Kirin Rich Green Tea: If you can believe it, I have a months-worth of backlog for snack reviews. I purchased this bottle of green tea back when I was doing a retreat at the Recurse Center. I liked buying large bottles of green tea to drink at work for cost-effectiveness, and I found that the best selection could be found at Hong Kong Supermarket in NYC's Chinatown. I typically purchased Ito-En teas, but I decided to give this slightly less expensive bottle of green tea a try. It was decent, but more bitter th... (read more) 3.0/5.0
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Keki Modern Cakes Milk soft serve: When I went to Keki to try their cheesecake, they had a promotion where they were giving away free soft serve. Their only available flavor was milk, and while the texture of the softserve was good, it tasted very simply of rich whole milk. It’s not a flavor that develops in any way, and it was too rich for me, so I did something I’ve only done once before in the history of Tasty Snacking and threw it out. 1.0/5.0
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Golden Steamer Hot dog bao: This savory hot dog bao comes in a swirled conical shape reminiscent of pigs in a blanket and contains a small Chinese sausage, about the size of a frozen American breakfast sausage - in other words, a sort of cultural crossover from an alternate universe. The bread is slightly sweetened and chewy. Overall, it’s a good sweet and savory option, but if you’re looking for protein, go for the Big Bun. Still, it’s tasty for what it is and costs only $1. Note: Unfortunately, I will no longer be ba... (read more) 3.5/5.0
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Golden Steamer Egg Yolk Bao: This is one of my favorites from Golden Steamer, which I liked so much that I purchased it twice (I haven't done that for any other bun, mostly because I wanted to try buns I hadn't had before every time I went). It is a steamed white bun filled with an egg custard, textured like a cross between pudding and paste. It is very simple yet delicious and costs only $0.90. The best of the dessert bao offerings at this hole-in-the-wall bakery in NYC's Chinatown. 4.0/5.0
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Golden Steamer Red Bean Bun: Here's a classic Chinese bao favorite from Golden Steamer in NYC, filled with sweet red bean paste that is surprisingly mild in sweetness, especially compared to the typical sugar bomb you get elsewhere. Surrounded by soft and plump steamed white bread. This one is not bad, but it isn't especially interesting. If you like red bean buns, you will enjoy it, but it will taste like you expect it will. Costs under $1. 3.0/5.0
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Golden Steamer Big Bun with chicken, vegetables, and egg: Served in a scaldingly hot waxed bakery takeaway bag, the big bun from NYC Chinatown’s Golden Steamer takes several minutes to cool down before before consumption. Inside a fluffy and supple steamed white bun is a mixture of savory chicken, pickled mustard greens, and sliced hard-boiled egg. The lightly sweetened bun mixed with the meaty hearty filling, which steam has congealed into an almost meatball-like texture, is hard to beat at $1.25. 4.5/5.0
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