Lay's Grilled Squid Flavor Potato Chips: Purchased at HMart, these substantially ridged potato chips feature a sweet and savory flavor that's a little smoky and a lot of umami. Akin to a sweet teriyaki glaze. I especially liked the texture of the ridges, whose valleys and mountains are about 3x as deep as Ruffles. Worth a try if you're into seafood flavored snacks. 3.5/5.0
recommended hmart lays grilled squid flavor potato chips 3.5
Besalu Onion and Gruyere Croissant: In the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle is a small bakery called Besalu. Their sign says "handmade pastries," but they also make savory breads. This onion and gruyere bread, made from croissant dough, has all the flaky, buttery richness of a croissant mixed with the sweetness of caramelized onion and crispiness of baked gruyere. Somehow, it feels like an obvious flavor combination for baked goods, like the bread version of french onion soup, but it isn't one I've ever had before – and one ... (read more) 4.0/5.0
recommended seattle besalu onion gruyere croissant 4.0
Trader Joe's Ridge Cut Potato Chips with Horseradish and Chives: I really enjoyed this fresh take on sour cream and onion. The horseradish flavor is spicy but palatably so, and the chips have a great texture – not too thick and more crispy than crunchy. Definitely recommended for anyone who likes sour cream and onion but would prefer a tangier, sharper flavor. 3.5/5.0
recommended potatochips traderjoes ridge cut potato chips horseradish chives 3.5
Trader Joe's Pumpkin Brioche Twist: This TJs brioche was in the same section as the pastries, so I was expecting it to taste more like a dessert. In reality, it's definitely more of a flavored bread than a cake, with the same buttery texture as regular TJs brioche but with a faint yet distinct spiced pumpkin flavor. Reading the label more carefully, I saw that they do accurately describe it as "slightly sweet" and "lightly spicy." Overall, I found it a bit too mild to be satisfyingly festive. 3.0/5.0
traderjoes bread pumpkin brioche twist 3.0
Wunderground Orange cardamon poppy loaf: I love the fragrant floral flavor of cardamon and found this slice of orange cardamon poppy cake to be a near perfect companion to the mushroom-based lattes at Wunderground cafe. Dusted with powdered sugar on both side, the slice was just sweet enough and had a fantastic texture from the poppy seeds spread throughout. A segment of orange tops the entire cake off. Surprisingly substantial and entirely delicious. 4.0/5.0
recommended pastry seattle wunderground orange cardamon poppy loaf 4.0
Wunderground Brainwash mushroom vanilla latte: This weekend, cafe Wunderground opened in Capitol Hill with a menu featuring mushroom-based beverages using ingredients such as lion's mane and cordecyps. They offered free beverages and pastries during their opening, and while I usually don't drink coffee, I had to give their signature Brainwash mushroom latte a try. Normally costing $6, the latte has a fantastic balance that's impressively both familiar and adventurous, with a warming vanilla flavor and earthy undertones. There's enough... (read more) 4.5/5.0
exceptional drinks seattle wunderground brainwash mushroom vanilla latte 4.5