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
Chokai Kogen La France Pear Yogurt: A local grocery store offers this unique yogurt made in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. The 400g mini tubs of yogurt (offering around 3 servings) consists of two layers: a base layer of yogurt that is smooth and acidic, and a layer of fruit compote that sits on top. The first flavor I bought was the La France flavor, which is a type of pear from Yamagata I hadn't heard about before. Looking up more information on the pear, it looks a bit like a D'Anjou pear, but here it's been cooked down to ... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional japanese naniwaya chokaikogen la france pear yogurt 4.5
Happy Ice Brown Sugar Boba Ice Cream Bar: This is the famed, verging notorious, Taiwanese brown sugar boba iced tea bar, containing tapioca balls, that have been sold out everywhere. The person who was able to purchase it did not reveal its source but did say that there were multiple boxes available at this unnamed shop in the city of Los Angeles. The bar is a true work of science, with the tapioca balls retaining its iconic stretchy and chewy consistency despite being embedded in a frozen ice cream bar that tastes exactly like br... (read more) 4.5/5.0
recommended icecream taiwanese boba milktea happyice brown sugar ice cream bar 4.5
Milk Bar Cereal milk panna cotta: This special cereal milk panna cotta, available at the Flagship Milk Bar in NoMad, is topped with roasted matcha meringue, corn flakes crumble, and dark chocolate shards. It's available just until the end of the day. It's really excellent, a dessert that could easily cost $11 in a restaurant without seeming out of place (it costs a little over $6). Surprisingly light, the panna cotta has a just-set fluffy texture; the matcha flavor is immediately identifiable in the chewy bruleed meringue, ... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional desserts pannacotta meringue matcha cereal milk nyc chocolate milkbar panna cotta 4.5
Morgenstern's Sumo Yuzu Pop: This is the last review I'll be writing of ice cream treats from Morgenstern's collaboration with Action Bronson. This double dipped yuzu pop is pure citrus in its highest form. Several layers of coating, with a smooth and somewhat slick texture, add to an intensely tart yet balanced citrus ice cream center. Anyone that loves citrus will be able to fully appreciate how excellent and singular it is. 4.5/5.0
exceptional dessert yuzu nyc icecream fuckthatsdelicious morgensterns sumo pop 4.5
Suzie's Organic Saltines with salt and extra virgin olive oil: Though I've been maintaining Tasty Snacking for 6 years now, I haven't written a single review of saltines, though I've eaten them many times on off days. I realized it's largely because I typically purchase the Nabisco "Premium" saltines, which are adequate in their expected blandness – they manage to be both contradictorily crispy and soft, and they quickly dissolve into a soggy nothingness that makes them easy to digest. My stomach hasn't been doing so well over the past few days, so I ... (read more) 4.5/5.0
organic exceptional suzies saltines salt extra virgin olive oil 4.5 parkslopefoodcoop crackers