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Pizza Hut Melts bring a new twist to tsukimi moon-viewing in Japan

Oona McGee Sep 12, 2023
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Join us as we taste the moon, Pizza Hut style.

When autumn arrives in Japan, so too do the limited-edition seasonal menu items, as big-name fast food joints celebrate the Japanese custom of tsukimi (“moon viewing”) in September. This year, Pizza Hut is joining the celebrations with a new menu item we’ve never seen before — the Tsukimi Huts Melt.

Based on the chain’s recently released “Hut Melts” range aimed at solo diners, the new Tsukimi variety comes in two different flavour options: Goku-uma Terichiki, or “Super Delicious Teriyaki Chicken” and Kobashi Bacon (“Fragrant Bacon”).

▼ We went out and purchased both of them.

Each variety comes with two Melts slices, a side of chips and two types of dipping sauce. We couldn’t tear our eyes away from the melty egg — tsukimi is the word used for dishes that contain egg in Japan due to its resemblance to the moon — and as it was peeking through the cheesy gap between slices, it looked like a moon peering out from behind clouds.

Starting with the Teriyaki Chicken variety, the pizza dough was light and crispy, and the meat was juicy and thick inside. The sweet and salty teriyaki chicken went well with the melted cheese and egg yolk, which was nice and runny.

▼ A lot of people in Japan prefer their eggs raw or partly cooked, so this will definitely appeal to local tastes.

In addition to chicken, this pizza also contains corn, because Japan loves corn pizza, giving it a slightly sweet taste and chewy texture. It was crispy, chewy, melty and absolutely delicious, and after demolishing it, it was time to try the Fragrant Bacon.

Despite looking almost identical to the Teriyaki Chicken, this one tasted entirely different, with a good amount of thickly sliced bacon in the mix. This added a meaty, salty flavour to the egg, reminding us of a bacon-and-egg breakfast. The tangy black pepper here was a standout, and we couldn’t help but think this would be the perfect set to partner with a cold beer.

Both the Tsukimi Melts were strong in flavour and didn’t require any additional sauces, but since the Melts are designed to be dipped in sauce and eaten, we decided to try them.

▼ The sauces included are: Honey Mustard and Mentaiko (Cod Roe).

Dipping one of the Melts into the Honey Mustard Sauce instantly added a refreshing flavour that lingered on the palate while the Mentaiko sauce was packed with umami, adding a richer flavour.

The fries acted like a palate cleanser between bites, although they tasted just as good when dipped in the sauces as well.

It was a great box of goodies that left us feeling full and satisfied, and the guilty pleasure of melty cheese and egg was an addictive combination. If you’re a solo diner wanting to gaze at the moon, and then eat it afterwards, this box will tick all your boxes. The Tsukimi Melts are only available until 22 October, though, priced at 880 yen (US$6) for takeout or 1,180 yen for delivery.

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