La Nostra Gazzosa: A sparkling lemon beverage from Italy that is more like a concentrated, flavored seltzer than a sugary soda, which I far prefer. Though it has 28g of sugar, it's still less sweet than most bottled sodas in the US - just enough sweetness, in my opinion. The drink has a slightly savory aftertaste as seltzer sometimes does along with a refreshingly acidic lemon taste. Good level of carbonation. Altogether, a unique and worthwhile drink. 4.0/5.0
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Loving Cup The Dude Abides Frozen Yogurt: Loving Cup is a small frozen yogurt shop in Russian Hill serving blended-to-order non-fat vanilla or chocolate yogurt with your standard set of mix-ins, including gummy bears, Oreos, and junior mints. Unlike the tart and lighter fro-yo you might get at Pinkberry or Red Mango, Loving Cup's yogurt is thick and creamy, making it much more akin to regular ice cream. I ordered a mixture of almond butter (Costco organic) with english toffee, substituting vanilla yogurt for chocolate, in what the... (read more) 4.0/5.0
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Boba Guys Strawberry Tea Fresca with Almond Jelly: I've only ever had milk teas at Boba Guys up to this point, but their strawberry jasmine tea fresca was excellent, and I will definitely be back to try others. Similar to Asha tea, they use fruit puree so that it has a bit of texture. The almond jelly is soft and tofu-like, and just a tad grainy. Overall, the drink was very fresh and well made; faintly sweet. Highly recommended. 4.0/5.0
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Quenelle Strawberry Rhubarb Sorbet: Three years ago, you took a detour to Burbank to check out a humble ice cream shop opened by a former pastry chef with a Michelin-starred pedigree. There, your palate was expanded, with singular flavors like ras el hanout. You were stunned that ice cream could be so good: so creamy and well balanced, yet challenging and complex. You gave it a rare 5.0, and even after consuming ice cream from many respectable places since then, that one scoop stands out in your memory. Fast forward three year... (read more) 4.0/5.0
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Nancy's Lowfat plain yogurt: As a staple, plain yogurt can sometimes be undervalued, its flavor masked by the fruit, granola, and toppings otherwise that often accompany and customize it to particular tastes. Nancy's yogurt, though, is a rare, quality product that stands on its own, with a pronounced tart flavor and creamy consistency thicker than most non-Greek yogurts. The price is steeper than alternatives, at slightly over $4 for 32 ounces, but when it's on sale, it's well worth it. 4.0/5.0
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Wiz Bang Bar Smith Teamaker Big Hibsicicle Sherbert: In the Pine Street Market, an indoor food hall in downtown Portland, is a soft serve and sundae bar named Wiz Bang from Salt & Straw, the ever-popular ice cream shop that has branched outside of the city to several LA and San Francisco locations. Central to Salt & Straw's success is their ability to strike a chord between the familiar and unexpected, with comforting flavors that are also intriguing and sometimes daring. The soft serve that I ordered, the Smith teamaker big hibiscicle sherber... (read more) 4.0/5.0
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