Sun Tropics Thai Bird Sriracha Mochi Snack Bites: It's been interesting to see crunchy mochi snacks show up in more and more places, especially when their product placement is side by side with the chewy dessert mochi that's more familiar. I personally was not such a fan of the Trader Joe's mochi bites, which are overseasoned, but I did enjoy these sweet and spicy Thai bird sriracha flavored ones that I purchased from Ballard Market. The little nuggets are dense yet crispy, definitely get stuck in your teeth, and are dusted with an orange... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended ballardmarket suntropics thai bird sriracha mochi snack bites 3.5
Trader Joe's Organic Sparkling Green Tea: A solid alternative to caffeinated soda, this sparkling tea is enhanced by grapefruit and mint. The level of carbonation is light, and no one flavor dominates. Generally, a well balanced drink I'd be happy to have again. 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks traderjoes organic sparkling green tea 3.5
Culture Shock Last Unicorn Blueberry Ginger Kombucha: I never really considered myself to be a kombucha person, but Washington state seems to be really into it, and being a fan of beverages more generally, I'm up for trying local treats. This bottle was purchased at Top Banana, a local produce store, and features just a few natural ingredients: blueberries, ginger, green and black teas, and sugar. It has a beautiful natural purple color unlike any beverage I've had before. The overall flavor is fruity, slightly spiced rather than spicy, and h... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended drinks seattle cultureshock last unicorn blueberry ginger kombucha 4.0
Shen Zen Tea Ginger Kombucha: There are a lot of local kombucha brewers in Seattle, so I’m getting to expand my drink reviews. This brand, Shen Zen Tea, sells product at Uwajimaya but also holds a stand at the Ballard farmers market on Sundays. The drink combines ginger and lemongrass and is lightly sweetened. It has a prominently fermented sour and tangy flavor. I liked it the more I drank it, and the bottle, while on the expensive side, at around $6, lasted for multiple servings. 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks uwajimaya shenzentea ginger kombucha 3.5
Iggy’s Ginger honeybrew kombucha: From Bainbridge Island, this ginger honey kombucha is pleasantly spiced with orange, lemon, star anise, and cinnamon and has a bright floral honey aftertaste. It’s much milder than other kombucha I’ve had, which brings out the honey flavor even more. The ginger is faint but still refreshing. A portion of sales gets donated to fund bee research. 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks honey iggys ginger honeybrew kombucha 3.5
Macfuddy Pepper Elixir: Orca Beverage is a wholesale distributor for vintage sodas, featuring the likes of Dad's Root Beer and Bubble Up. I didn't actually know about Orca Beverage until I had already purchased a few bottles of sodas from Uwajimaya, a Japanese grocery store that somehow also features a wide range of non-Asian beverages. They all had a vintage vibe, and it wasn't until I returned home that I noticed they all had Orca bottle caps. Macfuddy has a definite Dr. Pepper vibe but also manages to have a ... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks uwajimaya macfuddy pepper elixir 3.5