Cheeseboard Chocolate Things: Representative of the ingredient-focus mindset of California cuisine more generally, this lightly sweetened roll is rich and buttery in flavor but also fluffy and light in texture. Good quality chocolate chunks throughout. Very classic and delicious - I can easily imagine it any patisserie in Paris. A great value at just $3. Purchased from the iconic Cheeseboard bakery on Berkeley. 4.0/5.0
recommended bread bakery berkeley brioche cheeseboard chocolate things 4.0
FK Frozen Custard Black Sesame and Matcha White Chocolate Ice Cream: The last time I had ice cream from FK Frozen Custard, the brand was still named "Frozen Kuhsterd," and they were a food-truck-only business. Now they have a brick and mortar in the Lower Haight in SF, still offering a mix of classic flavors and asian-inspired options like black sesame, milk tea, and ube. I ordered one scoop with two flavors, which was generously sized and easily sharable – though I had the entire scoop for myself. (: My previous experience with Frozen Kuhsterd involved an ... (read more) 3.0/5.0
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Smash Mint chocolate chip marshmallow rice treat: The good thing about this snack is that it is not overly sweet and is fairly substantial for a rice crispie. It has small morsels of mint chocolate chips scattered throughout. However, when mint flavored foods are strong, they sometimes verge into artificial / medicinal / mouthwash territory, and this snack bar comes close. Texturally, it’s a bit tougher to bite into than other marshmallow treats. Overall, this one was just ok. 3.0/5.0
smashmarshmallow mint chocolate chip marshmallow rice treat 3.0
Satie Chocolaterie Koi no Teppoudama Chocolates: Translated as "Love's Tadpole" via Google Translate (though I doubt that's accurate), these earplug-shaped chocolates from Japan are much tastier than they look. The pieces are dusted in cocoa powder and begin to melt instantly on the tongue, with an exceptionally creamy and rich flavor. I'm normally not a chocolate person, but these were some of the best chocolates I've had, reminding me of the high quality hot chocolate from L.A. Burdick but more snackable and slightly less rich, which I... (read more) 4.5/5.0
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Berkeley Bowl Dark chocolate Malt Balls: I wish malt balls were shelf stable so they could be purchased without any coating. Until then, they seem so only exist in chocolate covered balls, as is this bulk snack from Berkeley Bowl. The chocolate coating is significantly thicker than that found on Whoppers or Maltesers, but as a side effect, the predominant flavor and texture is that of dark chocolate. When the chocolate layer is consumed first, the malt interior is found to be crunchy unlike the melt-in-your-mouth consistency of mas... (read more) 3.0/5.0
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M&M Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies: According to Wikipedia, Peanut Butter M&Ms have been around since the 1990s, but I've never encountered them until recently. This particular "FUN SIZE" bag came from the office candy jar, and as I missed any Halloween fodder due to a flu last fall, I felt that my consumption was at least permissible. Inside your standard colored candy shell is a solidified peanut butter paste, not too unlike Reese's Pieces in its slight creamy yielding texture (in contrast to the classic chocolate filling ... (read more) 2.0/5.0
candy peanutbutter mm peanut butter chocolate candies 2.0