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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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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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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It's-It Vanilla Ice Cream Sandwich: Finally had one of these San Francisco classic frozen treats, with vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two oatmeal cookies, all covered in dark chocolate. In other words, it's essentially everything you really shouldn't eat if you're watching your diet. That being said, some treats can be well worth it when eaten infrequently. It's-It is not one of them. This hefty ice cream sandwich is extremely sweet, and the ice cream has a strange whipped-cream-like flavor and texture. I was pretty... (read more) 2.0/5.0
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Freezing Point Creamery Matcha Rolled Ice Cream: Originating from Thailand, rolled ice cream is a technique for making fresh ice cream from scratch to order. Liquid ice cream base is poured onto a cold metal pan (think crepe-grill-sized) and is then mixed, scraped, and chopped by hand before its spread into a single, solidified layer. At this point, the scraper is used to roll the ice cream into individual pieces resembling fruit roll up / mini crepes, looking nothing like your typical scoop of ice cream. I ended up at Freezing Point Cr... (read more) 2.0/5.0
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Cheeseboard Sticky Bun: I wouldn't say I have a sweet tooth, but I can enjoy sweet things. I definitely have a preference, though, for lighter desserts. This sticky bun from Cheeseboard falls on the opposite end of the spectrum. Soaked with a buttery glaze and topped with chopped pecans, it's the type of sweet that will actually induce a physical reaction, as your body and teeth rejects what it knows is not good for it. Because the sticky bun is from Cheeseboard, I have some confidence in the quality of the ing... (read more) 2.0/5.0
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