Bake Cheese Tart Original Cheese Tart: While walking through Tokyo station, I came across this small shop with a sizeable, but not intimidatingly-so, line and the aroma of baked goods. They specialize in cheese tarts, some flavored with chocolate or seasonally with strawberry, but I went for the original, which is a little smaller than a typical Portguese / Chinese egg tart. The pastry base is twice baked, and the interior is largely cream cheese that has a baked browned crust of brueleed cheese. The texture of the cheese unde... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended tokyo tokyostation dessert tart creamcheese bakecheesetart original cheese 3.5
Baked in Brooklyn Sour Cream and Onion Pita Chips: I fittingly bought these pita chips from Foodtown in Brooklyn. I liked them overall - they tasted a bit like garlic bagel bites but with a slightly tangy flavor that gives sour cream and onion its character. The pita chips are what you expect: hearty and thickly cut. A healthier yet similarly tasty alternative to sour cream and onion potato chips. 3.5/5.0
recommended bakedinbrooklyn sour cream onion pita chips 3.5
Baladin ginger soda: An Italian soda that is somewhat lost in translation. There is no actual ginger in this drink. Instead, it's a spiced citrus drink that tastes more bitter and floral than sweet (think orange peel and lemon). A unique flavor but it's hard to imagine what it would pair well with. A drink to have on its own. 3.5/5.0
baladin ginger soda drinks italian 3.5
Balthazar Banana Nut Donut: NYC institution Balthazar had a small bakery adjacent to the restaurant where you can grab pasties and coffee to go. Their banana nut donut is very good, with a fluffy texture lightly iced and topped with a banana-nut crumble. I love banana nut bread, and this treat successfully captures its essence in a way that is neither overly sweet nor heavy. 3.5/5.0
desserts recommended balthazar banana nut donut 3.5
Bamboo Lane crunchy rice rollers: A very simple dessert containing crispy rice and sugar, this snack comes in a large, cylindrical form, making them slightly awkward to eat. Nonetheless, it's a satisfying healthy snack with a very light level of sweetness. Like most rice snacks, though, it's not the most filling. 3.5/5.0
bamboolane rice ricesnack recommended 3.5 crunchy rollers
Banh Mi Saigon Mochi bread dessert: First time trying non-sandwich options at Vietnamese bakery Banh Mi Saigon in Chinatown. This spongey bread has an aerated mochi-like texture that’s lighter than Korean mochi bread. It comes in a sizeable half roll, with a green interior (I think unrelated to its flavor, as the dessert just tasted faintly of brown sugar to me). Exterior is a bit like a baked muffin top. There wasn’t any labeling on the packaging, so if anyone is able to clarify the exact name of this dessert, it would be muc... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended nyc dessert sweets vietnamese banhmisaigon mochi bread 3.5