill a hole into the product (e.g. chapsticks and other traditional lip balms) and the product can easily be retracted back into the container.

image of actual product

10/10 by far the best lip colour I have used so far!!

website: http://www.revlon.ca/Revlon-Home/Products/Lips/lipstain/Just-Bitten-Kissable-Balm-Stain.aspx