Hapi Snacks

Snacks.  I love them.  I'm an avid snacker, and in particular, have quite a weakness for snack mixes.  I love hunting through mixes for my favorite piece of the moment, I love all the different textures and flavors, I just really love to munch.

I like classic American snacks mixes (like Chex or Gardetto's mix, although, not the generic store bought stuff, I'm partial to homemade - my mom's is the best! - or locally made styles like Sunday Bakehouse's furikake version), and I definitely like to try mixes from other countries.  While Asian style rice crackers aren't generally exciting on their own, put them in a snack mix, and I'm suddenly all in.  Which brings us to Hapi Snacks.

"Hapi snacks for happy times."

Hapi is a snack maker from Thailand, although the brand is pretty mainstream in the US.  You can find their products in Asian markets, but they also are available in Walmart, so, not exactly hard to acquire.

I've only tried a few of their products, but, spoiler: mainstream or not, these are pretty top not snacks.  I can't wait to seek out more.

Mixed Crackers: Original Party Mix.

"With an array of spiced rice crackers to choose from this crunchy hapi party mix packs a full-flavored punch. Perfect for game day or an afternoon pick-me-up these tasty and authentic crackers burst with the zesty flavors of thailand."

Wow.  I've had a lot of rice cracker mixes in my life, and I've mostly found them ranging from being slightly lacking, as in, I almost really like them but somehow always want more, to fairly satisfactory, like the Trader Joe's rice cracker medley that has a pretty addicting mix including salt & vinegar pieces and seaweed wrapped ones, but these ... these are in another realm entirely.  Hands down, no question, the best rice cracker mix I've ever had.  It makes all others seem like child's play.  I mean, really.

This mix excels on all dimensions, notably the incredible diversity of pieces.  How many distinct kinds are there?  I'm not sure.  I think I counted nearly 10, but it was hard to slow down to do that analysis.  There are multiple classic rice cracker shapes, one that is nori wrapped (iso maki), other styles that are jagged and a bit sweet, some that actually turn out to be shells with hollow insides filled with something that rattles around (!), and, finally, wasabi peas.  They all have their own merits, and they all combine into magic.

So, where to start.  First, the flavors.  Just far more intense than any other brand, be it the heavy soy sauce flavored pieces, the highly umami onion and garlic ones, the legit kick to the wasabi ones, or more mild, but equally compelling, seaweed flavored bits.  I don't think I've ever had rice crackers quite this flavorful before.

Then, the textures!  Another defining characteristic.  Not only are the pieces all different shapes, sizes, and flavors, but the textures of each are strikingly different as well.  Some are super crisp and crunchy.  Others are remarkably airy.  Others actually soft. I truly couldn't tell just by looking at a piece what sort of texture it would have.  The variety of textures made the eating experience fantastic, and, well, impossible to stop.  "Just one more super crispy one!"  "Ok, I need one more soft piece to round it out ..."  And so on and so on.

If I had to pick a favorite piece, it would be the jagged longer pieces, as they were both savory and sweet, and had a fantastic texture.  The ones with the surprise inside were another favorite, as were the crazy intense wasabi peas.  But really, they were all good.

Overall?  Addicting.  Flavorful.  Best I've ever had.  Nothing I would change.  ****+.

Hapi makes other mixes too, with names like "Crazy Mix" or "Tokyo Mix", with totally different styles of rice crackers, but this is definitely my favorite of the mixes I have tried.

Hot Wasabi Peas.

"Hapi Wasabi Peas are a great way to spice up your tea time! The crunchy texture compliments the fiery flavor of the Wasabi (Japanese Horseradish)."

These are very legit wasabi peas.  Eat a handful of these and the wasabi builds pretty quickly.  The peas themselves are top notch - super crispy, lightly coated in rice flour.  Super addicting due to the high crunch factor, but, wow, they pack a punchy zing.  The best wasabi peas I've ever had.  ****+.

They also make sriracha peas that I'd love to try sometime.