Bhan Kanom Thai Kanom Bueng Kem: Bhan Kanom Thai is a dessert shop located in a strip mall in the heart of LA's Thai Town. Immediately upon entering the store, you're struck by the wonderful smell of toasted coconut as multiple cooks prepare fresh traditional Thai treats. Along the walls are shelves of packaged snacks, from potato chips to dried seafood to wasabi peas, all from various asian countries and most of which I had never seen before. Many of their house-made pastries are pre-packaged in quantities of 6 or more,... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended la thai crepe bhankanomthai kanom bueng kem 4.0
Bibble and Sip BBB Black Sesame Bun: I love pineapple buns, and this was an inventive reimagining of the classic pastry flavored with black sesame. The "pineapple" crust was less thick and crispy than traditional buns, giving it a more consistent but pleasant texture. Inside, the bread was black and contained a mixture of egg custard and black sesame filling. The bread itself was lightly sweetened, with most of the sweetness coming through in the egg custard filling which reminded me of salted egg yolk. It's all topped with a ... (read more) 3.5/5.0
pastries recommended blacksesame pineapplebun bibbleandsip bbb black sesame bun 3.5 nyc
Bibi Bitter Apertivo Soda: This non-alcoholic beverage has a vivid blood orange flavor and wonderfully balanced citrus and herbal notes. The can doesn't contain any identifying information other than "natural herb and fruit extracts," but it reminds me a little bit of the classic, slightly medicinal flavor of sarsaparilla soda mixed with a bright yet bitter orange kick. Made in Toronto, Canada. 4.0/5.0
recommended drinks bibi bitter apertivo soda 4.0
Biena Rockin' Ranch Chickpea Snacks: An unlikely combination of fried chickpeas and ranch that works remarkably well, though I'm convinced that almost anything could be made tasty with the tangy and zesty ranch seasoning. The addictive coating is a cross between sour cream and onion and ranch dressing, making it bolder than your typical ranch snack. Adds great texture to salads but is also addictive straight out of the bag (though a bit messy to eat). 3.5/5.0
recommended berkeleybowl vegetables biena rockin' ranch chickpea 3.5
Bingrae Original Crab Chips: I'm pretty sure Bingrae is like the Kraft Foods of Korea, with a hand in all types of packaged food products from banana-flavored milk to ice cream bars to ready-made meals. These crab chips are especially notable because of their unique shape, which look like little puffed wheat crabs. They are baked rather than fried but still have a satisfying junk food taste, seasoned with a combination of garlic powder and crab flavoring and with a touch of heat. I would definitely buy it again. Pur... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended hmart bingrae original crab chips 4.0
Bitsy's Brainfood Zucchini Gingerbread Carrot Smart Cookies: This brand of snacks was started by two moms looking for healthier options for their growing kids. I purchased the bag from Berkeley Bowl not knowing what to expect – I really like gingerbread, but I absolutely hate zucchini. Luckily, the crunchy alphabet-shaped cookies ended up being delicious and taste much more like baked goods like carrot cake or zucchini bread than they do of any pure vegetable. Sweetness from the carrots is definitely distinguishable from the molasses, cinnamon, and ... (read more) 4.0/5.0
organic berkeleybowl 4.0 gingerbread recommended bitsysbrainfood zucchini carrot smart cookies