Golden Steamer Sweet pork bao: Here’s another bao from Golden Steamer in NYC. Filled with sweetened pork in a thick savory gravy, it’s like the enhanced version of a dim sum favorite. Lightly sweetened, pillowy white bread is the centerpiece - there’s much more of it than the meaty filling, and that’s fine by me. It costs $0.90. 3.5/5.0
recommended bao nyc bread goldensteamer sweet pork 3.5
Leonelli Focacceria e Pasticceria Cheesecake: New York, the city of cheesecakes, squeezes in another well-executed rendition at Leonelli Focacceria e Pasticceria, the bakery adjacent to former Lincoln’s chef’s namesake restaurant. A hockey-puck-sized cake is light and airy, not overly sweet yet still uniquely creamy. Topped with slightly tart but mostly sweet sliced strawberries, as well as halved pistachios. No one is asking for yet another cheesecake, but when it’s done well, it falls into place as if it always existed. 4.0/5.0
recommended cheesecake nyc strawberry dessert pistachio cake leonellifocacceriaepasticceria 4.0
Lesser Evil No cheese paleo puffs : Here’s a surprisingly good find at Whole Foods. Letter Evil now has a line of paleo-friendly snacks that contain no grains or cheese (and are thus gluten-free and vegan). While the beige-colored macaroni-shaped pieces look a bit like maggots, they have a consistency slightly crunchier than crunchy Cheetos and a mildly sharp cheese flavor that builds over time. Kind of like how the soy mac and cheese flavor of Amy’s frozen pasta is better than their normal cheese flavor, this snack has a dist... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended wholefoods cheese vegan lesserevil no paleo puffs 4.0 organic
Matchabar Rose matcha milk tea: I really enjoyed a bottled Fuji ginger matcha drink from Matchabar a few months ago and decided to try a freshly-made beverage from their small to-go window in Soho. This rose matcha milk tea, while colorful, was actually quite bad - very sweet, and quickly diluted. Hardly any green tea flavor, and tasted like watery milk after only a few minutes. Definitely $5 wasted. 1.5/5.0
avoid drinks nyc matchabar rose matcha milk tea 1.5
Superiority Burger Apricot and Labne ice cream: Two flavors, apricot and labne, ran for about $6 at this cramped East Village vegetarian spot. The apricot ice cream was strangely warm, very lightly sweetened, and faint though slightly tangy in flavor. The labne sorbet, on the other hand, was sharp and refreshing, tasting of high quality yogurt. Both had a slightly sticky texture reminiscent of Turkish ice cream (but not quite as elastic). Would definitely enjoy the labne again - the apricot, not so much. 3.0/5.0
nyc yogurt dessert sorbet icecream superiorityburger apricot labne ice cream 3.0
Golden Steamer Lotus bun: My coworkers may think I was joking when I said I was going to try every bun from Chinese bao shop Golden Steamer, but let me assure you that I’m going to do my best. This lotus bun was a more traditional option, with a thick and sweet lotus seed paste filling and standard steamed white bun that is denser than other options at The Little Italy bakery. Not as good as the other buns I’ve had, but still, at under $1, it’s hard to complain. 3.0/5.0
bao chinese nyc goldensteamer lotus bun 3.0