Kirkland's Cinnamon Danish Rolls short review

Cinnamon Danish Rolls

It has been a while since I saw a YouTube video raving about Kirkland's Cinnamon Danish Rolls (found at Costco). After eagerly waiting for them to arrive at my local Costco, I was finally able to get my hands on them!

Appearance:

When I first saw them, I must admit, I was a bit skeptical. The rolls didn't look as appetizing as I had imagined—they appeared slightly dry and looked unappetizing. Nevertheless, I decided to give them a try.

The pictures you see here don't do these cinnamon rolls any justice... they look small and regular-sized in the pictures... but in reality, they are bigger than the size of my palm. 

Taste:

The Cream Cheese (or frosting or icing) is quite sweet, so I found it best to heat them up before enjoying them. Trust me, it makes a HUGE difference. Heating the rolls not only melts the cream cheese/frosting/icing, allowing it to coat the cinnamon rolls better but it also reduces the concentrated sugary taste, but it also makes the outer shell crispy and gives it a creamy, buttery, and aromatic flavourful interior.

Impressions:

• must be heated (in an oven... or if you don't have one, in a microwave)
• Cream Cheese/frosting/icing is very sweet (make sure it is melted before you eat it)
• (after you warm it in an oven) the outside is super crispy and the inside is very creamy
• it has the exact amount of cinnamon sugar inside

To truly savour these rolls, I highly recommend heating them, either in an oven or a microwave. This way, the cream cheese/frosting/icing is melted. Once warmed, you'll experience a delightful contrast between the super crispy exterior and the creamy interior. The cinnamon sugar is perfectly balanced, creating a delightful taste.

Cinnamon Danish Rolls

Comparison:

I hate to make comparisons, but these cinnamon rolls actually taste better than the ones I've had at Tokyo's Starbucks, which is renowned for its cinnamon rolls in Asia. Firstly, these rolls are larger than the ones offered at Starbucks. Secondly, they possess a stronger cinnamon sugar taste. And lastly, they have a wonderful texture with a crispy exterior and a warm, creamy interior, unlike Starbucks' cinnamon rolls which maintain the same texture throughout.

Verdict:

If it's not already obvious, I absolutely LOVE these cinnamon rolls! My family devoured them in just two days, which is a record considering their generous size. Even my dad, who isn't usually a fan of cinnamon, couldn't resist finishing them.

However, it's important to note that each roll contains 410 calories, which is something to consider. Despite the calorie count, if you're a fan of cinnamon rolls, I highly, highly recommend giving these a try. They strike the perfect balance with just the right amount of cinnamon sugar, and the Danish pastry provides a delightful crispy exterior and a luxuriously creamy interior.

score: 9.9/10 (deducted 0.1 for the high calorie count)

website: no website available

Comparison: Japanese Instant Noodles vs International Instant Noodles Ramen

 

International version

The title of this post might be strange. This is what I meant: the comparison between the Japanese version of the same brand (e.g. Nissan) Noodles and the international version of the same instant noodles.

Japanese version

If you ever wondered whether they might be different, you are correct. They are quite different. In fact, if you blindfolded me and asked me to do a taste test, I would not be able to tell that both are from the same brand. 

International version 

ready to serve International version

I've always thought that the Nissan Instant noodles we know of were the standard until I moved to Tokyo and realized they are very different. There was a day I was craving that oiliness of Nissan noodles, however, when I went to the store and bought a packet that "looked" similar enough to be the Nissan Ramen I am familiar with, but to my surprise (and disappointment)... it wasn't. 

Japanese version: uncooked

Japanese version: ready to serve

Here are some differences I noticed. 

Differences between Nissan noodles:

	Japanese version	International version
Noodle type	baked, not fried, contains bits of dried ginger and other condiments	fried, a bit of an oiliness, plain
Noodle texture	thin, firm and has a heavier chewiness,	thick, slightly porous and has a light chewiness, also a bit oily
Taste (broth)	saltier, richer flavour and healthier tasting (similar to egg noodles), heavy on ginger taste (with noticeable ginger bits)	lighter brother, everything is "well balanced" and gives you a comfort food taste. Heavier on sesame
Noodle prep time	1.5 minutes (in boiling water)	3 minutes (in boiling water)
Calories	306 calories	450 calories

It has hard to choose which one I prefer because both are good and different (in a good way). The International version is more of a comfort food, while the Japanese version seems healthier and more preferred if I want a ramen meal (for dinner). 

Which do you prefer?

For those interested, here are more photos and info about each version of ramen. While reviewing the images, I realized the instructions have changed since I reviewed these noodles (on their old packaging)... so please ignore the differences in directions (between the review and the images... I'll make amendments in a bit.)

Nissin International Version:

highlights: 

made in Hong Kong

Made in Japan

Kiehl's products that didn't work

 

you have heard me rave about Kiehl's products... and to make my reviews as transparent as possible. I decided to write about the products that didn't work for me. 

Powerful-Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate

This product claims to instantly boost radiance and have anti-aging benefits such as reducing fine lines. 

I discovered this product when I made a mistake and ordered this. I was planning to purchase the "Precision Lifting & Pore-Tightening Concentrate" but somehow bought this instead. They are both the same price and they look the same and I made a mistake and bought this instead of the other one. Unfortunately, my skin didn't like this as much as I thought it would though, this is more of a "me" issue than Kiehl's. My skin has reacted badly to most Vitamin C products I have tried. I thought Kiehl's might be different since most of the products I have used from them worked well, but I was wrong.

Hours after applying this product, my skin still did not absorb the Vitamin C contents which made my skin very wet and sticky. I was able to feel and smell the product (especially the Vitamin C's metallic odour). Although it didn't worsen my skin's condition, it didn't make it better either. The most frustrating part was that it just sat on my skin and didn't absorb.

I was also unimpressed with their container, similar to the Precision Lifting and Tightening Concentrate, this product's container is made of plastic. 

Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil Herbal Concentrate

If you are ever planning to give this product a try, Kiehl's provides a disclaimer to NOT travel with it. It contains a mild dose of Cannabis (as the name suggests) and some countries have strict laws of possession (think Brittney Griner).

I have heard many good things about Cannabis skin care products about their ability to calm and relax the skin.

However, my experiences were different, and this is one of the products that didn't work.

My skin hated this oil and wasn't able to absorb most of it. It ended up staying on the surface of my skin for hours. This also means that I had to smell the weird weedy grassy scent and it got all over my hands, clothes and phone... >___<.

Retinol Skin-Renewing Daily Micro-Dose Serum

All Skin Types, including Sensitive Skin A potent Retinol serum in a daily-strength micro-dose that visibly reduces wrinkles, evens skin tone, firms skin, and minimizes the look of pores with minimal discomfort. Maximum efficacy and maximum tolerance for even first-time users, sensitive skins, and for use around delicate eye areas. The formula is paraben-free and fragrance-free. The other main ingredients are peptides and ceramides.

I have heard many... MANY great things about Retinol, so I decided to order this and give it a try. Boy, was I wrong. The formula was silky smooth and it glided easily on my skin. At first, my skin was willing to absorb the serum (which was a good sign!) however, I started noticing my skin getting worse.

At first, I thought my skin was purging... and so I didn't think much of it (and was actually glad there was purging) BUT... after a month of using this... my skin had worsened to the point that there were dry patches, acne forming in different areas and my skin just seemed unmanageable. It had a hard time properly absorbing other products. I switched out this serum and my skin slowly got back to normal. 

T&T Black Sugar Tapioca Cake short review

apologizes for not having a picture of the product with the packaging (but you can see what it looks like on their website). It looks like a small roll of cake. We got rid of it before I decided to write this review. (yes... it was THAT bad >__<)

I will make this as short and simple as possible.

I didn't like it.

impressions:

• dry
• tapioca is too soft (as in not chewy)
• weird
• the cream was extremely dehydrated
• no black sugar

To be honest, it tasted like old cake (cake left in the fridge for over 2 weeks), which doesn't make sense, since we ate it the day we bought it. I couldn't be more disappointed... especially after a worker/baker at T&T told us that this is a best-selling product at T&T and highly recommended it to us.

She even claimed that we were lucky they still had some left. 

Score: 0/10

Website: https://www.tntsupermarket.com/eng/50742301-tnt-bakery-brown-sugar-tapioca-swiss-roll-320g.html

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream review

This is one of Kiehl's best sellers and I can see why. I am currently on my fifth jar and it is one of my favourite products. It is one of my holy grails.

There was a time I used a wrong product and my skin stung and was reacting badly. The moment I applied this facial cream, my skin immediately calmed and the stinging was gone. That is how good this product is.

This isn't only for those emergencies in need of lifesaver moments, it serves as an amazing product for daily use.

I use it on a daily basis and it has improved the condition of my skin significantly.

Product details

Price: $76 CAD for 125ml

key ingredients: Glacial Glycoprotein and Squalane

Glacial Glycoprotein

This ingredient is notable for its ability to thrive in extreme climates as it is derived from sea glaciers.  It is known to deeply hydrate, protect, and help prevent water loss from the skin. This diminishes signs of aging and retains the skin's firmness. 

Squalane

Squalane is a highly refined moisturizing oil derived from olives known for its exceptional affinity to skin. This helps restore essential lipids in the skin and protect against moisture loss.

impressions:

• very hydrating
• very "creamy"
• no scent
• works as an immediate relief as well as a long term care product
• fixed my skin barrier issues
• suitable for super-sensitive skin
• protects and restores skin barrier

cream's consistency

I am extremely impressed with this facial cream. it was love at first use and I haven't bothered to go look for other moisturizers (the only one I am interested in is the overnight mask version of this product which I plan to try and review a bit later). 

For daily use, it only takes an hour or so for my skin to reveal and recognize how good this product is. The first time I used this product, it felt as though I had previously soaked my skin in water and the layer "underneath the surface of my skin" felt very hydrated and moisturized. When I touch my skin, I could feel a bit of a watery protection layer cushioning and protecting the skin underneath my skin.

I am not a fan of slabbing creamy textured products on my dehydrated skin but every time I do, this product does not disappoint.

It has fixed my problematic skin barrier issues and has made it stronger and less susceptible to harsh dry and cold weather and climate. 

Score: 10/10

Website: https://www.kiehls.ca/en/skincare/view-all-skincare/ultra-facial-cream/622.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwtsCgBhDEARIsAE7RYh1kCP1B8X1kBK5Az4170a7dHBJe-Z6xc8MsNGnuxvAucoDNy6JQrxcaAo6ZEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#start=4&cgid=face-moisturizers

grammatical errors, run on sentences, etc

 I apologize for the poorly written reviews lately.

I am currently studying Japanese and brushing up on my rusty Cantonese which has caused my English to deteriorate drastically. 

I try to proofread all my reviews before I publish them but sometimes a few get published before I can fix them... so please bear with me as I am teeter-tottering on these two-three languages and making elementary mistakes >____<

Canada McDonald's Spicy Chicken McNuggets review

5 years ago, I had McDonald's Spicy Chicken MuNuggets in Japan, and they were good. I gave them a very high score. Last month, I had the chance to try the Canadian version of these spicy nuggets and I was very excited to see how they are different from the Japanese ones! The first thing I noticed was that the packaging is very different from the Japanese one... which is good.

McDonald's Spicy Chicken McNuggets

The second thing I noticed about these nuggets is that they look darker than the regular/original Chicken McNuggets... the sizes and shapes look similar to regular nuggets.

I wanted to note that the Canadian McDonald's Spicy Chicken McNuggets don't come with a special sauce (the ones in Japan did). 

Impressions:

• very crispy
• thicker batter than regular Chicken McNuggets
• quite spicy (especially compared to the Japanese version)
• heat builds up

a close-up of a spicy chicken McNugget... you can see the crispiness

According to McDonald's website, the spiciness is created with a blend of aged cayenne and chilli pepper!

I believe them because the spiciness of these McNuggets caught me by surprise. I wasn't expecting them to be that spicy (the spiciness is bearable but I wasn't expecting these nuggets to be that spicy). I really appreciated the thicker batter which made the McNuggets very crispy. Beware, the heat builds up... I had to drink cold water on my 3rd McNugget! 

Score: 9.5/10

Website: https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/product/spicy-chicken-mcnuggets-6-piece.html