Koreana Plaza Market Mochi: Inside the Koreana Plaza Market in Oakland is a small cash-only bakery with a variety of asian sweets, including lotus-paste-filled pastries (review forthcoming), pineapple buns, and almond cookies. I purchased a pack of two red-bean mochi (despite the oven-fresh sticker on the packaging, I'm pretty sure they were steamed). The mochi are about 125% the size of packaged mochi. Biting into a piece, I could instantly tell that it was very fresh. The glutinous rice flour had a bit more resis... (read more) 3.0/5.0
oakland sweets dessert japanese koreanaplazamarket mochi 3.0
Oorifood Premium Garlic Snack: Since moving to the Bay Area, I've been impressed with how well American grocery stores stock Asian snacks in their ethnic food aisles. Berkeley Bowl in particular has an array of both Japanese and Chinese staples, including dried seafood, shrimp crackers, and multiple varieties of rice crackers (even carrying their own in the bulk section). But one thing that I have missed is Korean snacks, which I had easy access to back in Cambridge, MA since I lived close to an HMart. Luckily, I recent... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended korean puffs longreads oorifood premium garlic snack 4.0
Epic BBQ Seasoning Pork Rinds: With a name like Epic on top of Whole Foods product placement, this brand of artisanal pork rinds (chicharron) is just asking to be put under the microscope. Unsurprisingly, the brand is from Austin, TX, and uses all the popular buzz words like "paleo friendly," "nose to tail," and "antibiotic free." So, is it good? Texturally, it's among the best I've had from a bag, managing to be both light and crunchy - not overly fried and dissolves quickly on the tongue. The smoky BBQ flavor is bol... (read more) 3.5/5.0
recommended wholefoods porkrinds meat chicharron epic bbq seasoning pork rinds 3.5
Zema Madhouse Sweet Potato Spice Cookies: Crumbly mini cookies flavored with sweet potato, ginger, and cinnamon. Gluten-free, substituting gluten-full ingredients with hemp, chia, and flax meal. Sounds too healthy to be any good? Fear not – the flavors are robust (especially the spicy ginger), and pumpkin seeds lend good and varied texture. As far as crunchy cookies go, Zema's madhouse has struck an admirable balance between good-for-you and good-tasting. 3.5/5.0
recommended ginger glutenfree zemamadhouse sweet potato spice cookies 3.5 wholefoods
Bare Cinnamon Banana Chips: Containing only bananas and cinnamon, these literally bare banana chips are super crunchy but not dense, giving them a uniquely crisp texture. In the bag, they clink like bingo chips unlike more weighty alternatives like fried banana chips. No added sugar. Cinnamon is an unexpectedly good pairing. Only downside is they get stuck in your teeth. High price per serving (just 3 in the bag), but well worth a try. 3.5/5.0
recommended fruit bare cinnamon banana chips 3.5
I Heart Keenwah Aged Cheddar flavored quinoa puffs: Cheese puffs that substitute quinoa for corn and thus have a more substantial amount of protein (5g). About the size of a quarter, these crunchy bites have a flavor strongly reminiscent of aged cheddar boxed mac and cheese powder (the nice Amy's kind, not Kraft). Ends with a punchy peppercorn kick. Bag contains few servings (3). Worth a try if you're looking for a slightly healthier alternative to cheese puffs. 3.0/5.0
cheese quinoa iheartkeenwah aged cheddar flavored puffs 3.0 berkeleybowl