Japanese-style sandos a 'smash' hit

"Strawberries and cream – an iconic British combo since the 1800s. But do they belong together in a sandwich?" said the BBC.

Marks & Spencer has unveiled a limited-edition strawberries and cream sandwich, just in time for Wimbledon. Inspired by the Japanese fruit sando, the novel offering has already caused quite a stir, quickly becoming the supermarket's best-selling sandwich.

The idea of a dessert sandwich – in this case made with sweetened bread, Red Diamond strawberries and gently whipped cream cheese – might sound baffling, but it's "nothing new" in Japan. Known as furutsu sando, these fruit-and-cream filled sandwiches became popular in the early 20th century as fruit shops began opening dessert parlours to show off their wares. More recently, they went viral on TikTok with tourists "scrambling" to buy sandos from the now largely Japanese convenience store chain, 7-Eleven.

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"I'm rarely a fan of gimmicky products," said Sophie Morris in the The i Paper. Often, TikTok-friendly foods look great but can "backfire when we get to the eating". So how does the M&S offering taste? "Downright delicious." If I was served this in a "high-end patisserie", I would be very happy.

It's a "fine piece of work", said Josh Barrie in London's The Standard. The strawberries are "sweet, juicy and Captain Scarlet red", while the cream is "thick and luscious"; both work perfectly with the sweetened brioche-style bread. The flavour combination is "exactly right for summer", said Daisy Lester in The Independent. It's quite pricey (£2.80 feels "a little steep" for one slice) but a more generous portion size could become "sickly". Great for an "occasional sweet treat", it's "perfect for a picnic with pals or an al fresco afternoon snack".

Strawberry sandos are just the latest Japanese-style dessert that's "tickling UK tastebuds", said The Guardian. From mochi ice cream to matcha cookies, tasty Japanese sweet treats are "steadily gaining ground" on British supermarket shelves.

These desserts are often "lighter and less sugary" than their western counterparts and "there's real joy in the textures", like the "crisp snap of Pocky" or the "soft and creamy" mochi, Yuki Gomi, a Japanese chef and food writer, told the paper.

People are looking for "small, joyful indulgences" that "feel culturally rich", said Charles Banks, co-founder of food trend consultancy The Food People. They are an "antidote to life's uncertainties".