Trader Joe's Rice Bites with Quinoa & Cranberries: To be honest, I'm not a big fan of quinoa, and dried cranberries are probably my least favorite dried fruit. So why exactly did I purchase these grain + fruit bites from Trader Joe's? I blame it on my curiosity for this growing food trend of bite-sized squares, in both chewy and crunchy varieties, that appeal to health-minded consumers yet are not actually so healthy from a pure calorie and sugar-intake perspective. Trader Joe's take is simply not good. It has a cloying, artifical sweetn... (read more) 2.5/5.0
traderjoes rice bites quinoa cranberries 2.5
Trader Joe's Jalapeño seasoned corn and rice puffs: My sister sent me an awesome birthday present from the US: a box of Trader Joe's snacks. I've been away from the US for 9 months now (!) and before that, was mostly shopping at the Park Slope Food Coop, so I haven't had a chance to try their seasonal snack offerings for a long while, which is one of the main reasons I enjoyed shopping there. Normally, puffed snacks made of alternative grains like rice and quinoa (as opposed to the more typical corn puffs) are too soft in texture or have a ... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended traderjoes jalapeño seasoned corn rice puffs 3.5
Trader Joe’s Rice Cracker Medley: This rice cracker snack from Trader Joe’s doesn’t taste exactly like those you get at any Asian grocery store. The crackers have a glazed coating that tastes more strongly of rice vinegar than any other rice cracker mix I’ve had before, giving it a uniquely tangy and sharp flavor. Tossed in with the rice crackers is the occasional wasabi pea. Overall, a solid snack priced reasonably - would purchase again. 3.5/5.0
recommended ricecrackers wasabi asian traderjoes rice cracker medley 3.5
Wakabato Iso Hineri rice crackers: Thought I hadn't tasted this particular brand before, these seaweed-flavored rice crackers are a classic Japanese snack. The rice crackers have a braided texture and curled shape, almost like a tentacle, and are coated with a sweet and savory glaze speckled with nori. Addictive and well balanced, these are the rice crackers I most often crave. Purchased from Tokyo Fish Market. 4.0/5.0
recommended japanese nori ricecrackers tokyofishmarket wakabato iso hineri rice crackers 4.0
Wanderlust Creamery Japanese Neapolitan ice cream with sticky rice and mango in an ube cone: Inventive flavors inspired by places around the world abound at Wanderlust Creamery in Los Angeles. Their Japanese Neapolitan, combining matcha, hojicha, and black sesame, was all the flavors I want to eat in one scoop, creating a beautiful marbled color. The sticky rice and mango was very rich, with a prominent coconut flavor and ribbons of mango throughout. I was most impressed by the housemade ube cone, which was probably the best cone I've ever had. The waffle cone was thicker than m... (read more) 5.0/5.0
icecream la exceptional wanderlustcreamery japanese neapolitan ice cream sticky rice mango in an ube cone 5.0 losangeles
Wanpo Tea Shop Black Rice & Taro with Coconut Milk: This is my second time getting a drink from this Taiwanese bubble tea shop, this time at their Shibuya location. Both times, the employees seemed to identify that I was Chinese and spoke to me in Mandarin, but I could barely cobble enough Chinese together to say that I didn't want the drink to be too sweet. This particular drink is almost like eating a dessert rather than a drink, containing more solid ingredients than liquid and reminding me of eating Taiwanese shaved ice, with its mix of... (read more) 2.5/5.0
drinks wanpoteashop black rice taro coconut milk 2.5