Uji Time Tofu Soft Serve: This flavor has eluded me for several months. I sampled the tofu the first time I ever came to this Japanese ice cream shop in Berkeley and loved it but opted for the classic black sesame for my first cup. Ever subsequent time I went back to Uji, the tofu was sold out. Finally, a few months ago, I was able to get it, but this time, the texture had degraded a bit, with the soft serve being uncharacteristically icy. Still, the soy milk flavor is excellent and easily identifiable to anyone ... (read more) 3.0/5.0
softserve icecream berkeley soymilk soy ujitime tofu soft serve 3.0
iTea Guava green tea with lychee jelly and boba: I can’t tell if the fruit teas are generally underwhelming or the quality of this bubble tea shop has just declined over time, but this guava green tea from iTea on Kearny in SF was too sweet, even at 30% sweetness, with a syrupy taste and no trace of green tea. Contains lychee jelly and boba, both of which were decent. Lines were incredibly long at the end of a weekday. Questioning whether I should just stop returning to this once-favorite place. 2.0/5.0
drinks bubbletea sanfrancisco sf itea guava green tea lychee jelly boba 2.0
Annie’s Tropical Treats Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks: Fruit snacks bring me back to elementary school and the days of Fruit by the Foot / Roll Up. In those days, organic, fresh foods were not really part of anyone’s vocabulary in suburban NJ. I was curious about what an organic take on fruit snacks would taste like from Berkeley-based food company Annie’s and purchased these on sale. The fruit snacks have a softer, gummier texture than something like Welsh fruit snacks or Dots candy. The tropical pack contains a mix of mango-peach, orange, and... (read more) 2.5/5.0
fruitsnacks annies tropical treats organic bunny fruit 2.5
YakiniQ Strawberry yuzu lemonade: A remarkably thirst-quenching summer drink, with strawberry seeds mixed throughout and citrus rind (in the same pulpy form as Asian citron tea) at the bottom. Well balanced; sweet and tart, and ultra fresh. One of the best beverages I’ve had in recent memory. Seasonal offering from this small cafe in the heart of Japantown in SF. 4.5/5.0
exceptional drinks sf japantown strawberry yuzu lemonade 4.5
Asha tea Blueberry green tea: Another great fruit tea from Asha tea in Berkeley. The drink is tea-first, with a mild herbal flavor that’s clean and refreshing. It pairs well with the fresh blueberry pulp, which turns the drink a deep shade of purple. 4.0/5.0
recommended drinks boba ashatea blueberry green tea 4.0
Beanitos Better cheddar and sour cream pinto bean chips: High fiber + protein tortilla chips made of bean (instead of corn). They have a more crumbly texture than your typical chip and a stronger flavor. Together, with cheddar and sour cream, I expected it to taste like a bean dip, but it was strangely muddled and unbalanced. Do not recommend. 2.5/5.0
tortilla veggie chips beanitos better cheddar sour cream pinto bean 2.5