Marin Food Specialties Fig Bars: I think figs are one of the most underrated fruits. Since I moved to Berkeley, I've enjoyed eating the Berkeley Bowl fig cereal bars fairly regularly, so I don't usually buy packaged fig bars anymore. This product was on sale, though, and given that it was a local brand, I thought I'd give it a try. Unfortunately, the filling was overly dense and far too sweet, while the cookie was too crumbly and a little bit dry. I have yet to find a good snack with the word "great tasting" on the labe... (read more) 2.0/5.0
berkeleybowl marinfoodspecialties fig bars 2.0
The Daily Crave Spicy Thai Chili Quinoa Chips: My experience with the brand The Daily Crave, which specialized in veggie-based snacks, has been fairly hit-or-miss (the smoked gouda chips are quite good, but the other cheese flavors I had were so-so). Their Spicy Thai Chili-flavored quinoa chips are the most adventurous I've seen from their line. While I don't normally like quinoa, it lends only a small amount of flavor (that is virtually indistinguishable from other "veggie" chips), and the sweet-and-spicy seasoning is surprisingly tas... (read more) 3.0/5.0
berkeleybowl thedailycrave spicy thai chili quinoa chips 3.0
The Good Bean Chili Lime Chickpeas: I found these chickpea snacks to be more tangy than spicy. Enjoyable straight out of the bag, but fairly messy hand-food. Satisfying. Crunchy texture. While all the chickpea snacks I've seen promote their high protein content, I never quite find them particularly filling. 3.0/5.0
berkeleybowl thegoodbean chili lime chickpeas 3.0
4505 Smokehouse BBQ Fried Pork Rinds: From San Francisco-based 4505 BBQ is a line of flavored pork rinds that I've seen both at Whole Foods and Berkeley Bowl. If their Smokehouse BBQ is indicative of the quality of their restaurant, I'm definitely interested. The chicharrones are some of the lightest I've had in any packaged form, and the flavor is smoky in just the right quantity. It has a subtle sweet aftertaste yet is deeply savory at its core. 4.0/5.0
recommended meat pork chicharrones chicharrons 4505 smokehouse bbq fried rinds 4.0 berkeleybowl
Bandar Tikka Masala Naan Chips: A spiced take on pita chips, these parallelogram-shaped baked chips have a hearty crunch and warming blend of spices both savory and sweet. It doesn't have the meaty flavor I typically associate with the entree version of tikka masla, but it has all the same spices, including turmeric, onion powder, and garlic powder. The predominant aftertaste is cinnamon. An interesting snack, but probably would not purchase again. 3.0/5.0
berkeleybowl indian pita bandarsnacks tikka masala naan chips 3.0
The Nobel Times Super Cola candy: While the packaging says "Since 2014," I have vivid memories of eating the lemon version of this sweet as a child. (The date is likely a result of an acquisition.) Inside are individually wrapped cola-flavored hard candies. Like Warheads, it induces discomforting anticipation of a largely unpleasant sour flavor at the onset; unlike Warheads, there is a much more mild sweetness after the coating wears off. I remember running the snack under the kitchen sink to rub off the salty-bitter exterio... (read more) 3.0/5.0
thenobeltimes super cola candy 3.0 berkeleybowl