Unlocking the Mysteries of Yakult, Pocky and the Wiener Danish

Quench any attack of the munchies and expand your culinary horizons by sampling these fanciful snacks in the Sawtelle area:

Fermented Beverages

Neither yogurt nor soft drink but something in between, this concoction is a popular vending-machine staple in the land of the rising sun. Japanese and Korean kids get it delivered at home every day and are practically weaned on it. Made with sugar, skim milk and live lactobacillus strains, the drinks often come in a rainbow of flavors, from coffee to melon. Available at the Nijiya Market are the flavor-free brand Yakult ($2.99 for a pack of five teensy bottles) and fruity rival Calpico Water (69 cents for a 200-milliliter carton), not to be confused with Calpis Water (79 cents for a 250-milliliter carton).

Candy

Storm the candy rack at Nijiya Market and you will find that half the fun is deciphering the oddly named brands and English-language slogans printed on packages. Try the Meiji Horn Chocolate and maybe you too will discover that “a delicate crispy cookie wrapping softly melting whipped chocolate makes an elegant and fashionable chocolate snack” ($1.99 for one pack). Meiji Chelsea Yogurt Scotch is, despite the name that indicates otherwise, merely butterscotch-flavored hard candy ($1.29 for one pack).

Be forewarned: Pocky--pretzel sticks dipped in a mind-boggling array of glazes, from strawberry mousse “aero-chocolate” to green tea--are addictive. And of course, “for the type of person who enjoys the finer points in life,” there is even Men’s Pocky, coated in appropriately masculine dark chocolate. ($1.99 or more for one pack, depending on size and flavor.)

Wagashi

These are traditional Japanese desserts, usually soft cakes made from mochi (dough-like glutinous rice), variously flavored and filled with red bean or lima bean paste. They are mildly sweet, have a delicately chewy texture and go well with a hot cup of sen-cha (green tea). Fancy varieties are individually wrapped in cobweb-thin gift paper and provide an elegant alternative to a box of chocolates.

Start by sampling the mixed wagashi plate, featuring a quartet of bite-sized cakes shaped and flavored like fruits--persimmon, plum, green apple--complete with tiny leaves fashioned out of mochi. (Available at Nijiya Market, $3.60 for an assortment of four.) Kubota kuri daifuku are dark mochi balls with a soft center of chestnut and red bean paste, dusted with potato starch. ($3.99 for a pack of eight.) Komochi are the plainest of them all, just tiny blobs of sticky rice ($2 for a pack of 28 at Nijiya Market), which puff up if you stick them for a few seconds in a microwave available at the front of the store.

Takoyaki

This tasty fried octopus snack originated in the Osaka area, famous for its gourmand population. Similar in shape and size to golf balls, takoyaki are rolled from a mixture of batter and chopped bits of octopus, green onion and ginger, then fried in a contraption that looks like a waffle-maker. They taste best dipped in mayonnaise or tonkatsu sauce. Swing by the in-store stand preparing takoyaki at the Nijiya Market on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 8 p.m. Enjoy a pack of these chewy treats at the sidewalk tables in front of the store. ($2.50 for seven takoyaki made to order, including dipping sauce.)

Doughnuts and Cakes--With a Twist

Ever want to temper the guilty pleasure of a Krispy Kreme doughnut with some nutritious content? Duck into the Ginza-Ya pastry store and sample the selection of deep-fried doughnuts. One bite into the plump dough balls reveals surprise fillings, like curry and potato salad ($1.35 and $1.25 each, respectively). Or try the incongruous Wiener Danish ($1); it tastes better than it sounds. For fluffy desserts, head to Mousse Fantasy, a Japanese-style kissaten (coffee shop) that serves cheap set meals for breakfast and lunch and--hurray!--sells Hello Kitty paraphernalia too. Try the specialty white peach mousse with melon glazing, topped with a peppermint leaf ($4 each).

* Nijiya Market, 2130 Sawtelle Blvd., No. 105, in the Sawtelle Place mall.

* Ginza-Ya Bakery, 11301 W. Olympic Blvd., No. 105, in the Olympic Collection mall.

* Mousse Fantasy, 2130 Sawtelle Blvd., No. 110, in the Sawtelle Place mall.