Trader Joe's Turkey Stuffing and Seasoned Kettle Chips: After moving, Berkeley Bowl has become the only grocery store I go to, but when I went home, I was brought to Trader Joe's and remembered all its special seasoning items. Taking advantage of the opportunity, I purchased a bag of Thanksgiving-flavored potato chips, which are the most memorably flavored chip I've had in recent memory. The texture of the chip is solid, but the gravy-flavored seasoning is really what makes these chips stand out. It's robust and concentrated, yet still easy to... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional potatochips traderjoes turkey stuffing seasoned kettle chips 4.5
Trader Joe's Triple Ginger Brew: I was super excited to finally get a chance to try this seasonal item, which our cashier informed us was an item people protest about once it leaves the shelves. It comes in a really handy and reusable glass soda bottle and is well sized for a small gathering. Wanting to impress my Taiwanese family, who knows a thing or two about ginger, I brought this out during a dinner and poured everyone a cup. My aunt said it tasted like Spirte with a tiny bit of ginger aftertaste, but I disagree – o... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional drinks gingerbeer traderjoes triple ginger brew 4.5
Trader Joe's Yuzu Ripple Coconut Frozen Dessert: This vegan coconut-based "ice cream" is one of the best things I've ever had from Trader Joe's. The coconut base is more neutral than other vegan frozen desserts I've had, making the acidic yuzu ripples the dominant flavor. It seems to be flavored with both yuzu zest as well as marmalade-like yuzu "ripples" that add a satisfying chewy texture. Perfect for hot summer days. 4.5/5.0
exceptional vegan desserts icecream traderjoes yuzu ripple coconut frozen dessert 4.5
Uji Black sesame soft serve: The best sesame soft serve I've ever had was at a small tea shop at the Mitsuwa in Edgewater, NJ. Whenever I see black sesame ice cream on a menu, I will typically order it to see how it compares, and the one at Uji comes really close. Uji is a small Japanese sweets shop on Telegraph in Berkeley whose menu includes soft serve (matcha, tofu, black sesame), mochi ice cream, and taiyaki. I ordered a cone of black sesame soft serve which comes in a generous portion and can be optionally ordered ... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional uji black sesame soft serve 4.5 ujitime
Uji Lavender soft serve in Taiyaki cone: The best lavender ice cream I've ever had was in Hokkaido, Japan at Farm Tomita, where their lush, seemingly endless fields of lavender are the basis for wondrously floral and creamy soft serve. I have yet to find anything that comes close, but the seasonal lavender flavor at Uji, a Japanese ice cream shop in Berkeley, is a strong contender. The trick is their careful balance - the lavender does not overpower (which otherwise would lead to a mouthful of perfume-flavored cream), yet the flav... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional uji lavender soft serve in taiyaki cone 4.5 ujitime
Vive la Tarte Zatar and Orange Blossom Croissant: I really wish I had taken a better photograph, but you'll just have to believe this was a supremely good croissant even if the photo doesn't do it justice. The orange blossom paste filling was fragrantly floral and just sweet enough, while the zatar and sesame seasoning on the exterior gave it a uniquely savory-sweet combination. The texture of the croissant was the flakiest I've had, while the interior was very soft and just a tad stretchy, without being overly buttery or rich. It was a ... (read more) 4.0/5.0
exceptional croissants pastry sanfrancisco vivelatarte zatar orange blossom croissant 4.0