Boba Ninja Pudding Milk Tea with Boba: Right around the corner from Sweetheart Cafe on Durant (in Berkeley) is a competitor named Boba Ninja, which has barely enough standing room to accommodate a single-file line. Lining the interior is a shelf of flavor powders in small tupperware containers. The pudding milk tea is a regular black milk tea with large pieces of pudding (I added boba as well). The pudding had an inconsistent texture, as if the mix had not been fully stirred, and the boba was overly soft. Not much to say abou... (read more) 2.0/5.0
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Gott's Roadside Chocolate and Vanilla Softserve: After a long rainy week, I was craving a warm baked dessert and thought for sure I could find one in the Ferry Building on my way home. Unfortunately, I wasn't interested in cupcakes, leftover bread, or gluten-free desserts, and the line for Humphrey Slocombe was far too long. I noticed that Gott's Roadside had a sign for Strauss Creamery, whose yogurt I had recently enjoyed, so i decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, I realized afterward that their soft serve isn't made using anything... (read more) 2.0/5.0
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Trader Joe's Pfeffernüsse: German cookies with a hard coating dusted in powdered sugar. The white exterior is strongly spiced, reminiscent of wintermint, which I find to be overly strong for the more neutral gingerbread-flavored cookie. They are a mess to eat and require a plate to avoid crumbs and dust ending up all over yourself. The packaging suggests pairing with a hot beverage, which I believe would help, but on their own, these snacks are a pass. 2.0/5.0
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Arrowhead Watermelon Lime sparkling water: I purchased this beverage because I needed a container to use with my homemade carbonator. Though it contains 100% natural ingredients, the watermelon is reminiscent of watermelon-flavored Blowpops. Overall, it's a difficult flavor to imagine pairing any food with this drink, and it's not desirable enough to have on its own. 2.0/5.0
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Mashti Malone Cucumber Sorbet: After getting a scoop from Saffron & Rose, my sister and I stopped by Mashti Malone to compare. Half of Mashti Malone has regular American ice cream, while the other has more interesting Persian options. The difference in quality between S&R and Mashti is immediately noticeable, though, even before tasting. While the cucumber sorbet I tasted had an interesting savory vegetable flavor, it was more of an italian ice than a sorbet, with a very icy texture. When it comes to Turkish flavors, ... (read more) 2.0/5.0
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Norr Skyr Organic Gooseberries Yogurt: The clean design and Scandinavian gooseberry flavor made me very excited to try this brand of yogurt. Overall, though, the product was underwhelming for several reasons. First, the texture is much thinner than Siggi's and surprisingly loose for a skyr. Next, the gooseberries (which were cubed and on the bottom of the yogurt) had almost zero flavor and seemed to be present merely for texture, though it was mushy at that. Disappointing. 2.0/5.0
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