Lotte Chocolate Caramel Choco Pie in Ginza : The iconic snack Choco Pie from Korean brand Lotte is available in most places shops in Japan. This particular Ginza chocolate caramel cake flavor is part of a special edition "around the world" series which takes iconic desserts from various cities around the world. For example, it previously featured the NYC cheesecake. I've never actually heard of a Tokyo-specific chocolate caramel cake (and a quick Google Search comes up empty). This is a very decadent Choco Pie, with chocolate cake i... (read more) 3.0/5.0
japanese desserts inegaya lotte chocolate caramel choco pie in ginza 3.0
Calbee Grill-A-Corn Lobster in Supreme Soup Flavored Corn Chips: Purchased from Hong Kong Supermarket in Chinatown, these Cheetos-like corn snacks have a remarkably concentrated lobster flavor that I think most people could identify blind. The seafood flavor is immediately distinctive from other more popular seasonings you might stumble upon in Asian grocery stores, like squid or octopus. I'm not sure where the soup part comes in, and there isn't anything particularly Chinese about the overall taste; it has a creamy flavor, as if you're eating lobster... (read more) 3.0/5.0
hongkongsupermarket junkfood seafood chinese calbee grill-a-corn lobster in supreme soup flavored corn chips 3.0
Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss coconut almond in chocolate dessert: Haven't had a chocolate-covered ice cream bar in ages but my newly lactose-free dad was craving ice cream, and these coconut-based non-dairy bars were on sale at Whole Foods. Its dark chocolate coating is mixed with chopped almonds, and the whole product is organic. Overall, a really good quality product. Isn't overly rich (like a Haagen Dazs) but still decadent. Classic coconut + chocolate flavor combination. Would eat over most other ice cream bars, non dairy or otherwise. 4.0/5.0
recommended organic icecream lunalarrys coconut bliss almond in chocolate dessert 4.0 wholefoods
Wanderlust Creamery Japanese Neapolitan ice cream with sticky rice and mango in an ube cone: Inventive flavors inspired by places around the world abound at Wanderlust Creamery in Los Angeles. Their Japanese Neapolitan, combining matcha, hojicha, and black sesame, was all the flavors I want to eat in one scoop, creating a beautiful marbled color. The sticky rice and mango was very rich, with a prominent coconut flavor and ribbons of mango throughout. I was most impressed by the housemade ube cone, which was probably the best cone I've ever had. The waffle cone was thicker than m... (read more) 5.0/5.0
icecream la exceptional wanderlustcreamery japanese neapolitan ice cream sticky rice mango in an ube cone 5.0 losangeles
Uji Pineapple softserve in small taiyaki cone: Two exciting updates on the Uji-front (my favorite soft serve spot in Berkeley): they now have "small" sized taiyaki cones, which are ideal (you still get a ton of soft serve, and it's about $5), and the new seasonal flavor is pineapple. The taiyaki cone is as good as ever - a fish-shaped waffle that's crispy on the outside and soft and chewy inside, with a surprise of red bean plugging the bottom. It's the ideal serving vehicle that holds up especially well compared to regular cones (it d... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended icecream berkeley japanese uji pineapple softserve in small taiyaki cone 4.0 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