Snow Brand Mango Pudding: The texture of this Japanese pudding is really something else - it's just set, so much lighter than American puddings and buckles a bit under the pressure of a normal-weight spoon. It's definitely the best store-bought pudding texture I've had, but I have a feeling as I try more things in Japan, that may change. The flavor of the pudding is very similar to Chinese mango-flavored gelatin cups, which is very sweet and kind of artificial tasting. I mostly like it because of the texture. 3.0/5.0
japanese snowbrand mango pudding 3.0
Snowdays Creamsicle shaved ice with coconut ash condensed milk: A collaboration between Korean fast-casual chain Korilla and Taiwanese shaved ice shop Snowdays, this dessert combines orange creamsicle shaved ice with a drizzle of black charcoal-colored condensed milk, giving it the appearance of Korilla's tiger mascot. Available exclusively at the Korilla stand at Madison Square Eats, a single-size container costs around $7, which is quite expensive but can also easily be shared among a small family. Overall, the dessert is not bad; the milky coconut p... (read more) 3.0/5.0
desserts shavedice taiwanese nyc korilla collab snowdays creamsicle shaved ice coconut ash condensed milk 3.0
Snowdays Ube shaved ice: Taiwanese shaved ice in a classic ube flavor is true to the sweet, earthy flavor of the vegetable. Texture is close to snow - fluffy and light, yet a bit more dense and clumped together at the bottom of the large cup, even for the smallest possible size. Purchased from the East Village location of chain Snowdays. 3.0/5.0
nyc dessert icecream snowdays shaved ice 3.0 ube
Specialty Selected strawberry soft licorice: Australian "licorice" that luckily tastes nothing like the classic herby snack. Instead, the candy is very sweet, thick, and more gummy than chewy. The type that get stuck in your teeth. Very filling. Substantial. But too sweet. 3.0/5.0
licorice candy strawberry 3.0 sweets specialtyselected soft
Sprecher Root Beer: The first time I had Sprecher was at Momofuku Saam Bar in 2010, and I remember loving its layered, somewhat musty flavor, as if it had been left in a barrel for a bit too long. I purchased it after not having had it for several years, and it was far sweeter than I remembered, though it did have a pleasant spiced sweetness and notes of vanilla. Despite the sweetness, I still find the flavor to be distinctive and worth a try. 3.0/5.0
drinks soda rootbeer sprecher root beer 3.0
Sprecher's ginger ale: The first time I had Sprechers was at Momofuku Ssam bar back in 2009, and I was instantly a fan of their root beer. I found this large bottle, with two servings, at a sandwich shop in DC, and I was excited to try it given how much I love ginger. On first sip, the ginger flavor was prominent and spicy, but it finishes kind of musky due to the addition of honey. While I sometimes have honey with ginger tea, I didn't think it quite worked with this carbonated combination, though it was a good d... (read more) 3.0/5.0
gingerale sprechers soda drinks ginger honey 3.0 fizzy pop ale