Name: Shirakiku Teriyaki Nori (Seasoned Roasted Seaweed)
Origin: Vernon, CA
Found at: 99 Ranch, Irvine
Cost: $3.09
Ingredients:
Seaweed, Soy Sauce (Water, Soy Beans, Wheat, Salt), Sugar
Why I Bought It:
There are many brands of teriyaki nori at the 99 Ranch Market. More kinds than tortilla chips, actually. And they're to be eaten like chips. The cheapest hail from China and feature more ingredients than I cared to transcribe or consume. Mostly, the extra stuff was MSG and preservatives.
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I liked the simplicity of this brand. The fewer the ingredients, the better, I say. The only essential non-natural component in the packaging is the dessicant, which does not touch the product. It's separated in its own compartment and drawing out any moisture that might dampen the crispiness.
Tasting Notes:
Think of your last sushi hand roll and substract everything else but the nori wrap and dip it it in soy sauce. Now imagine that the soy sauce didn't make it soggy. That's what this tastes like. It's excellent, and you can dab on a bit of sticky rice if you're feeling particularly peckish and you are craving something more substantial after I mentioned your last hand roll.
But as a snack, this is a wholesome alternative to chips. So long as you like seaweed. It crackles like parchment paper in your mouth. Crispy until you start chewing. And it goes well with a nice cold glass of something.
Before becoming an award-winning restaurant critic for OC Weekly in 2007, Edwin Goei went by the alias “elmomonster” on his blog Monster Munching, in which he once wrote a whole review in haiku.
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