Milwon Black Rice Steamed Bread: Frozen steamed buns are some of my favorite quick breakfast items. Back when I lived next to HMart, I would purchase them frequently. After not having had them for several months, I was happy to find some at my local Korean grocery store. These Milwon buns are made with black rice, which gives them a speckled purple color. Each fits comfortably in the palm of your hand and has a red bean filling. The only positive thing I can say about this product is that it's not too sweet. Otherwise... (read more) 1.5/5.0
korean redbean asian milwon black rice steamed bread 1.5 avoid
Ripple Unsweetened original pea milk: I decided to try this plant-based milk after months of seeing it in the dairy-free section of the milk aisle. I’m not lactose intolerant but enjoy alternatives like soy milk and almond milk. This pea milk doesn’t taste like any milk I’ve had before. I expected it to have a fairly sweet flavor like fresh green peas, but instead it had an off putting bitter aftertaste that I would describe as what I imagine burnt hay may taste like. It’s really unpleasant to drink and I keep trying find ways t... (read more) 1.5/5.0
avoid drinks ripple unsweetened original pea milk 1.5
Out the Door Bubble tea: I rarely eat in the Ferry Building in SF, but on this rare occasion, I decided to try a bahn mi at Out The Door. I got a bubble tea to accompany my sandwich and am sad to report that it was terrible. The tea was super sweet, and the boba somehow managed to be both hard on the inside and mushy outside, a combination I didn’t know was possible. Worst of all, it was expensive because it’s the Ferry Building. The sandwich wasn’t too much better, by the way-they use normal French baguette instead... (read more) 1.5/5.0
avoid drinks boba bubbletea milktea outthedoor bubble tea 1.5
Go Raw Raisin Crunch Sprouted Bar: I've been especially conscious of the amount of carbs in snacks I'm eating lately, and with 32g of carbs, this bar alone exceeds most low-carb diets. That could be ok, if the snack is excellent, but this bar fails on multiple levels. It verges on no flavor, with a bland combination of seeds (sesame, flaxseed, and sunflower). Ground together and bound with dried dates and raisins, the entire bar tastes strongly of health food with no character. The texture is strangely tough; pieces are di... (read more) 1.5/5.0
avoid raisin crunch sprouted bar 1.5 goraw organic
Matchabar Rose matcha milk tea: I really enjoyed a bottled Fuji ginger matcha drink from Matchabar a few months ago and decided to try a freshly-made beverage from their small to-go window in Soho. This rose matcha milk tea, while colorful, was actually quite bad - very sweet, and quickly diluted. Hardly any green tea flavor, and tasted like watery milk after only a few minutes. Definitely $5 wasted. 1.5/5.0
avoid drinks nyc matchabar rose matcha milk tea 1.5
Polar Unicorn Kisses Seltzer: Someone decided to order these half-sized cans of seltzer at work, so of course I was going to review it. Despite being calorie-free, you can smell the intense sweetness upon opening the can. It tastes exactly like a box of Runts smells - like every artificially-flavored fruit candy, from grape to watermelon, was made into a concentrate and generously mixed with carbonated water. Hard to imagine why anyone would enjoy this. 1.5/5.0
avoid drinks seltzer polar unicorn kisses 1.5