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
recommended chinatown nyc mannahousebakery scallion ham roll 3.5
BAD Roll the Spice Pumpkin Spice Granola: Standing for Bad and Delicious, BAD aims to rid the world of artificial snacks "masquerading as health" with a combination of grain-less ingredients like sprouted nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, and hazelnuts), shredded coconut, and ginger spice. Despite the lack of grains, I still found myself eating it largely in place of regular granola (in yogurt, milk). But I found the pumpkin spice flavor to be overly dominant, like eating a seasonal candle. I'd personally prefer a more muted, neutr... (read more) 2.0/5.0
sproutmarket bad roll spice pumpkin granola 2.0
Meyers Bageri Cinnamon Roll: On my recent trip to Scandinavia, the one item I was on the look out for was cardamom buns. Unfortunately, a handful of the bakeries I tried to go to didn't work out. Most of them were closed for the month of July as part of their summer holiday (could you imagine if people did this in the US?!), which I only sadly discovered after going to them in person. It was a reminder not to trust Google Map opening hours as bakeries often share that they're closed through their Instagram feeds. Ba... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended bakery cinnamon bread roll 3.5 meyersbageri
Cheeseboard Cheese Roll: This is a quintessential offering at Cheeseboard, combining the two things the famed bakery is know for: cheese and bread. The roll has a tangy, sharp flavor both from the melted crispy gruyere and from its sourdough base. Slightly crusty but soft and fluffy inside, it’s delicious in its simplicity. 3.5/5.0
recommended berkeley bread cheeseboard cheese roll 3.5
Cheeseboard Asiago Roll: While I find the pizzeria next door to be overrated, I've generally had great experiences at the Cheeseboard cheese shop and bakery. The asiago roll, covered in sesame seeds, demands to be eaten fresh out of the oven, when tearing the crust reveals a warm and soft wondrously scented interior, smelling strongly of yeast, cheese, and onion. The onion is caramelized, and combined with the crunchy bits of toasted cheese on the outside, the bread is the ideal savory snack. 4.5/5.0
exceptional bread berkeley cheese cheeseboard asiago roll 4.5
Tootsie Roll Watermelon Tootsie Roll Pop: In a bowl of free Tootsie Roll Pops at CopyTech at MIT, I came across this watermelon lollipop, a flavor I hadn't previously encountered. According to Wikipedia, it was introduced in 2004. I wouldn't be surprised if I haven't had a Tootsie Roll Pop in about a decade, but I do have a "soft" spot for Tootsie Rolls generally. Unsurprisingly, the watermelon flavor tastes nothing like the real fruit, yet is not wildly artificial in the way Jolly Ranchers or other hard candies might be. That said,... (read more) 2.5/5.0
tootsieroll candy watermelon chocolate 2.5 tootsie roll pop