Tea Hut Avocado Shake: Managed to stop by Tea Hut during my last trip to SF, a great little bubble tea shop in Cows Hollow. This drink epitomizes the ideal version of an avocado shake; super fresh and creamy, refreshing but doesn't leave you feeling overly full or heavy. Consistency was perfect. While it's easy to default to tea drinks at a boba shop, this was a good reminder that classics like fruit shakes can also be well worth a trip. 4.5/5.0
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Thomas Henry Ginger Beer: A German ginger beer made by Thomas Henry; meant as a mixer, but truly fantastic on its own. Ginger sodas are my favorite, and this is definitely in the top 5 that I've had in my life. The drink is well balanced and has a substantial but not overwhelming spicy flavor, but the real surprise is the lingering heat that lasts minutes after your last sip. I wish I knew of places to purchase other Thomas Henry drinks, a brand I had not seen prior to this bottle, but I ordered this drink at a re... (read more) 4.5/5.0
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Morgenstern's x Repeller Tomato Gazpachoo Ice Cream Bar: Slightly larger than a stick of butter, this special edition ice cream bar from NYC-based shop Morgenstern's consists of gazpacho flavored ice cream coated in a thin tomato-flavored shell. The shell is softer than your regular chocolate dip because of its high fat content (it's made of cocoa butter and coconut oil), so the coating dissolves on the tongue quickly, exposing the fantastic combination of tomato, cucumber, and lemon that make up the ice cream filling. The dessert on the whole b... (read more) 4.5/5.0
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Lava Cookies Chocolate Chip Lava Cookie: These massive cookies (about 4" in diameter and 3/4" thick) are available at pastrami shop Harry and Ida's in the East Village. Each cookie costs a little under $6 each and are large enough to be easily shared. I'm not one to purchase a cookie in a bake shop, as I generally prefer other pastries and breads, but I can easily say this is one of the top cookies I've had in my life. On the interior is a molten chocolate filling whose consistency just holds together, while the cookie itself is... (read more) 4.5/5.0
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Grocers Bottling Co Celery Soda: I've been finding it hard to write snack reviews recently, mostly because I haven't had the time to seek out specialty items that excite me and motivate me to keep writing. But I finally made it out to Court St Grocers in Carroll Gardens this weekend. I've been meaning to check out Court St Grocers ever since I tried their excellent soda offerings at BYGGYZ (RIP), my formerly favorite sandwich shop in NYC. Unfortunately, BYGGYZ didn't have all Grocers Bottling Co (a spin-out from Court St... (read more) 4.5/5.0
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Ling Kee Beef Jerky: Around the corner from the East Broadway subway stop on the edge of Manhattan's Chinatown is a small shop called Ling Kee Beef Jerkey (sic). The shop sells pork, chicken, and beef jerky by 1/4, 1/2, or lb sizes, each laid out in stacks under a bright heatlamp. The shop specializes in Malaysian Jerky, which I hadn't had before but remind me a lot of Taiwanese beef jerky, which is nothing like American packaged jerky. Typically, asian jerky is moist, with a glistening, sweet glaze rather th... (read more) 4.5/5.0
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