Teazzi Tea Shop Deep roasted oolong milk tea: Teazzi is a mostly to-go Taiwanese bubble tea shop located a block away from the southwest edge of Union Square Park in Manhattan. I would normally have ordered their house special, which includes an intriguing mix of oats and boba, but opted for a lighter option with their deep roasted oolong milk tea at 30% sweetness. The quality of the tea itself was excellent – definitely tea-foward, with a pleasantly herbal flavor that was well balanced with the creaminess of very lightly sweetened mi... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended milktea nyc drinks teazziteashop deep roasted oolong milk tea 4.0
il laboratorio del gelato carrot and beet gelato: I'm all for vegetable-flavored desserts, and given how naturally sweet carrots and beets can be, I was especially excited to try il laboratorio's take. Both flavors were very true to their roots, tasting more fresh than sweet. In particular, the carrot was especially concentrated, tasting of the initial crisp bite of a raw carrot. If I had to choose one, I would go back for the carrot, but the beet was still delicious though milder. Both scoops were not entirely smooth, so the texture co... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended icecream gelato vegetables illaboratoriodelgelato carrot beet 4.0
Keki Bakery Ube cheesecake : I purchased this "bouncy" ube Japanese cheesecake from Keki bakery in K-town after having tried their classic cheesecake at their Chinatown shop. Stated to serve 3-4, it easily could serve 5-6 if you're mainly in for a small taste. At $15, it's a great deal for the quality; combining the best of a rich cheesecake with a light and airy texture that I'd describe as more fluffy than bouncy (though we ate it the day after it was purchased, so the texture might have changed a bit). Its intense pu... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended cake dessert nyc japanese pastry kekibakery ube cheesecake 4.0
365 Organic Oatmeal raisin cookies: These cookies strike an ideal balance; just chewy enough yet satisfyingly crumbly; decently sized so that two cookies feels like enough; not too sugary but definitely buttery. Basically just a classic, well-done oatmeal raisin cookies that is about as good as you can hope for a store-brand snack. 4.0/5.0
recommended wholefoods 365organic oatmeal raisin cookies 4.0
Sidral Mundet Apple soda: Bottled Mexican apple-flavored soda with a rich caramel color. Tastes remarkably of fresh Apple juice without being overly sweet. Lightly carbonated. I like it just S much as Apple Sidra, and more so than sparkling Martinelli's. 4.0/5.0
recommended drinks mexican sidralmundet apple soda 4.0
Hsin Tung Yang Sesame flavored dried bean curd: Dried bean curd is one of my favorite Taiwanese snacks and is not quite like anything I've had from American grocery stores. Fried bean curd, saturated in sesame oil, is wrinkled almost like an enlarged raisin, but comes in large strips like beef jerky. It has an intensely savory sweet chili-garlic flavor and leaves your fingers and tongue slick with a (unhealthy) coating of grease, which undoubtably adds to its deliciousness. I can't say exactly where this bag was from as my parents had i... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended taiwanese asian tofu hsintungyang sesame flavored dried bean curd 4.0