Fay Da Bakery Mango Mochi: The second mango mochi I tried in NYC Chinatown was from Fay Da Bakery, which is just around the corner from Taipan on Mott Street. This one cost $2.50. Overall, it fell flat for a few reasons. First, the mochi itself had a gloopy texture that didn't hold together and made it unpleasant to eat. Next, the cream itself was just a regular whipped cream (not mango flavored) that tasted quite ordinary. There were some small chunks of mango throughout the interior, but they didn't taste especial... (read more) 2.5/5.0
chinatown nyc faydabakery mango mochi 2.5
Taipan Bakery Mango Mochi: Mango Mochi is having a moment on social media, so I decided to try out a few from NYC's Chinatown. First up was Taipan Bakery, a long-standing Chinese bakery with locations in Chinatown and Flushing. The mango mochi was available in the pastry display case and cost $3. Unlike the mango mochi I had seen on the Internet, this one did not have fresh mango on the inside but instead had a orangish-yellow cream. It appears both the cream and mochi have been flavored with mango, but there is no... (read more) 4.0/5.0
chinatown taipanbakery mango mochi 4.0
Jolibee Peach mango pie: Often when lots of people are effusive about something, I try not to learn too much about it beforehand so it doesn’t color my first impressions - like watching a trailer of a movie or reading a review of a novel. Jolibee is one of those establishments that has its own religion, so when I finally got to try it, I knew both that the fried chicken and mango peach pie were favorites but nothing more about them. I was surprised to find that the mango peach pie was fried, but in retrospect it’s ... (read more) 2.5/5.0
jolibee peach mango pie 2.5
Trader Joe’s Spicy mango lemonade: I wasn’t quite expecting this spicy mango lemonade to be as spicy as it is, thinking it would be more fruity with a small chili-spiked aftertaste, but this is definitely not a drink to gulp down as you might normally with a thirst-quenching glass of lemonade. The heat is pretty upfront, stemming from a mix of jalapeño and cayenne, but if you like spicy drinks, I can see how this can be a refreshing take. You can definitely taste the mango too. Kudos to Trader Joe’s for not diluting the ta... (read more) 3.0/5.0
drinks traderjoes spicy mango lemonade 3.0
Trader Joe's Mango Jalapeño Apple Fruit Snacks: These strawberry shaped dummies are shaped as if they've been stamped rather than molded, a straight extrusion of a 2d profile. They have a dense rather than chewy texture similar to a thick piece of fruit leather. Its flavor combines several concentrates, including apple, mango, and lemon, and it's finished with jalapeño pepper powder. You can definitely taste all of those individual ingredients – there's a pleasantly spicy aftertaste and the lemon juice helps balance out the sweetness of... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended traderjoes mango jalapeño apple fruit snacks 3.5
Morinaga Mango yogurt with aloe cubes: Pieces of aloe in creamy yogurt did not seem appealing to me when I first moved to Japan, but now having it for breakfast or a small snack feels like a daily routine. Generally, the Morinaga yogurt is runny and has a slightly tart flavor, and the cubes of aloe add a burst of juicy sweetness. The aloe yogurts come in a variety of fruit flavors a nd have bits of fruit inside on top of the aloe; the mango version is a nice tropical treat. 3.5/5.0
recommended japanese morinaga mango yogurt aloe cubes 3.5