Powder Black sesame Taiwanese shaved ice with mochi: During my childhood, my family would visit Taiwan every few years, spending several weeks in the scorching heat of the summer months. Once in a while, we would be treated with the best cure for a heatwave: baobing, or Taiwanese shaved ice served alongside a variety of toppings like peanut and red bean, all saturated with a sweet syrup that flavored the ice crystals. In anticipation, we would watch as a machine transformed a large block of ice into a heap of snow, spinning into a sharp rotar... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional sanfrancisco powdershavedice blacksesame powder black sesame taiwanese shaved ice mochi 4.5 dessert frozen
Quenelle ras el hanout ice cream: A fragrantly spiced, creamy wonder. Perfectly balanced and incredibly smooth. 5.0/5.0
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Quenelle strawberry lavender push pop: Fantastic fruity & creamy combo, floral notes are flavorful, not perfume-y 4.5/5.0
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Rakki Cafe Black sesame ube swirl soft serve: This Japanese dessert shop next to Reckless Records, in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago, has some of the best soft serve I've had. I got their black sesame and ube swirl, a super refreshing and balanced combination. The black sesame was especially great, with a deep nutty flavor that was as savory as it is sweet. Wish I could have tried the matcha This Japanese dessert shop next to Reckless Records, in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago, has some of the best soft serve I've had.... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional icecream chicago dessert sweets rakkicafe black sesame ube swirl soft serve 4.5
Revival Ice Cream Pear sorbet: Ultra-creative yet accessible homemade ice cream from a James-Beard nominated pastry chef. Based in Monterey, Revival has about a dozen seasonal flavors, the most popular of which is one called the Beesknees, an ice cream studded with bits of honeycomb, broken into small enough pieces to add texture (both crunchy and soft). It's sweet but also has a slightly burnt flavor that's just a touch bitter to balance it out. I had their pear sorbet, which combines pear with celery juice. This is not ... (read more) 4.5/5.0
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Riska Mentai Corn Snack: I love that Japanese culture is seemingly contradictory. There is the upmost respect for serenity and simplicity, along with an obsession with quality and workmanship (e.g., tea gardens, sashimi and sushi rice, Yurbai melons) - yet, at the same time, it can be loud, brash, and colorful (e.g., manga, Pachinko). This purple bag of Mentai (cod roe) puffed corn snacks is sensory overload all on its own, with multiple exclamation points, bold lettering, and metallic silver foil highlighting. I... (read more) 4.5/5.0
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