When Daiso first marked its arrival in Malaysia back in 2008, the grand opening was a craze unlike any other. Long queues formed in front of the outlet as hordes of eager Malaysians rushed in. It’s clear that Japan has a big hold on our folks.
That’s pretty much the very same reason why FamilyMart was a big hit when it first opened in Malaysia several months back. It still is a big hit today. Unlike Daiso, FamilyMart focuses predominantly on food and snacks.
The combination of food and Malaysians? Pure gold. It’s no mere exaggeration to say that you could be spoilt for choice when you visit FamilyMart. Here’re 9 of the snacks we’ve scouted out for you to consider during your next visit.
1. Oden
Oden is a FamilyMart staple and it’s pretty much the Japanese equivalent of the Malaysian lok lok. Fish cakes, fish balls and more dipped in some sauce (often times curry) is the perfect snack to enjoy.
2. Banana Milk
When in Japan, banana cakes and packets of banana milk are one of few things that one would stock up on. Now, you can just head to FamilyMart to get one. If you’re a big fan of bananas, you could opt for this drink. Those who aren’t though, would still be able to enjoy this drink as it tastes mostly of milk and has only a hint of banana to it.
3. Waffle Ice Creams
There’re a wide variety of Japanese ice creams, in tubs and waffle sandwich-form available at the freezer section of FamilyMart. Pick one, or have ’em all. These are typical snacks often found in convenience stores in Japan. Now, you don’t have to travel far to enjoy these delicious snacks. One must-try is the waffle ice cream sandwich which has just the right balance of waffle pastry to ice cream.
4. Rice Crackers
Mochirato rice crackers, jaga stick umashios, and sweet potato sticks are some of the rice cracker flavours you can get at FamilyMart. These are arguably healthier than the average store-bought chips and are a Japanese home pantry staple too.
5. Chocolate Chip Cookies
The next time you’re craving for some chocolate chip cookies, opt for the crunchy ones from FamilyMart’s cookies collection. There’s even a Bitter Chocolate flavour if you prefer something a little less sweet.
6. Bento Box
If you figured that you can’t find meals at FamilyMart, you’re wrong. They offer Bento boxes too and you can choose between various flavours like Japanese Chicken Rice and Grilled Chicken Teriyaki, amongst others.
7. Onigiri
Onigiri is a classic Japanese snack and they’re perfect to have when you’re getting the afternoon munchies. It’s pretty much a triangular-shaped sticky rice wrapped in a layer of seaweed. Some of the flavours at FamilyMart are salted salmon and salmon mayonnaise.
8. Strawberry Shortcake
The strawberry shortcake at FamilyMart comes in a serving cup to make consumption a lot easier and it’s less messy to eat it this way too. Straight from the fridge section of the store, you could enjoy the dessert cold, which frankly is the best way to enjoy this snack.
9. Soft Serve Ice Creams
Soft serve ice creams are a popular option at FamilyMart and almost everyone who walks into this store walks out with one. They come in flavours of matcha and vanilla and there are certainly those who would get both flavours to try at one go too. Which one would you try?
Feature Image Credit: http://www.j-e-a-n.com/
