Hop Shu-Kuri-Mu Matcha and red bean bread: There is a small bakery in the heart of Azabu-Juban in Tokyo that has the most delicious cream puffs – they also sell a variety of other baked goods, including fresh loaves of bread with visually striking swirls of flavor baked in, similar to what you might see for flavored milk bread loaves at Asian bakeries more generally. Their loaves tend to be about half the size of what you might see in the US. I really enjoyed the spongy, stretchy texture and faint sweetness of this loaf. If you ev... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended azabujuban japanese tokyo hopshukurimu matcha red bean bread 3.5
Koikeya Roasted Shrimp and Garlic Corn Snacks: Shaped like crunchy Cheetos, these corn sticks are heavily seasoned with a roasted seafood flavor that's both salty and sweet. Like an amped up version of Shrimp Chips, with the same level of saturated flavor as a Frito Lay's snack but distinctively Asian with its use of shellfish in junk food. Purchased at Inegaya. 3.5/5.0
recommended japanese koikeya roasted shrimp garlic corn snacks 3.5
Trader Joe's Pumpkin Pie Spiced Ginger Brew: While a seasonal pumpkin pie TJ's item is understandably out of place in the middle of Spring, I was lucky to get to try this item many months after it was on the shelves because a friend saved it for when I returned to the states. Being outside of the US last fall meant I missed the hit-or-miss frenzy of pumpkin flavored things at Trader Joe's. This bottle of pumpkin-pie spiced ginger brew looks substantial but actually only contains two servings and contains no actual pumpkin; instead, i... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks traderjoes pumpkin pie spiced ginger brew 3.5
Mooala Strawberry Banana Milk: This brand of organic nut-free milk uses bananas, strawberries, and sunflower seeds to achieve a milky, thick consistency not unlike regular dairy milk. It doesn't taste anything like Nesquik strawberry milk syrup, but it felt like a product a health-conscious parent would buy their kid in place of Nesquik. I didn't find it overly sweet, and the strawberry banana flavor is pleasantly creamy, like a very light fruit smoothie. I'd try other products from this brand! Purchased at PCC. 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks PCC mooala strawberry banana milk 3.5
Milk Bar Pie ice cream: Available at Whole Foods, this Milk Bar branded ice cream is strangely slightly smaller than a pint and tastes more like breakfast than pie, thanks to oat-like crumbles throughout. It’s very rich and sweet and reminds me of Friendly’s butter crunch, with a brown butter caramel flavor. The type of dessert you can enjoy a few scoops of before you realize it’s too rich to eat more — but those couple of scoops are pretty enjoyable. 3.5/5.0
recommended whole foods icecream milkbar pie ice cream 3.5
Olipop Strawberry Vanilla Sparkling Tonic: This alternative beverage is not calorie (35) or sugar free (3g) but incorporates lots of unexpected alternative ingredients like kudzu root, elm bark, and Jerusalem artichoke, along with vanilla bean and strawberry essence. Their marketing describes this as beneficial "prebiotics, plant fiber, and botanicals" to support your digestive health. I didn't really care so much about the ingredients and was mostly drawn to the nicely designed packaging and flavor combinations I naturally gravita... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended pic drinks olipop strawberry vanila sparkling tonic 3.5