Trader Joe's Mochi rice nuggets: The joy of eating mochi comes down to its distinct chewy texture and its faintly sweet flavor, accentuated by even sweeter fillings like red bean and black sesame. So what happens when you take mochi, fry it so it's crispy, and season it so it becomes a savory snack? Trader Joe's is attempting to answer that question with their mochi nugget crackers. The nuggets are slightly larger than a piece of Capt'n Crunch and are on the salty side, with a golden sheen similar to corn cereal. Each crac... (read more) 2.5/5.0
crackers traderjoes mochi rice nuggets 2.5
Indian Life Masala Chips: Purchased on sale at Berkeley Bowl, this Canadian brand of Indian-spiced chips are flavored with a generous helping of garlic and cumin, as well as proprietary spice blend. They appear to be deep fried and are more flaky than crunchy. While the label suggests eating with your favorite dip, I have a hard time imagining how the chips could hold much of any sauce given how easily they fall apart. The flavor itself is pretty decent and a fresh offering to the snack aisle, but they are quite m... (read more) 2.5/5.0
berkeleybowl indianlife masala chips 2.5
Lush Gelato Mango Sorbet and Ricotta Lemon Zest Gelato: Located in the back of The Epicurious Garden in Berkeley, this Lush Gelato location has a rainbow assortment of sorbets and gelatos made with ingredients proudly sourced from local farms. (This all sounds very befitting for a spot in the Gourmet Ghetto, I know.) I sampled the Vietnamese cinnamon (which tasted like Cinnamon Toast Crunch) before deciding on their mango sorbet and ricotta lemon zest. For all three flavors, I found them to be overly sweet for my taste, and while the texture w... (read more) 2.5/5.0
icecream berkeley fruit lushgelato mango sorbet ricotta lemon zest gelato 2.5
Cheeseboard Buffalo Milk Soft Serve Ice Cream: Regrettably, I ordered the swirl of chocolate and plain milk flavors, and while the texture was smooth and creamy, the chocolate had a generic taste that masked the more mild milk flavor. While it was higher quality, this ice cream did remind me a bit of the little cups of vanilla and chocolate ice cream you ate with a wooden spoon as a kid. Not bad per se, but not great either. 2.5/5.0
icecream cheeseboard buffalo milk soft serve ice cream 2.5 softserve
Barbara's White Cheddar Cheese Puffs: More airy than Cheetos, Barbara's Cheese Puffs have a very mild cheddar flavor that is one of the least distinctive I've had. As a result, they are among the least satisfying of this junk-food classic. If you're looking for a healthier version of cheese puffs, these may be the ones. But you then have to ask yourself, what's the point? 2.5/5.0
barbaras white cheddar cheese puffs 2.5
Perfect Bar Almond Butter Bar: Dense, nutrient rich snack with just about every ingredient you might find in a health food store, including flax seed oil, kale, rose hip, celery, kelp, and of course, almonds. Not a flavor combination I would ever crave. Texturally, it reminds me of a Power Bar without the glazed coating and with a more dry mouthfeel. Extremely filing, but you would hope so at over 300 calories per bar and 13g of protein. 2.5/5.0
perfectbar almond butter bar 2.5