Lion Soda Kids Candy - Asian Food Market: Cherry Hill, NJ

Because this candy has 6 flavors, and such amazing packaging, I am splitting it up into multiple reviews.

Check out THIS POST on the aesthetics.

Today I’ll review 3 flavors of this soda candy:

• Melon (green)
• Ramune (blue)
• Grape (red-violet)

Melon Soda:

I had such high hopes for this flavor. I LOVE melon flavored sweets, but this is NOT like any melon I have ever had. The hard-candy outside tastes like bubblegum. I HATE bubblegum, so I was very disappointed. Inside, the candy has a fizzy center which is tangy and flavorful, and I really liked that, but it wasn’t enough to overpower the bubblegum flavor. To me, this was like having carbonated bubblegum mouthwash in my mouth. (As a kid, I was forced to do in-school fluoride treatments with bubblegum mouthwash for YEARS and it absolutely ruined the taste of bubble gum for me. To this day it still makes me extremely nauseous.) It is my least favorite of the three. 

Ramune:

The blue ramune candy has some light citrus notes, but there is a slightly bubblegum-y flavor to this one too! Thankfully, it is much more tolerable. This candy reminds me of a diet lemon seltzer. While this isn’t a favorite, it wasn’t as bad as the melon.

Grape Soda:

This flavor is wonderful! The grape notes are really jammy and rich. It’s just like drinking a glass of grape juice cocktail. When you hit the fizzy center, it makes this candy taste just carbonated grape juice. (I often serve non alcoholic carbonated grape juice at my holiday parties and events, and this tastes just like it!)

Out of these three flavors, grape is by far the best. While each candy has a wonderful fizzy center, that really adds to the soda aspect of the flavors, the ramune and melon candies were too bubblegum-y for my tastes.

If you like bubblegum, or things that are flavored like bubblegum, you might really like the melon and ramune flavors. They just aren’t for me.

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

Like me on facebook to keep up with all my adventures!

Kanro Calpis Ramune Candy - Asian Food Market, NJ

The sign at the store actually mislabeled this product as a “Milk Candy.” I was intrigued by the idea, and a bit disappointed when I found out it was actually calpis ramune flavored candy.

What is calpis?

Calpis is a Japanese uncarbonated soft drink. The beverage has a light, somewhat milky, and slightly acidic flavor, similar to plain or vanilla-flavored yogurt or Yakult. - Wikipedia

I like ramune, but calpis is not a flavor I really seek out or enjoy.

The packaging is really simple, and I love the little mascot! He looks like he was drawn with a crayon. Overall, this little package is very appealing, which is why I originally picked it out.

When I opened the bag, the actual candies smelled just like THIS soda I reviewed months ago. To me, this was a bad sign. The smell is very bubblegum-y with a hint of tangy yogurt.

It tastes exactly like it smells. It reminds me of going to the dentist office as a kid and getting that disgusting bubblegum-flavored fluoride treatment.The texture is just like smarties, a classic candy I love.

If I found this candy in other flavors, maybe I would like it, but I hate calpis flavor and would never purchase these again.

© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

Like me on facebook to keep up with all my adventures!

Strawberry Ramune

Another treat from the Subaru Sakura Festival. Strawberry Ramune! I love this stuff, although it is so insanely sweet! (I collect the marbles from inside the bottles too!)

Photos© Maria Smith http://poison-and-antidote.net

Like me on facebook to keep up with all my adventures!