Vintage Italia Pasta Bowtie Meatball Parm baked puffed snack: Large bowtie-shaped crisps with a thin shell and hollow interior, this snack is the only one I know currently on the market that resembles 3D Doritos. They are, however, less substantial than their Frito Lay predecessor, which also means the bag must be handled very carefully to avoid a bag of scraps. Tangy, sweet tomato flavor with a good amount of Italian herbs and pepper seasoning. A more intense version of pizza Goldfish crackers. 3.0/5.0
safeway pizza italian vintageitalia pasta bowtie meatball parm baked puffed snack 3.0
Asha Tea Hot ginger tea with goji berries: A mild but warming cup of ginger tea with fresh goji berries that add interest and sharpness. Two slices of very strong ginger top the beverage. I only wish they imparted more of their flavor. 3.0/5.0
drinks berkeley asha ashatea hot ginger tea goji berries 3.0
Berkeley Bowl Mini Animal Crackers: The usual suspects all make appearances: camels, dogs, horses, and other minimalist but immediately identifiable shapes. They are much cuter than your typical animal crackers, and also much less sweet, resembling european biscuits. Bite sized pieces make for easy snacking. Great value. 3.5/5.0
berkeleybowl recommended mini animal crackers 3.5
Hidden Garden Ginger Snap Cookies with Butternut Squash: One of the major downsides of trying so many types of snacks is that when you hit a dud, you're stuck with an entire bag, which also stands in your way of trying new snacks until you finish it. These gluten-free cookies are quite frankly one of the worst snacks I've had all year. When you open the bag, you're hit with a strong scent of butter, which also dominates the taste. There's also a prominent sweet molasses flavor but very little ginger or butternut squash. I love the mellow sweet... (read more) 1.5/5.0
avoid hiddengarden ginger snap cookies butternut squash 1.5 berkeleybowl
Indian Life Masala Chips: Purchased on sale at Berkeley Bowl, this Canadian brand of Indian-spiced chips are flavored with a generous helping of garlic and cumin, as well as proprietary spice blend. They appear to be deep fried and are more flaky than crunchy. While the label suggests eating with your favorite dip, I have a hard time imagining how the chips could hold much of any sauce given how easily they fall apart. The flavor itself is pretty decent and a fresh offering to the snack aisle, but they are quite m... (read more) 2.5/5.0
berkeleybowl indianlife masala chips 2.5
Lush Gelato Mango Sorbet and Ricotta Lemon Zest Gelato: Located in the back of The Epicurious Garden in Berkeley, this Lush Gelato location has a rainbow assortment of sorbets and gelatos made with ingredients proudly sourced from local farms. (This all sounds very befitting for a spot in the Gourmet Ghetto, I know.) I sampled the Vietnamese cinnamon (which tasted like Cinnamon Toast Crunch) before deciding on their mango sorbet and ricotta lemon zest. For all three flavors, I found them to be overly sweet for my taste, and while the texture w... (read more) 2.5/5.0
icecream berkeley fruit lushgelato mango sorbet ricotta lemon zest gelato 2.5