Matutina Cinnamon Concha: Sadly, this post is solely for documentation as Matutina, a Mexican bakery in downtown Portland (about a 5 minute walk from Powell's), is now closed. I was able to try a concha fresh from the oven on the day before they shut their doors, and it was excellent. The bread itself was fluffy, yet had a slightly chewy texture, and the cinnamon crust was on the sweet side but had a lovely spiced flavor reminiscent of breakfast cereal. I hope they're able to open up elsewhere as these baked goods ... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional portland pastry mexican matutina cinnamon concha 4.5
Lolo Sparkling Pomelo Sage Hops: Lolo is a Pacific Northwest brand that makes non-alcoholic, low-calorie drinks. I typically don't like hops-based drinks (and generally don't enjoy the taste of beer), but this sparkling pomelo sage drink went way beyond my expectations. I really enjoyed how vibrant the citrus flavor was. It's sweetened just enough but also quite acidic and well balanced. And it has an herbal aftertaste from the addition of sage. Highly recommended. Purchased at Anchored Ship Coffee Bar in Ballard. 4.5/5.0
drinks exceptional lolo sparkling pomelo sage hops 4.5
Tea King Kiwi Fruit Tea: Tea King is my absolute favorite fruit tea shop in Seattle. Their kiwi fruit tea did not disappoint, with cubes of kiwi fruit with seeds adding their own texture, while the beverage had a refreshing, floral flavor. mixed with housemade kiwi fruit syrup. I got this drink with aloe, which were juicy, slightly crunchy; cut to a similar size as the kiwi fruit, the textures were really satisfying. 4.5/5.0
exceptional seattle drinks teaking kiwi fruit tea 4.5
Berkeley Bowl wasabi snack mix: An incredible value, at a little over $4 for 1 lb, this bulk rice cracker mix has all of the classics: unforgivably spicy wasabi peas, varied shaped (stars, squares, and more) crunchy glazed rice crackers, and nori-covered pieces. I do wish there was a sweet cracker thrown into the mix, but really, there is little to find fault with. 4.0/5.0
berkeleybowl wasabi ricecrackers asian exceptional 4.5 snack mix 4.0
Mystic Muffin Apple Cake: Declared as "world famous," with newspaper clippings to support this claim, Mystic Muffin's apple cake is texturally fantastic, with an ultra moist interior and hearty slices of tender baked apple throughout. It's all topped with a sweet spiced crumble, buttery and baked such that it adds just enough tooth. The sweetness of the crumble sets it a bit over the top, but as far as cakes go, this is definitely one of the best I've had. And at less than $3 USD a slice, it's a wonderful affordab... (read more) 4.0/5.0
exceptional desserts Toronto mysticmuffin apple cake 4.0
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