Uji Lavender soft serve in Taiyaki cone: The best lavender ice cream I've ever had was in Hokkaido, Japan at Farm Tomita, where their lush, seemingly endless fields of lavender are the basis for wondrously floral and creamy soft serve. I have yet to find anything that comes close, but the seasonal lavender flavor at Uji, a Japanese ice cream shop in Berkeley, is a strong contender. The trick is their careful balance - the lavender does not overpower (which otherwise would lead to a mouthful of perfume-flavored cream), yet the flav... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional uji lavender soft serve in taiyaki cone 4.5 ujitime
Wanderlust Creamery Green apple wasabi sorbet and yuzu cheesecake ice cream: Located on Glendale Boulevard in Atwater Village (LA), Wanderlust Creamery offers flavors inspired by locations around the world. Their unusual flavors made it very difficult to pick just two, but I went with their green apple and wasabi sorbet along with yuzu cheesecake. I loved the tartness and spicy aftertaste of the apple wasabi, which was expertly balanced, and the yuzu cheesecake had a delicious graham crackle crumble and yuzu jam throughout. The flavors were fantastic and some of t... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional icecream la japanese wanderlustcreamery green apple wasabi sorbet yuzu cheesecake ice cream 4.5
Wei-Chuan lotus seed paste buns: I love mantou, a Chinese steamed bun often consumed for breakfast. I recently purchased this Taiwanese lotus seed filled bun from Hmart and am a huge fan. The filling is very lightly sweetened (2g of sugar), and after about 10 minutes of steaming, the bread is pillowy yet slightly chewy. It's very difficult to find a brand of filled frozen buns that isn't insanely sweet, and these were also reasonably priced. 4.5/5.0
hmart exceptional frozen chinesetaieanese weichuan lotusseed 4.5 breakfast asian lotus seed paste buns
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