Monterey Market Fresh-squeezed blood orange juice: I’ve always been curious about the fresh squeezed juice at Monterey Market in Berkeley and decided to take advantage of potentially my last opportunity to try it. Unsurprisingly, the blood orange juice has a wonderfully refreshing sweet citrus flavor. Most of the pulp has been taken out, but it has just enough to remind you of just how fresh it is. A bit pricy, at $5 for a 32oz container, but you definitely get what you pay for! 4.0/5.0
berkeley bloodorange citrus drinks montereymarket fresh-squeezed blood orange juice 4.0 recommended
Lu Raspberry Paille d’Or biscuits: It’s rare for me to come across a snack that bears little resemblance to anything I’ve eaten before, but this raspberry flavored “cookies” fall into that category. Literally translated as “golden straws” the cookies come from Lu, a popular French biscuit brand. The cookies come stacked in individually wrapped package, laid out in a row of three you can break off similar to a 3-prong Kit Kat. The exterior is flaky and somewhat reminiscent of a wafer, but more styrofoam-like in texture and non... (read more) 3.0/5.0
montereymarket sweets lu raspberry paille d’or biscuits 3.0 French
Bubble Tea Share Time Thai iced tea slushie: I went to the dentist yesterday and didn’t have any new cavities, which is quite a feat given the existence of this blog. Also, it’s getting hot in Berkeley. To celebrate, I got a Thai Iced Tea “slushie” with boba from Share Tea, a bubble tea shop on Shattuck in Berkeley a few blocks away from downtown. While I asked for it to be less sweet, I should have asked for it to have 0 added sweetness as it was still overly sugary. But the Thai iced tea flavor, though classic, was refreshing, and th... (read more) 3.0/5.0
berkeley bubbletea drinks sharetea thai iced tea slushie 3.0
Asha Tea Sparkling ginger lemonade: I didn’t know Asha Tea served any non-tea drinks, but they currently have a special sparkling ginger lemonade drink available only available at their Berkeley location. Ginger soda is my favorite drink, so when I saw the sign at the register for this new special, I switched my order to get it. The drink is made from a house made ginger syrup and has a pleasantly potent spicy flavor that stays with you for several minutes even after you’re done. The lemon flavor is milder and has a cooling ef... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended drinks berkeley ashatea sparkling ginger lemonade 3.5 soda
Cheeseboard Chocolate Things: Representative of the ingredient-focus mindset of California cuisine more generally, this lightly sweetened roll is rich and buttery in flavor but also fluffy and light in texture. Good quality chocolate chunks throughout. Very classic and delicious - I can easily imagine it any patisserie in Paris. A great value at just $3. Purchased from the iconic Cheeseboard bakery on Berkeley. 4.0/5.0
recommended bread bakery berkeley brioche cheeseboard chocolate things 4.0
FK Frozen Custard Black Sesame and Matcha White Chocolate Ice Cream: The last time I had ice cream from FK Frozen Custard, the brand was still named "Frozen Kuhsterd," and they were a food-truck-only business. Now they have a brick and mortar in the Lower Haight in SF, still offering a mix of classic flavors and asian-inspired options like black sesame, milk tea, and ube. I ordered one scoop with two flavors, which was generously sized and easily sharable – though I had the entire scoop for myself. (: My previous experience with Frozen Kuhsterd involved an ... (read more) 3.0/5.0
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