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
Dominique Ansel Bakery Gingerbread Pinecone: I still haven't tried a cronut, but I have tried some of Dominique Ansel's desserts in the past, mostly through special events held at his New York West Village Kitchen location. While some were exceptional, namely a pea and carrot dessert modeled after a baby's first word, others have actually been quite bad (like the pie night a few years ago). There is a relatively short line at his first bakery and restaurant in Los Angeles at The Grove, so I opted for a seasonal treat: the gingerbread... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional desserts cake ganache ginger spiced speculoos chocolate losangeles la dominiqueansel dominiqueanselbakery gingerbread pinecone 4.5
Iceskimo Shaved Snow: Located in La Jolla, Iceskimo is a self-proclaimed "artisan snow shavery" serving shaved ice inspired by those found in Taiwan and Hawaii. The shaved ice is a mix between ice cream and shaved ice - creamier than the shaved ice found on the streets of Taipei, shaved thinly into overlapping ribbons. They have many classic Asian flavors to chose from, from black sesame to matcha to Thai tea. I tried both the black sesame (pictured) as well as the Thai tea and found the Thai tea to be the mos... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended desserts taiwnaese shavedice blacksesame thaitea boba icecream iceskimo shaved snow 3.5