Famichiki Pancake Steamed Buns take Japanese convenience store food to a whole other level

We’ve never had fried chicken pancakes quite like this before.

When you’re hungry for comfort food at a Japanese convenience store, there are a lot of options to choose from, but for many, it’s Family Mart’s Famichiki that they keep returning to time and time again.

Family Mart’s famous fried chicken is tasty enough on its own, but this month, the chain is encouraging us to pair the Famichiki with an unlikely partner: Hotcake Steamed Buns.

▼ Famichiki on the right, Hotcake Steamed Buns on the left.

These steamed buns, produced in collaboration with Morinaga, first appeared at Family Mart for a limited time a year ago, but now they’re back, better than ever, with fermented butter from Hokkaido and extra egg yolk in the mix, making for an extra rich and fluffy experience.

▼ While they’re sold individually, it’s a good idea to buy two at a time, because that way…

▼ …you can sit them on top of each other for an epic pancake mountain!

These hotcakes are far thicker than ordinary pancakes, as they’re part-pancake, part-steamed bun. However, there’s a surprise waiting inside, as these pancake steamed buns are filled with sweet, gooey, syrupy maple syrup.

This sauce doesn’t just go well with pancakes — it also goes well with fried chicken, so once you’ve popped a Famichiki in the middle of it all, you’ll unlock the “Forbidden Famichiki Sandwich“.

It’s a heavy sandwich that’s calorie-rich, but on cold winter days, it’s an indulgence worth treating yourself to.

The soft, smooth pancake buns ease you into the crunch of the Famichiki with every bite, while the maple syrup sings out with its strong notes, adding a delectable sweetness to the savoury components.

Heating it in the microwave for about 30 to 40 seconds amps up the flavour while enhancing the soft mouthfeel of the bun, creating a moreish snack that’s one of the best things we’ve ever had at Family Mart.

Priced at 160 yen (US$1.23) each, these unusual pancake buns are so affordable we’re tempted to stock up on them over winter, and we won’t be able to resist pairing them with whiskey at the Family Mart bar in Kyoto!

Images © SoraNews24
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