Kimino Sparking Yuzu: I sift through hundreds of snacks both because I love exploring new tastes but also because I'm always looking for a hidden treasure. Sometimes it's a fresh, unexpected flavor combination, while other times it's just the most perfectly executed version of something more familiar. This Kimino sparking yuzu drink falls in the latter category. The small bottle is perfectly sized for a single serving. The bottom contains sediments of yuzu rind (they utilize the entire fruit to make the bevera... (read more) 5.0/5.0
montererymarket exceptional drinks japanese soda yuzu 5.0 kimino sparkling
Riska Corn Potage Corn Snack: There is nothing subtle about this Japanese fried snack. Shaped like onion petals, each bite combines the best of sour cream and onion with corn soup, a surprisingly sweet and savory combination that seems obvious in retrospect but refreshingly new at the same time. Intensely concentrated creamed-corn taste, like a powdered form of the liquid from canned corn. There's also small bits of dried parsley that cut through and round out the umami goodness. Airy, puffed consistency, with a text... (read more) 5.0/5.0
exceptional japanese riska corn potage snack 5.0 tokyofishmarket
Wanderlust Creamery Japanese Neapolitan ice cream with sticky rice and mango in an ube cone: Inventive flavors inspired by places around the world abound at Wanderlust Creamery in Los Angeles. Their Japanese Neapolitan, combining matcha, hojicha, and black sesame, was all the flavors I want to eat in one scoop, creating a beautiful marbled color. The sticky rice and mango was very rich, with a prominent coconut flavor and ribbons of mango throughout. I was most impressed by the housemade ube cone, which was probably the best cone I've ever had. The waffle cone was thicker than m... (read more) 5.0/5.0
icecream la exceptional wanderlustcreamery japanese neapolitan ice cream sticky rice mango in an ube cone 5.0 losangeles
Mystic Muffin Banana Bread: Upon entering Mystic Muffin, I was greeted by the friendly owner Elias, who quickly handed me a warm loaf of banana bread. His salesmanship worked, and I ordered a slice which cost about $2 CAD. The banana bread is not a banana nut bread, with no trace of nuts as far as I could tell. It had chocolate chips mixed into the batter. The cake was extremely moist and delicious, and the banana chocolate mix was wholly satisfying without being heavy or overly sweet. You could eat it with anythi... (read more) 5.0/5.0
exceptional baked desserts mysticmuffin banana bread 5.0
Bao Tea House Rose milk tea: This is a perfectly balanced rose milk tea from Bao Tea House, a serene tea and bao shop on the west edge of Washington Square Park. Faintly sweet at 25% sweetness, the drink has a clean floral flavor without overpowering, and the frothed milk is delicately creamy. I’ve had a good number of rose teas over the course of Tasty Snacking, and this one is by far the best. 5.0/5.0
exceptional nyc milktea drinks baoteahouse rose milk tea 5.0
Bricolage Crunchy coconut curry beef chips: On principle, I typically don’t write reviews of snacks at sit-down restaurants (my current working definition of a snack is an item that by itself is not a full meal and can be eaten with one hand on the go - I know it doesn’t work for everything I review here, but that’s the best I’ve been able to come up with). But the crunchy coconut curry beef chips from Park Slope-based Vietnamese gastropub Bricolage are too special not to review. Razor-thin slices of beef come in a fun resealable pack... (read more) 5.0/5.0
exceptional jerky meat brooklyn nyc bricolage crunchy coconut curry beef chips 5.0