Wunderground Orange cardamon poppy loaf: I love the fragrant floral flavor of cardamon and found this slice of orange cardamon poppy cake to be a near perfect companion to the mushroom-based lattes at Wunderground cafe. Dusted with powdered sugar on both side, the slice was just sweet enough and had a fantastic texture from the poppy seeds spread throughout. A segment of orange tops the entire cake off. Surprisingly substantial and entirely delicious. 4.0/5.0
recommended pastry seattle wunderground orange cardamon poppy loaf 4.0
Yaokin Cabbage Taro Baked Cookies: This bag of puffed corn snacks was purchased solely based on packaging, with its friendly green police frog and lack of English labeling. They are more airy than your typical cheese ball, with a flavor that is almost like a junk food mirepoix, with tomato, onion, and carrots. It's unmistakably Japanese, with added sprinklings of nori and MSG. And, like many Asian snacks, they come in small packages, with only 3 servings in a bag. Brought out during a party, these were quickly devoured an... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended japanese vegetables yaokin cabbage taro baked cookies 4.0
YBC Aerial Roe Butter Flavored Chips: It is very rare for me to come across a snack that is fundamentally different than any I've had before, and this fried Japanese corn snack is one of them. I found it at Weica, sort of like a CVS, which has an impressive stock of junk food. These chips consist of multiple crispy layers, each uniquely shaped probably due to the irregularity of the manufacturing process. Each square is about the size of a Wheat Thin in area. The separated layers gives it a light crispy texture unlike any sn... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended weica japanese junkfood yamazakibiscuitsco aerial roe butter flavored chips 4.0 ybc
Yifang Matcha Brown Sugar Bubble Tea: I was delighted to come across the Taiwanese bubble tea shop Yifang in Shin Okubo, the Koreatown of Shinuku in Tokyo. I wish I were able to read the menu of fruit tea options, but I had to go by the pictures and decided to try their matcha latte with brown sugar, a drink that has a fixed amount of sugar (unlike some other menu items, where you can adjust how sweet you'd like it to be). I did find the drink to be sweet for my taste, but the combination of bitter matcha with sweet brown suga... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended drinks tokyo taiwanese boba bubbletea yifang matcha brown sugar bubble tea 4.0
Yifang Coconut Sago Drink: Really enjoyed this refreshing creamy drink from Yifang, which has small tapioca balls (sago), like the type in tapioca pudding. A great alternative to milk tea if you're craving something fruitier. 4.0/5.0
recommended drinks coconut sago drink 4.0 yifang
Yifang Taiwanese Fruit Tea Lugu Oolong Tea: My good friend and bubble-tea expert Mace recommended this Bay Area spot specializing in Taiwanese fruit teas. Yifang's small to-go shop is adjacent to Berkeley's campus and certainly would have become my go-to spot if I stilled lived there. Their Lugu Oolong tea was super refreshing and clean, with a floral oolong flavor followed by a hint of peach. I added the aiyu jelly, which was well worth it; lightly sweetened, it had a slippery texture with just the right amount of gelatin. Luckily,... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended Berkely yifangtaiwanesefruittea lugu oolong tea 4.0