Seleco Big Bite: Not Your Ordinary Snack

When we got another Try This! suggestion and found out that the owner of WORKS5 Commodities himself, Mr. Adrian, wanted us to try the product, we couldn’t be more excited! Plus, we love Japanese food so when we learned that the product would be a seaweed snack, we immediately replied and told the owner we’d love to try it!

The product was shipped to us by the very kind seller for free! He wanted us to have a sample of this snack which is a product of Bangkok, Thailand. Yes, Bangkok! We first thought that the product is from Japan since it is a seaweed snack. The shipment arrived 2 days after we coordinated with the owner. Though we got the product for free, we did our best in reviewing the product without any bias.

Here it is, Seleco Seaweed Snack!

Packaging

We like the packaging of the product – it is appealing and clean-looking with not too much text. The packaging is also quite cool since it has a resealable zip lock in order to preserve its freshness and crispness. However, like most of snacks with a similar packaging, it can be somewhat bulky especially if you plan to bring it with you anywhere. Probably the best solution to this would be a variety of packaging sizes from small packets to larger ones.

At the back of the packaging, it says there that if the seaweed becomes soft, you can microwave the snack to make it more crispy. So, we tried putting it in the microwave for 1 minute. Indeed, it became more crispy!

Taste/Quality

Upon opening the packaging, the aroma instantly spelled N-O-R-I! We were also impressed because when we opened the packaging, there were so many seaweed strips inside. Compared to other snacks wherein the packaging seemingly contains 50% air and 50% snack pieces, this one really contains many seaweed snack strips. Plus, the seaweed strips were not crushed into bits and pieces despite it being shipped. Each Seleco seaweed strip is around 6-8 inches long, 1 ½ inches wide.

Topped with bits of crispy fish, the roasted seaweed pieces offer a delicious blend of saltiness, spiciness, and sweetness. We guessed the saltiness came from the seaweed itself, and the right blend of spiciness and sweetness came from the fish tidbits. Those who love to eat crispy seaweed snack would surely love this snack as much as we did!

A healthier alternative snack

We also love that Seleco seaweed snacks are baked, not fried, so they are healthier than other snack chips! They also have no Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and are low in fat. That’s good news!

Price

We think the product is reasonably priced at P75 considering the packaging, taste, and quality. Knowing this is a specialty snack and not just your ordinary potato chips, it would be fair enough to price it at its current level.

We hope to see more of Seleco snacks in the market, perhaps more flavors in different packaging sizes, yes?

Overall rating: 8/10

Details on Seleco Big Bite Roasted Crispy Seaweed Topped with Crispy Fish

Where to buy: WORKS5 Commodities’ Multiply Site

Contact Number: 0922 898 5544

Are you interested to try this snack or have you tried it? Was this post helpful? We want to hear from you! 🙂

-foodmarks | marking culinary journeys

Belle’s Top 5 from 2nd Rockwell’s Ultimate Taste Test

We forced Belle to choose her top five picks from the event and to write about it. We threatened her to the point where she was so helpless. She had no choice but to follow us.

Just kidding! Here are her awesome top 5 picks!

Wait! Before continuing, to see more photos and to know more about the 2nd Rockwell’s Ultimate Taste Test, read our “First Ultimate Taste Test Experience” post. Also, check out “Natz’ Top 5 from 2nd Rockwell’s Ultimate Taste Test“. Thanks!

And… continue. Enjoy!

5. Green Tea Cheesecake from Moshi Moshi

Their green tea cheesecake was heavenly! The green tea was subtle which is why I enjoyed it. I wish I wasn’t super full when I tasted their cheesecake because I would’ve definitely asked for more samples. There’s really nothing else I can say about it because it was really good and I would definitely buy this next time.

4. Hokey Pokey Ice Cream from New Zealand Natural

I am not familiar with this product but I’m glad my stomach still had enough space for this! My friend, Natz, already tried this in New Zealand and said the Hokey Pokey flavor was really good. I wanted to try other flavors since, she was getting that flavor already, but after I tasted the Hokey Pokey flavor, I didn’t get any other flavor anymore. I really love the honeycomb balls and caramel in it!

3. Cheese Steak from The Cheese Steak Shop

I’ve already tasted their cheese steak sandwich when they went to DLSU during the University Week, so, I was very excited to eat their food again. Their sandwiches taste really good. In my opinion, it is worth buying. I love the cheese steak shop so it was obvious I gave them a high rating.

2. Chow Fun Chicken Fry and Dark Chocolate Buchi from Chow Fun Modern Chinese Bistro

Chow Fun served chicken fry and dark chocolate buchi. I thought that the chicken would just taste like any ordinary chicken bites. Surprisingly, it tasted great! There was so much flavor and I am no expert when it comes to food but I can tell that the spices they used worked so well together.

As for the buchi, I enjoyed it as well because it tasted like Nutella which is my all-time favorite spread. I will DEFINITELY go to San Juan (even if I’m from the South) just to try out other food that Chow Fun offers.

1. Lemongrass Pandan Iced Tea and Purple Leaf (Talbos ng Kamote) Iced Tea from Bayani Brew

From the name, at first, I thought their product was going to be coffee but it was actually iced tea. The girl from the booth made us taste the drink first and asked us to guess what the flavor was. I tasted calamansi and it did have that but the main ingredient totally surprised me, camote tops or talbos ng kamote in Filipino. I didn’t think it was possible to use this vegetable to flavor drinks but it tasted good. The other flavor was lemongrass which tasted good as well.

Aside from the fact that the variations are unique and healthy, their products are also for a good cause – the organization helps out the farmers who plant and harvest the ingredients being used.

-End-

Do you want to see more photos from this UTT event? Then, check out our “First Ultimate Taste Test Experience” post. 🙂 You can also check out “Natz’ Top 5 from 2nd Rockwell’s Ultimate Taste Test“.

What can you say about Belle’s top 5? Have you also read Natz’ top 5? Do you think jokes are really half meant? Tell us what you think!

-foodmarks | marking culinary journeys

Natz’ Top 5 from 2nd Rockwell’s Ultimate Taste Test

If you want to know more about my whole experience, read my “First Ultimate Taste Test Experience” first. As I have promised, I would give you my top five picks. My friend, Belle, also made her top 5 post, “Belle’s Top 5 2nd Rockwell’s Ultimate Taste Test“.

These are my top 5 unforgettable food items on UTT.

Enjoy!

5. Crunchy Belly from Carlo’s Kitchen

It was deadly delicious. Belle and I agreed that the food sample they gave was “bitin!” (not enough) and made us crave for more.

As of what I know, thinly sliced pork, when deep-fried, is easy to burn. I commend Carlo’s Kitchen for frying it very well, almost perfectly.

Crunchy Belly is great for “pulutan” (finger food paired with alcoholic drinks). It is a new version of chicharon. I will surely recommend this to my friends, who are young and daring enough to experience sinfully delicious treats.

4. Wild Mushroom Pie w/ Gruyere & Truffle Oil and Surprise Tart from Baked by Anita

It sounds so eloquent, doesn’t it? Well, I thought it was. This was one of the reasons why I was so intrigued by this new creation. The name was straight forward. I was really anticipating to try this from the moment I read it in the “Foodie Cheat Sheet“.

Actually, I was not sure if the Wild Mushroom Pie with Gruyere and Truffle Oil and Surprise Tart were two different types of food items or if this food item just has a lengthy name.  The lady giving samples in the booth offered us only one for each person. I wanted to ask her about it but I think she was not in the mood to entertain. Thus, I assumed and considered it as just one.

I have always loved eating any kind of edible mushroom. The truffle oil was a nice touch to the whole thing. It created more depth. The truffle was infused very well that’s why the mushroom flavor was stronger. For me, this kind of food is something not everybody would appreciate. The earthiness is somewhat challenging for some people.

I would love to eat more of this. I just hope that it would not be too pricey considering the use of such ingredients.

3. Cheese Steak from The Cheese Steak Shop

I love beef. I love thinly sliced beef. I love cheese. I love cheese steak.

Though The Cheese Steak Shop offers what I love, I was not eager to try their food item at first. I’ve been seeing their store every time I exit Makati coming from skyway. Honestly, I thought it would be a lame copy cat of the two famous cheese steak stores in Philadelphia, Geno’s and Pat’s or Pat’s and Geno’s (The rivarly is still on-going. I don’t want to be biased because I equally enjoyed the two.)

Since it was part of the UTT experience, I gave it a try. When I tasted the cheese steak, I actually underestimated it. It was really good. It was a quality cheese steak. The seasoning was great and the beef was cooked just right. I liked it that they cooked and prepared it on the spot. I also liked the use of a different kind of cheese (I was not able to ask what kind of cheese.) compared to the one being used in Philly, good ol’ Chiz Wiz.

Though they did not provide whole pickled peppers, which is a fun experience biting it, it was fine because sweet and hot peppers were on top of it. Nonetheless, I still prefer the whole peppers.

After UTT, I now know that it is worth dropping by their store.

2. Hokey Pokey Ice Cream from New Zealand Natural

FINALLY! This was the first word that popped up in my head when I first saw Hokey Pokey flavor in New Zealand Natural’s booth. The reason for this is that few years back, my family and I went to New Zealand. One of the most unforgettable memory in that trip, besides the abundance of green land we saw all over, was the Hokey Pokey ice cream. We loved eating it even if it was freezing cold. It was just so addictive.

When we went back to Manila, I tried finding one but I believe that it was not yet available in the Philippines.

Then, UTT happened. I was really ecstatic tasting this ice cream flavor again. I was informed by the owner that their products are all imported from New Zealand. She also said that they just started selling the ice cream last May.

Why do I love it?

My favorite ice cream flavor is Vanilla. I’m not fond of sweets but butterscotch and honeycomb are favorites of mine.

Vanilla ice cream + Butterscotch + Honeycomb = Hokey Pokey ice cream. GENIUS!

1. Chow Fun Chicken Fry with Vinaigrette from Chow Fun Modern Chinese Bistro

Description on their flyer: Fried chicken + toasted plum and spice + vinaigrette

The chicken fry was pretty damn good!

When Belle and I were nearing Chow Fun’s booth, I could smell the chicken being fried. I know that the cuisine is Chinese but the smell reminded me of Taiwanese chicken. When I tasted it, it was like bringing me back to the streets of Taiwan. There was a distinct taste, which I believe the use of plum contributed to it. The seasoning of the chicken was spot on and it was fried to perfection. The vinaigrette also complemented the chicken very well.

Living in the south, it is an effort to go to food places in the north of the metro but I am really looking forward to going at Chow Fun in San Juan just to taste this thing again and other dishes that are surely worth it.

So there, those are my top 5 picks! And to serve as our drink, we were offered a bottle of beer. The beer that Belle and I had, Premium All Malt, became a favorite of mine because it really complemented the food samples very well. I like it better than San Mig Light because there was less bitter after taste.

What do you think of my top 5? Have you read Belle’s top 5? Do you agree with us?

Do you want to see more of UTT? Then, check out my “First Ultimate Taste Test Experience” and “Belle’s Top 5 from 2nd Rockwell’s Ultimate Taste Test“ posts.

-foodmarks | marking culinary journeys