Zabar's Black and White Cookie: Despite having lived / been around in NYC for most of my life, I had not had a Black and White cookie until this week. I learned from Wikipedia that there are at least two styles of Black and White cookies; a dense shortbread base is common in NYC, while a more cake-like base with frosting is more likely to be found in Central New York. Zabar's is the latter, with a sizable diameter and soft, moist-enough cake base with a generous spread of chocolate and vanilla frosting, split evenly down... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended cookies nyc jewish zabars black white cookie 4.0
Shake Shack Black sesame milkshake: I hadn't been to a Shake Shack in Japan and stumbled upon one near Meiji Jingu, where I went to see the yellow autumn ginko trees. I stopped in to see if they had any exclusives, and their menu features a Japan-only black sesame shake. It was super satisfying on multiple levels: thicker than anything I've found in Japan, with a nutty and savory black sesame flavor that didn't taste at all artificial. Black sesame is one of my favorite flavors; I've had a lot of black sesame snacks over the ... (read more) 4.0/5.0
exceptional japanese drinks blacksesame shakeshack black sesame milkshake 4.0
Boba Guys lavender black milk tea with grass jelly: This distinct beverage had a clean lavender flavor without tasting too floral, or like soap as poorly balanced lavender-flavored things tend to. Though I ordered the drink with 50% sweetness, I found it to be on the sweet side. (I think they might sweeten the drinks more than the NYC location, as I've had the opposite impression there.) The flavor and texture of the homemade grass jelly was excellent, but it was difficult to suck up through a normal boba straw. 3.5/5.0
bobaguys drinks lavender blacktea tea 3.5 recommended milktea black milk grass jelly
Galvanina Blood orange, black carrot, and blueberry sparkling fruit beverage: Organic Italian soda that apparently is sold as Whole Foods branded Italian soda. I purchased this glass bottle from Molinari deli in North Beach, SF (which I also recommend, by the way). While I found it on the sweet side, the addition of carrot was unique and not at all overpowering. The berry, vegetable, and citrus combination is well balanced and worth a try. 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks sodas italian galvanina blood orange black carrot blueberry sparkling fruit beverage 3.5 organic
Sul & Beans Black sesame bingsu: Different asian countries each have their unique take on shaved ice, though they all seem united by a combination of textures soft and chewy. Korea’s is bingsu, a dessert often topped with red bean, fruit, and condensed milk. I had my first experience trying bingsu today in Los Angeles’s Koreatown at a chain from Korea called Sul & Beans. My sister and I shared an enormous black sesame shaved ice (there is only one size), which was dusted with black sesame powder and topped with red bean, c... (read more) 3.5/5.0
desserts la shavedice sulbeans black sesame bingsu 3.5