Hua Yuan Squid-Shaped Snack, Braised Flavour

Source

電腦王阿達 (Kocpc)

Key Takeaways

• Iconic curled cuttlefish-grooved shape looks charming, but the biscuit core is excessively hollow and airy, offering zero substantive chew.
• Exterior braised sauce glaze blends maltose, soy sauce, and MSG into a sticky syrup that welds stubbornly into molar fissures.
• Heavy-handed sweet-and-salty seasoning leans hard on caramel color and fake cuttlefish extract, devoid of authentic squid umami.
• Inadequate moisture barrier in large bags causes crackers to rapidly absorb humidity, degenerating into rubbery, leathery rings.

✅ Pros

• Whimsical curled squid shape holds deep Taiwanese nostalgic heritage
• Pungent sweet soy glaze delivers an immediate nostalgic flavor hit
• Huge value bags widely stocked and inexpensive across supermarkets

❌ Cons

• Viscous maltose glaze glues itself aggressively onto molars
• Over-aerated hollow structure leaves a hollow, insubstantial mouthfeel
• Synthetic cuttlefish seasoning tastes flat, artificial, and overly salty
• Turns leathery and chewily rubbery shortly after bag unsealing

📝 Verdict

"Nostalgic sweet-soy cuttlefish curls betrayed by an airy hollow core and a dental-wrecking sticky glaze."

Source

• Video: 華元真魷味我好辣風味、紅燒口味，兩款心得｜空中夜譚@Radio Night
• Channel: Radio Night | Type: Taste test | Based on: YouTube transcript

Key points

• The braised flavor is the most common, original version of Zhen You Wei, and he compares it with the "I'm So Spicy" flavor
• The shape and color really look like sauce-glazed squid, with an orange-red, slightly glossy surface
• It's packed with savory sauce flavor; the ingredients include shrimp paste, and the taste reminds him of sauce-glazed shrimp crackers
• The "I'm So Spicy" flavor adds chili and Sichuan pepper on top of the braised base, at about a mild spice level
• He's personally more used to the braised flavor

✅ Pros

• Rich savory sauce flavor
• Classic flavor

❌ Cons

• Contains shrimp paste—people who avoid seafood should take note

📝 Verdict

Between the two, he's more used to—and prefers—the classic braised flavor.