Riska Yasai Salad Snack: I’m on a quest to try all flavors of umaibo, the Japanese puffed corn snack. This one is salad flavored, resembling veggie crackers but with an Asian twist incorporating soy and sesame oil. They have a consistent ring-shaped form factor thicker than American Funyuns. It’s not one of my favorite umaibo flavors, but it’s still tasty. 3.5/5.0
recommended japanese umaibo riska yasai salad snack 3.5
Boba Guys Horchata: For those who are tired of Asian bubble tea options, the horchata at Boba Guys is refreshingly sweet, with a pleasant spiced cinnamon flavor. 3.5/5.0
drinks recommended bobaguys horchata 3.5
Zico Coconut Water: For a while, I tried different brands of coconut water wondering what all the fuss was about. At the end of the day, most tasted about the same. But then I purchased this relatively inexpensive bottle from the vending machine and realized that coconut water can taste bad. This bottle had a strong slightly metallic flavor. Not good. 2.0/5.0
drinks avoid zico coconut water 2.0
White Rabbit Cream Prune Drops: Most people know White Rabbit from their iconic chewy milk-flavored candies wrapped in rice paper. But when several coworkers from Shanghai visited bearing (candy) gifts, I was surprised to find prune-flavored White Rabbit hard candies. These drops are reminiscent of dried sour and sweet salted plums that are a popular snack in Taiwan. It is probably not a snack universally enjoyed, but those who like salted plums will appreciate its flavor. 3.0/5.0
chinese candy whiterabbit cream prune drops 3.0
Lemoncocco Lemon Coconut Beverage: Creamy-colored non-carbonated soft drink similar in appearance to Calpico, Lemoncoco has a slightly sharper acidic lemon flavor mixed with coconut water. I like lemon, and I like coconut water, but together, it tastes muddled. I wanted to like it much more than I did. 3.0/5.0
drinks lemoncoco lemon coconut beverage 3.0
Dominique Ansel Bakery Frozen S’more: Brûléed to order, this sizable toasted marshmallow resembles a baked Alaska, with a vanilla ice cream interior mixed with chocolate crunchies. The texture of the marshmallow is excellent - light but having a satisfying chew - and it has a crisp honey-flavored sugary shell. Before you reach the ice cream filling, it’s overly sweet due to the layer of caramelized sugar, but the chocolate crunchies add a touch of bitterness that ultimately balances it out. An elevated and playful reworking of a... (read more) 4.0/5.0
dessert recommended la marshmallow icecream chocolate dominiqueanselbakery frozen s’more 4.0