Whole Foods honey roasted peanut butter: An ideal balance of smooth and crunchy, sweet and nutty. Keep trying to find excuses to spread it on other snacks. Perfectly sized for indulging. 4.5/5.0
wholefoods peanutbutter peanut nuts spreads honey roasted exceptional butter 4.5
Wunderground Brainwash mushroom vanilla latte: This weekend, cafe Wunderground opened in Capitol Hill with a menu featuring mushroom-based beverages using ingredients such as lion's mane and cordecyps. They offered free beverages and pastries during their opening, and while I usually don't drink coffee, I had to give their signature Brainwash mushroom latte a try. Normally costing $6, the latte has a fantastic balance that's impressively both familiar and adventurous, with a warming vanilla flavor and earthy undertones. There's enough... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional drinks seattle wunderground brainwash mushroom vanilla latte 4.5
YakiniQ Strawberry yuzu lemonade: A remarkably thirst-quenching summer drink, with strawberry seeds mixed throughout and citrus rind (in the same pulpy form as Asian citron tea) at the bottom. Well balanced; sweet and tart, and ultra fresh. One of the best beverages I’ve had in recent memory. Seasonal offering from this small cafe in the heart of Japantown in SF. 4.5/5.0
exceptional drinks sf japantown strawberry yuzu lemonade 4.5
Yamayoshi Ippudo Ramen Chips: These tonkotsu ramen pork-flavored chips caught my eye at my local Aeon grocery store / konbini before I even knew they were from the popular ramen chain Ippudo. The special flavor is in celebration of Ippudo's 35th birthday. I went to Ippudo about a decade ago in NYC, and a branch opened up in Berkeley right as I move away from the Bay Area. I knew that the restaurant inspired long lines in the US, but the other day, while walking through Ikebukuro in Tokyo, I stumbled upon a queue outsi... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional chips aeon japanese yamayoshi ippudo ramen 4.5
Yoku Moku double chocolat au lait cookies: Buttery, rectangular sandwich cookie with a nutty and light chocolate filling. A delicate Japanese treat that has just the right amount of decadence. 4.5/5.0
exceptional japanese cookies chocolate yokumoku double chocolat au lait 4.5
中央製乳 愛知の梨アイス Pear Milk Ice Cream: Fruit is generally quite expensive in Japan, and it feels even more so because of the very small portion sizes – there's no so much thing as buying a large 1lb bag of grapes here. Fruits are also very seasonal, so for the most part, I've been eating only bananas and oranges and I seem to have missed pear season. That's why when I saw this pear dessert in the ice cream aisle, I was excited to try it. I had expected it to be a sherbet or even a type of Italian ice from its packaging, but it... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional icecream queensisetan japanese 愛知の梨アイス pear milk ice cream 4.5