Simple seaweed snacks satisfy

Proving that nori is more than just a wrapper for sushi, roasted seaweed snacks are showing up on more and more market shelves, and in an increasing variety of flavors - wasabi, teriyaki and even sweet.

For this panel, however, we chose to stick with a simpler flavor profile - roasted seaweed with just sea salt and a bit of sesame oil.

[...] place went to Hello Kitty ($5.99 for three 0.17-ounce packets at Nijiya Market).

The Sanrio-licensed brand with its bright pink packaging and cutesy feline mascot seems to be aimed at kids, but our adult panelists were plenty taken with the seaweed's bright-green color and a texture "so delicate it shatters when you bite it."

In fourth place, Annie Chun's ($1.79 for 0.35 ounces at Andronico's) offered "delicate texture with bursts of salt" and a "pleasing flavor of the sea," but panelists found the snacks to be "slightly oily."

Panelists were Linda Anusasananan, food writer, San Mateo; John Carroll, cookbook author, San Francisco; Lynne Char Bennett, Chronicle staff writer; Marc Halperin, culinary director, Center for Culinary Development, San Francisco; Rosemary Mark, recipe developer, Walnut Creek.