Purple Kow Rosie Oolong Tea with Brown Sugar Jelly: Somehow, I kept finding myself at this bubble tea shop in Berkeley, likely because of its proximity to the downtown BART station. Purple Kow serves its bubble tea in "chubby" cups (essentially stout buckets) and uses organic milk products for its milk teas. I think they're a little too proud of this fact given that the last few milk teas I've had have been overwhelmingly milky to the point that you feel like you're having sweetened milk. Even with the "micro sugar option," it was too swee... (read more) 2.0/5.0
drinks milktea berkeley purplekow rosie oolong tea brown sugar jelly 2.0
Arizmendi Bakery Oatmeal raisin cookie: Based on the Cheeseboard Co-op in Berkeley, Arizmendi had virtually the exact same offerings, like pizza, baked goods, and hot beverages. If the cookies are any indication, though, it is far inferior. This cookie had a crunchy texture and bland flavor. It ate very dry, with little sweetness. Quite simply not good. 2.0/5.0
cookies sf arizmendibakery oatmeal raisin cookie 2.0
Bubble Tea Station Mango slush with boba: Bubble Tea Station is a good reminder of the realities of bubble tea in mainstream America. When NYTimes published an article on the odd-blobs-in-drinks trend, a mostly-justifiable outrage was heard from bubble tea fanatics across the country, leading to multiple revisions and an official apology from the editors. While bubble tea is by no means a new cultural phenomena in the states, it's also nowhere near as pervasive as those of us living in urban centers might think. Last month, I found ... (read more) 2.0/5.0
bubbletea drinks bubbleteastation mango slush boba 2.0
Trader Joe's Marshmallows: While softer than Jet Puff, these Trader Joe's marshmallows are insanely sweet to the lint that my teeth hurt just biting into it. I know marshmallows are essentially pure sugar, but still. 2.0/5.0
traderjoes marshmallows 2.0
King Pin Donuts Plain donut: Every few weeks, I end up hungry for an after-dinner snack at around 10:30pm. These sudden cravings typically lead to visits to Telegraph Ave, with its late-night fast food options aimed towards Berkeley undergrads. On my last trip, I paid a visit to King Pin Donuts, a longstanding independent donut shop open until 3am. While the donuts are made fresh all day, the plain donut I had must have been sitting out for a while. It had a weighty pound-cake like interior and slightly crispy but also ... (read more) 2.0/5.0
dessert berkeley kingpindonuts plain donut 2.0
Sweet Belly Desserts Oatmeal pecan cookie: Had been curious about this highly rated dessert shop in Oakland after hearing about their donuts, but I found they only sell their mini-donuts in a set of 6, which I wasn't hungry enough for. Instead, I opted for an oatmeal pecan cookie, which was flavored with butterscotch chips. It was a snack whose essence is fully captured in a single bite; overly buttery and sweet, I forced myself to eat the entire cookie, but I knew immediately it wasn't worth the calories. 2.0/5.0
oakland baked sweets sweetbellydesserts oatmeal pecan cookie 2.0