Mikawaya mango mochi ice cream: This brand claims to be the "original and best" Mochi ice cream. Whether it's true or not I cannot say, but the brand has permeated American supermarkets, with chains like Trader Joe's as stockists. It also seems to be the de facto choice for restaurants selling Mochi ice cream they don't make themselves. Luckily, the ice cream is very good. They have found a way to maintain a chewy and soft Mochi texture despite being frozen, and the ice cream is smooth and creamy. I usually find myself dus... (read more) 4.0/5.0
mikawaya icecream mochi mango 4.0 recommended dessert traderjoes ice cream
Kobe Fugetsudo Gaufres: Kobe Fugetsudo is an established Japanese confectionery brand offering various cookies and sweets. Without realizing they were called gaufres, I grew up eating mini gaufres from my local Chinese supermarket. Gaufres are sandwich cookies with wafer-like crisps and a thin layer of cream between. The Kobe Fugetsudo version is massive, at about 6.5" in diameter and just a couple millimeters thick. Unlike the store-bought cookies I had growing up, these wafers are crispy and light with a faint sw... (read more) 4.0/5.0
kobefugetsudo japanese gaufres wafer strawberry 4.0 recommended
Pitango Gilato: I stumbled across this highly regarded gelato shop during my travels in DC and tried four different flavors (two of which I purchased). The star anise was barely sweetened and distinctive in flavor; the blood orange, while very refreshing, tasted more of raspberry than citrus (the sign said it contained a bit of raspberry). I ended up ordering the milk and honey (very rich whole milk, the honey was slightly too sweet) and the cardamon (nice level of spice). Both had a great creamy texture. B... (read more) 4.0/5.0
pitangogelato pitango gelato cardamon icecream dessert frozen milk honey bloodorange staranise dc 4.0 recommended gilato
Newman's Own Ginger O's: Ginger sandwich creme cookies that are nicely spiced and generally very good. Made with organic flour and sugar. Ginger flavor really comes through. Would purchase again (a rarity for me). 4.0/5.0
recommended newmansown ginger gingeros sandwichcookies cookies 4.0 o's
Trader Joe's sweet Sriracha uncured bacon jerky: This distinctive snack has a great crispy exterior and is sliced thin, so it's just chewy enough. The flavor is complex and surprisingly potent; more spicy than sweet, but well balanced. Unfortunately, it's very salty, but it's great in small doses. 4.0/5.0
traderjoes recommended jerky bacon pork meat sriracha spicy 4.0 sweet uncured
Drop the Mic Ice Cream: Continuing from the previous review, the second set consisted of the green apple sorbet, black truffle ice cream, and purple potato ice cream. My favorite was the green apple sorbet, which had always been fantastic (a tip: you can go across the street and order it any time at the dessert club). I've been told it has to be made fresh consistently since the vivid green color fades once it starts to oxidize. The truffle ice cream had a very potent, savory flavor. Interesting but not what I pers... (read more) 4.0/5.0
chikalicious dropthemicicecream icecream sorbet truffle greenapple ube purplepotato cake semifreddo recommended nyc eastvillage 4.0 dropthemic ice cream