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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Screamers Dole Whip: Screamers is a soft serve treats stand at Stevenson Wharf in Richmond, BC (a 30 min drive south from Downtown Vancouver). Their signature offering is a "screamer" drink they describe as a combination of ice cream and slurpee – it comes in a variety of classic fruity Crush soda flavors. Their other speciality is soft serve dole whip, a tropical treat combining pineapple and vanilla soft serve. The kiddie size (pictured) is more than enough for an adult and barely costs $3. The texture is i... (read more) 4.5/5.0
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Seabold Ginger Beer: When in LA, you may stumble across a glass bottle of ginger beer with a hand-written expiration date less than a month away. It feels hefty, matching its $7.50 price tag, with a misty yellow hue. Its packaging instructs you to invert and gently mix, enabling the ginger sediments disperse throughout. The drink is balanced – not too sweet with a good dose of lemon juice and a decent level of spice that fades as quickly as it arrives. It's not quite as good as the absolute best ginger beer ... (read more) 4.5/5.0
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Secret Scoop Thai Gelato Thai Iced Tea and Roasted Coconut Gelato: Just a few paces away from the Trader Joe's in Berkeley is a small ice cream shop specializing in Thai-inspired flavors ("Thai Gelato" refers to the unique flavors rather than a specific style of making gelato). Their curated set of gelato and sorbets range from chocolate lemongrass to soursop, originals you're unlikely to find elsewhere, even in a diverse, food-minded community like Berkeley. The Thai iced tea gelato is easily the best I've had; it's very lightly sweetened and tastes stro... (read more) 4.5/5.0
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Seitenbacher Müsli #3: A kitchen-sink muesli, with textures crunchy and soft, flavors sweet and nutty. Sizable pieces of dried fruit include papaya, dates, apple, pineapple, and bananas. Corn flakes work alongside rolled oats, thrown together with sunflower seeds, almonds and cashews. Every mouthful is a different taste, yet they all work harmoniously, miraculously. The kind of product that breakfast lovers of all ages could love. For what it is, you'd be hard-pressed to find better. Purchased at Berkeley Bo... (read more) 4.5/5.0
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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
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