Kopitiam Lychee Bandung: Kopitiam is everything I want in a restaurant – it's unfussy, always introduces me to new flavors, is dependably delicious, and a great value. And I love their drinks, which are always served in pouches. Their current seasonal drink consists of lychee and rose syrup, with a generous helping of whole pieces of lychee fruit. I'd normally find it a little too sweet, but with the extremely hot weather in NYC, it was the perfect thirst quencher. Its floral notes are present but not overly dom... (read more) 3.5/5.0
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Manna House Bakery Scallion and Ham Roll: I was on my way to Golden Steamer when I passed Manna House Bakery ~2 doors down on Mott St that had a small queue of older Asian customers. Locals don't normally wait in line, especially in places as impatient as Chinatown, so I decided to stop in and check out their selection. The cash-only bakery is very narrow, yet has an impressive selection of traditional Chinese pastries like pineapple bun, sponge cake, egg tarts, and more, all thankfully labeled both in Chinese and English. I left ... (read more) 3.5/5.0
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Irvins Salted Egg Salmon Skin: One thing I often point to as an untapped market in the US is seafood-based snacks, which are normally quite popular in many Asian cultures. So I was very excited to try these salmon skin crisps, which have a delightful salty sweet flavor. The crispy fried skins are coated with a savory coating consisting of salted duck egg yolk and spices like curry leaves and bird's eye chili. The fish skin melts in your mouth and has a rounded, rich aftertaste from the egg yolk. I think this is really... (read more) 4.0/5.0
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KitKat Peach KitKats: I was gifted this bag of Japanese peach KitKats from a friend, purchased originally from Berkeley Bowl (the best grocery store in the country!!). The mini KitKats are individually wrapped, and the normally chocolate coating is a pale pink color. I expected this to be really sweet, but it’s surprisingly well balanced, with a tangy and tart ripe peach candy flavor. The rest of the KitKat is the familiar wafer crisps of the iconic candy bar. Definitely worth a try! 4.0/5.0
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Beneficial Brewing Company Jamaican Ginger Hibiscus Kombucha: Great purity of flavors – ginger and hibiscus are refreshingly balanced. Slightly tart with a nice amount of spice that doesn't overwhelming. From Seattle-based brewing company and purchased at stocked at Chicken Supply in Phinney Ridge. 4.0/5.0
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Inka Chips Jalapeno Tostones Plantain Chips: These thick plantain chips have a unique texture – crispy on the outside but starchy inside, like a more substantial potato chip. The jalapeno seasoning is super tasty, well seasoned (with a decent kick of cumin), and just spicy enough. The serving size is criminally small (6 pieces). But I would definitely buy it again as a treat. Purchased at Sprout Market. 4.0/5.0
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