San Pellegrino Aranciata Orange Soda: I think I've had every flavor of San Pellegrino fruit soda but have never written reviews of any of them. They aren't sodas I would normally choose to purchase; they're certainly better than Sprite or Sunkist, but I find them to be too sweet nonetheless. But when I found myself at Salumi, an Italian sandwich shop in downtown Seattle, I knew I would need a robust citrus drink to cut through a rich, meaty sandwich, and this cold fizzy Orange San Pellegrino worked wonders. Outside of this conte... (read more) 3.0/5.0
drinks soda orange sanpellegrino aranciata 3.0
Rachel's Ginger Beer: A Seattle-based venture, Rachel's ginger beer is available at restaurants around the city but has a mix of ginger + fruit concoctions available on tap at its Pikes Place shop. I opted for the classic, and it definitely tasted fresh, inducing a sharp tingly feeling in the back of your throat. I've made ginger beers from scratch at home that taste very similar. In other words, there's an important distinction to make: it tasted homemade, but not artisanal. Not as balanced as I hoped it would b... (read more) 3.0/5.0
drinks soda seattle gingerbeer rachels ginger beer 3.0
Vif Babka: Heated until the chocolate glistens, this slice of babka was more toast than cake but otherwise had a nice spiced flavor. Portion size is just right for it to be a rich but not too heavy breakfast. Purchased at a small cafe / wine shop in the Fremont district of Seattle, there they offer brunch on weekends and small pastries throughout the week. 3.0/5.0
seattle pastry chocolate vif babka 3.0
Traderspoint Creamery Banana Mango Yogurt: Made with organic milk from grassfed cows, this creamy yogurt has a distinct aftertaste that I haven't experienced before with other yogurts. Slightly sour but also faintly sweet, the closest ingredient I can compare it to is hay. Its on the watery side ("European style") so that when you tip the clear glass container, you can see the liquid flow easily from side to side. I'm unsure if there is any benefit to storing yogurt in glass containers versus plastic or if this is simply a marketi... (read more) 3.0/5.0
organic berkeleybowl yogurt banana mango dairy traderspointcreamery 3.0
Petitpot Salted Caramel Pot De Creme: Since I found this jar in the yogurt aisle, I picked it up on sale expecting it was yogurt and only discovered that it was pudding when I got home. By now, I have a bit of an allergic reaction when I see "California cuisine" on packaging, which essentially translates to organic ingredients, high marketing / branding expenditures, and consequently high prices. But I am guilty of purchasing it, and I blame that on the cute mascot. The dessert itself is made of simple ingredients: milk, crea... (read more) 3.0/5.0
desserts pudding berkeleybowl petitpot salted caramel pot de creme 3.0
Yama Moto Yama Hot'N Spicy Teriyaki Nori Roasted Seaweed: This snack and brand is a staple in Asian grocery stores, and I ate it countless times growing up (though usually in the single-serving plastic packages, rather than the resealable container). This is the first time, though, that I've had the spicy version, which on first take is seemingly mild but quickly escalates to surprisingly high levels. Not as crispy as many of the Korean takes on seaweed crisps, which I've grown to prefer. 3.0/5.0
japanese yamamotoyama hot'n spicy teriyaki nori roasted seaweed 3.0